Time savings of up to 80% in overall planning time can then be reinvested in scenario analysis to find the most efficient operating plan, it said.

As well as automating repetitive section operations, time savings are realised through integration with upstream design and reserving tools, downstream scheduling tools, and 3d-DigPlus, the leading material movement simulation package from Earth Technology, according to the company.

Deswick senior consultant, dragline engineer Ian Neilsen said: “Now that the boom times are over, we are seeing a resurgent emphasis on a fundamental approach to improving mine operations, and have built this tool with optimization as a clear focus.

“Sectional analysis is an engineering discipline that has seen little improvement in 15 years, and yet is a key link in the planning of many mines around the world. In developing Deswik.DD we have been able to kick a number of significant goals already through delivering automation of section operations both along strike and down dip, in addition to manual operations; eliminating cumbersome spreadsheeting and manual transcription of results, integrating with 3d-DigPlus.

“Simulation with 3d-DigPlus is a key part of best practice engineering design, so providing a seamless user experience here is a big plus; and integrating with production scheduling so the impacts of design updates are understood immediately.”