Enhancing Mineral Exploration and Production | Grid

By
Shariq Ansari
February 20, 2024
5 mins to read
mining site manager monitoring exploration drilling

Today, we're exploring a groundbreaking tool that could revolutionize your work in the mining and mineral exploration industry. Whether you're overwhelmed by geological data, grappling with asset tracking across remote sites, or in search of software that fits the unique demands of mineral exploration and production, let’s dive into Grid, a platform designed to transform how you manage your company’s data.

The Mining Challenge

Running a mining or mineral exploration business requires flawless integration among diverse departments and processes. Traditionally, this has meant relying on physical maps, extensive Excel files, and a variety of disjointed tools. Every mining operation has its specific challenges, making the search for the perfect software solution even more critical.

Introducing Grid: Your Data Management Innovator

Imagine a scenario where you can replace all those paper maps and complex spreadsheets with a solution that's precisely tailored to your needs. Enter Grid. This no-code platform enables you to digitize your mining operations efficiently and intuitively. Whether you're monitoring exploration activities or managing vast resource inventories, Grid keeps you connected and in command.

Exploring Grid’s Advanced Worksheets

Think of Grid's worksheets as your new digital control panel. Unlike traditional spreadsheets, these are designed to handle any data your mining operations might produce. Here’s a closer look:

Customizable Columns: Adapt each column in a Grid worksheet to record a variety of data types – from text and numbers to dropdown selections, images, or even geolocations. This versatility allows you to document every crucial aspect of your exploration and production efforts in exquisite detail.

Practical Example: Suppose you’re tracking ore samples from various drill sites. You create a Grid worksheet to log each sample, including columns for sample ID (text field), mineral content (number), extraction site (dropdown), images of the ore (image upload), and a geolocation column for pinpointing the exact drill site. This method not only makes your sample tracking comprehensive but also neatly organized and instantly accessible.

The Grid Mobile App: Remote Data Collection Simplified

The Grid mobile app turns field data collection from a challenging task into a simple process. Designed to integrate seamlessly with your custom worksheets, the app introduces powerful features:

Offline Functionality: Grid's offline mode is a breakthrough. Your team can collect data in the most isolated exploration sites or mines, syncing it back to your central worksheets once they're online again. Forget about lost notes or delayed updates.

Hassle-Free Data Entry: The app’s mobile forms mirror the columns you've established, allowing for straightforward data input, photo capture, or geolocation tagging directly from a smartphone or tablet. This ensures data integrity and operational efficiency, even in the field.

Advanced Data Collection: Beyond simple data entry, the app supports setting default values, requiring certain fields, and using the device's camera and GPS to capture precise images and locations. This meticulous approach ensures that the information you collect is not just comprehensive but highly relevant and accurate.

Showcasing Grid’s Dashboarding and Report Export Capabilities

Following the mobile app's practicality, Grid's web version expands its utility with an inbuilt dashboarding and reporting component. This feature was exemplified by a case study involving the management and analysis of data from over a million exploration and production data points, tailored specifically for a comprehensive mining project.

Data Storage and Processing: The project’s data was efficiently stored in a relational database, while powerful querying and report generation were accomplished using Trino. Data streaming services, REST-based APIs, and data connectors facilitated efficient data injection into Grid.

Report Configuration and Data Visualization: Custom reports were generated using Grid’s advanced query engine, leveraging a Trino cluster for big data processing. These reports, scheduled to highlight essential KPIs, were critical for managing and analyzing extensive datasets from mining operations.

The dashboard engine supports GIS and ten additional widgets for insightful data visualization, enabling regular data exports to an SFTP folder for further integrations. This ensures that data is readily available for other processes and analyses, enhancing operational visibility and strategic decision-making.

Inbound and Outbound Integrations: Grid was integrated with field force monitoring, exploration data management systems, and production control systems. This setup allowed for comprehensive data reception related to drill frequencies, ore quality metrics, and production schedules. By monitoring these parameters, Grid effectively tracked the performance of mining operations and ensured compliance with data management standards.

Outbound data was systematically organized for file storage, facilitating further integrations and seamless data flow for subsequent analysis and reporting. This approach was crucial for maintaining data accessibility and supporting continuous improvement in mining operations.

Bringing It All Together

With Grid’s dynamic worksheets, mobile app, and advanced dashboarding and reporting capabilities, managing your data becomes a streamlined, highly efficient endeavor. From creating digital worksheets that capture every necessary detail to empowering your team with robust tools for easy and precise data collection, and analyzing extensive datasets with advanced reporting, Grid redefines how mining operations can be managed and optimized.

Imagine conducting a resource estimate with data that’s not only quickly collected but also immediately ready for analysis and decision-making. This level of efficiency and user-friendliness is what sets Grid apart for mining companies looking to digitize and optimize their operations.

Grid serves as the ultimate toolkit for your operational data needs, enhancing mining efficiency through real-time tracking, asset management, and data-driven decision-making. If you're aiming to enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, or eliminate outdated paper-based tracking, Grid could be the innovation you've been looking for. Why not discover how it could redefine your approach to mining and exploration?

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Shariq Ansari
Digital Marketeer
“Using Grid to track drill program progress and day to day expenditures has allowed VR Resources to make better decisions more quickly. The highly customizable and elegant interface allows me to track and manage all aspects of our field work and it’s clear after just a few weeks that the possibilities are nearly endless. Cost tracking estimates were consistently within expected variance of invoices received giving me further confidence in managing agile drill programs. Further the development team and customer support have been top notch!”
Justin J. Daley
PGeo, MSc, Vice President Exploration
VR Resources
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VR Resources
“Grid has been extremely helpful in changing the course of multiple operations, here at U-Solar. We started with one module for Materials Management, and have now adopted Grid for 3-4 more processes, all of which have been smooth and quick to implement.”
Namrata
IT Admin
U-Solar
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U-Solar
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