Jennmar Launches XCAL

JENNMAR announced that it plans to rebrand TungsteMet as XCAL Industries (www.xcalindustries.com), which manufactures tungsten carbide blanks. The company also announced it would form XCAL Tools (www.xcaltools.com) to consolidate several lines, including JENNMAR McSweeney’s, JENNMAR SANSHELL, Cuda Tools Inc. and JENNMAR Construction Tools.

“XCAL Industries and XCAL Tools will bring tremendous capabilities and increase our product offerings of tungsten carbide blanks and cutting tools with new hard facing capabilities for North America’s mining and tunneling industries,” said Tony Calandra, group president of Frank Calandra Inc. and Calandra Group LLC, which owns JENNMAR. “All products will retain their product name and we will be producing the same quality products made by quality people.”

Calandra explained that the company is constantly seeking ways to enhance the experience for miners. “This rebranding will not affect or delay any current business and business will continue as usual,” Calandra said. “Our focus and commitment to the mining business is guided by three words: Safety, Service and Innovation.”

Experience Centers Shape New Mining Leaders

Immersive Technologies has established Experience Centers at five of its largest offices worldwide to demonstrate workforce optimization solutions, while sharing knowledge and best practices with mining industry professionals.

The Experience Centers are designed to offer real business value, market leading insights, and inspiration for all mining executives seeking to improve the performance of their operator workforce.

The first Experience Center was inaugurated during late October in Perth, Western Australia. Immersive Technologies hosted more than 35 young professionals and university students as part of the recent Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) New Leaders Conference.

The AusIMM New Leaders conference series is aimed at strengthening professional foundations for future growth, along with showcasing the industry’s latest innovations, products and services. By providing conference delegates access to the Perth Experience Center, Immersive Technologies helped inspire the next generation of industry leaders, exposing them to the latest simulation technology, and provided an understanding of key mining workforce challenges.

AusIMM CEO Stephen Durkin said that AusIMM has a deep commitment to supporting the future resources workforce. “Conferences such as New Leaders provide valuable opportunities for the next generation to connect with industry and gain first-hand experience of the technology that is shaping the future of our sector,” Durkin said.

Carlson Offers Software Upgrades

Carlson Mining 2020 features upgrades to existing options, new tools and functionality enhancements. The package includes three modules, Geology, Surface Mining and Underground Mining. It runs on AutoCAD 2015-2020 and comes with IntelliCAD 9.2.

“Carlson Mining 2020 provides dozens of new updates to the various modules, enhancing block modeling, variograms, mining solids with improved 3D viewing and rendering, design and scheduling,” said Grant Wenker, vice president, Carlson Mining. “These additions further expand the capabilities of the Carlson Mining Suite, linking the office software closer to the Carlson Laser Measurement and Machine Control solutions.”

Carlson Mining 2020’s Variogram features multiple updates like the ability to process multiple strata and attributes at once, data point composting, cross variable geostatistical analysis with cross variograms, a method to auto-fit model variograms, and output lag results.

The Block Model Viewer in Carlson Mining now shows a legend of grade names and assigned colors. Users can now switch the grade parameters for viewing the blocks colored by a different attribute, without exiting the command. Users can also define new grade parameters by attribute value range while in the viewer.

The Surface Equipment Timing has several upgrades with the 3D pick tool such as the ability to define attribute equations to display in the charts, tooltip settings that allow values to show, automatic tracking of non-key tonnage, and an undo button. Speed has been improved — allowing pit assignment within a few seconds even with up to 35,000 pit blocks.

There are new commands to create solid models including by grade from a block model and by 3D triangulation from a cloud of points. Additionally, there is a new option to create a solid using a Carlson surface object — providing better performance, as opposed to drawing hatched 3D faces, especially on larger models. The new solid-by-section model uses a series of slices through a model to make edits.

Another new tool within Carlson 2020 is the Settings Migration Wizard. The Settings Migration Wizard is a new way to transfer Carlson and CAD settings between previous versions of Carlson. When using Carlson 2020 for the first time, the Migration Wizard gives users the chance to transfer the settings. The Migration Wizard can be accessed anytime from the settings menu.

Thriveni, Zyfra to Implement First Intelligent Mine Project in India

Thriveni Earthmovers Pvt. Ltd. (Thriveni), through a joint venture, operates National Thermal Power Corp.’s (NTPC) Pakri Barwadih coal project in Jharkhand, India. Thriveni has awarded Zyfra the contract to implement its Intelligent Mine solution at Pakri Barwadih.

Zyfra’s mining division, formerly known as the VIST Group, is a leader in automation for large mining companies in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

“Our investment to collaborate with Zyfra is to ensure the latest technology intelligence like IIOT and AI capabilities are available,” said B. Prabhakaran, managing director of Thriveni.

Zyfra’s Intelligent Mine solution includes ZM Karier, Mine Fleet Management System with automatic dispatch system of haul trucks; ZM Drill, Automated Drilling and Blasting Control System; and ZM Scarex, Machine Guidance Digging Systems, integrated with Payload and Fuel Level Monitoring System, Tire Management System, Equipment Diagnostic Systems, and other resource planning and application software for data import and export related to planning, production, equipment performance, manpower attendance, real-time analytics. The customer has remote access from anywhere to the existing network, which will available in English, Hindi and other vernacular languages as required.

Zyfra will supply, install, configure, integrate a complete package of equipment, and then operate, maintain the system and impart training for a period of one year.

Automatic dispatching and optimization software allocates mining equipment, creates a schedule and assign routes to mobile equipment according to the production objectives in real time. Payload and fuel level monitoring system allows optimizing average payload of haul trucks and eliminating underloading and overloading.