Micromine, a leading provider of innovative technology solutions to the mining industry, proudly announces the implementation of the full Micromine Pitram suite at the Fruta del Norte mine, owned and operated by Lundin Gold.
Located in southeast Ecuador, Fruta del Norte is considered one of the highest-grade gold mines currently in production in the world, with mineral reserves of 5.5 million ounces of gold grading 7.89 grams per ton. Micromine’s considerable experience in the gold mining sector was an important factor in Lundin Gold’s decision, alongside the company’s desire to consolidate the mine’s various operational aspects in one harmonised mine production system.
The unified control offered by the suite enhances operational oversight and control, enabling the mine to optimise fleet productivity with existing resources and make informed decisions based on real-time data. Edward Leal, Mine Project Superintendent at Lundin Gold Ecuador, highlights the strategic importance of integrating the full suite of Micromine Pitram solutions: “Ongoing fleet analysis and monitoring helps identify machine and time cycle inefficiencies in real time. In this environment, even minor adjustments can lead to considerable improvements in operational efficiency.”
In addition to insights into fleet performance, asset health and material flows, Micromine Pitram enhances in-field communication with direct-to-operator messaging. This enables real-time identification and mitigation of shift issues via a platform that allows operators, supervisors and control room to coordinate short interval control (SIC) activities.
Erich Guevara, Head of Business Unit for Micromine Pitram in the Americas region, is enthusiastic about the project’s potential to showcase the impact of advanced digitalisation in the mining industry. “The full-scale implementation of Micromine Pitram at Fruta del Norte not only demonstrates the solution’s versatility but also sets a new industry standard,” he states.
With the core system now live, further implementations, including underground-fleet positioning, haulage management and fleet monitoring, are scheduled over the months to come. Micromine will continue to provide ongoing support and maintenance.
By utilising the full potential of Micromine Pitram at Fruta del Norte, Lundin Gold is pioneering an approach that aims to simplify mine management through a single, agnostic system, eliminating the need to navigate multiple solutions and showcasing the potential of comprehensive digitalisation in the global mining industry.
