February 2012

Around the world with MineSight

When Mintec opened its United Kingdom office in October 2011, it filled the last remaining ‘hole’ in MineSight’s map. Serving clients in Europe and North Africa, the London team completed MineSight’s global network, which comprises offices in Tucson, Santiago, Lima, Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Johannesburg and Perth. You’ll find additional MineSight agents in Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Nanchang, China; and Bangkok, Thailand.

Here’s a closer look at Mintec’s branches and the work they do.

Staff and clients gather at November’s MineSight seminar in Santiago, Chile. A free annual seminar is one of the many services offered by branch manager Juan Martinez and his eight technical staff from the office in Alto Los Condes.

MineSight Applications Chile

Established in 1993, the Santiago office is located in a part of Chile’s capital nicknamed Sanhattan after New York’s fashionable district. Led by branch manager, Juan Martinez, eight technical staff and three administrative employees work from the fifth floor of a modern tower in the Alto Los Condes neighborhood.

The branch takes care of MineSight clients in Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Colombia. In recent months, MineSight staff has visited the following companies: Codelco Chile Division Andina; Codelco Chile Division Chuquicamata; Minera Gaby; Codelco Chile Division Radomiro Tomic; FMI – El Abra; and Xstrata Proyectos.

Here’s an overview of the services offered by the Santiago branch: Pre-sales services (demonstrations, tradeshow participation, courtesy visits, etc.) and post-sales services; technical support; customized and regular training; consulting services (resources estimation, geological modeling, implementation of drillhole/blasthole databases with MineSight Torque); LTP, MTP and STP services; and operational control implementations.

There’s also administrative attention for clients in the form of managerial/technical courtesy visits and a free annual seminar.

MineSight Applications Peru

Established in 1999, Mintec’s Peru branch operates from Lima’s Surco neighbourhood. Led by branch manager Ricardo Lanfranco, the office’s nine staff includes mining engineers, geologists, an industrial engineer and administrative assistants.

Lanfranco’s team looks after MineSight clients in Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela and Bolivia. In recent months, MineSight staff has visited La Zanja, in Peru, Southern Peru Copper’s Cuajone and Toquepala mines, and San Cristobal in Bolivia.

MineSight Applications Peru offers training programs at its Lima office, or customized training at client sites. It also does consulting work at client sites, accompanying customers and improving their understanding of MineSight tools.

“Social unrest is the biggest challenge to our prospects and customers,” says Lanfranco. “Once that is solved, the opportunities are there to implement MineSight solutions in different projects this year.”

The future looks bright for branch manager Ricardo Lanfranco and the Lima office in Peru.

MineSight Applications South Africa

A geologist, mining engineer and administrative assistant are among recent hires made by Mintec’s Johannesburg branch. Established in 1997, manager Rob Macfarlane’s team of eight staff look after clients in South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, (DRC) Sierra Leone, Ghana, Guinea, and Gabon.

The office offers technical support, introductory and advanced training, software implementations, and project assistance for geology and engineering. MineSight clients visited in recent months include Mamatwan in South Africa’s Northern Cape, Sierra Rutile in Sierra Leone, SRK, Ahafo and Akyem in Ghana, and Tenke in DRC.

“Our biggest challenge is probably finding suitably qualified and experienced people required for our growing office,” said Macfarlane. “Africa presents us with huge opportunities for growth.”

From Mintec’s Johannesburg office, Rob Macfarlane leads a team of eight staff, looking after clients all over Africa.

MineSight Applications Perth

Established in 1981, the busy Perth branch recently moved closer to the city’s convention center to accommodate growing staff numbers. Led by operations manager Ian Whitehouse, 24 employees now offer training, implementation, and technical support to MineSight clients in Australasia and Asia. Countries served include Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, China, Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia.

In recent months, staff has visited the following MineSight clients: Catalpa (Evolution Mining) in Westonia WA; Porgera (Barrick) in PNG; Lihir (Newcrest) in PNG; Sibelco Adelaide; Boddington Gold (Newmont); Stawell and Fosterville Gold mines; Oceanagold Reefton (NZ); Xstrata, Mt Isa; Oyu Tolgoi, (Mongolia); Grasberg (Indonesia); and Allied Gold, (Solomon Islands).

“Our biggest opportunities are to selling to Western Australian and Queensland bulk commodity miners,” said Whitehouse. “Our biggest challenge is a very tight labour market driving up costs.”

Perth-based MineSight specialist Kristin Trappitt pictured above the clouds at PT Freeport’s Grasberg Copper-Gold mine in Indonesia – one of the many clients and countries served by the busy MineSight Applications Australia office.

MineSight Applications London

The United Kingdom office is Mintec’s newest, opening in Hammersmith, West London, on Oct. 1, 2011.

Two fully equipped training rooms are part of the London office, which offers technical support and geological introductory training. Engineering training will follow in mid-2012.

“It’s a new office so 2012 presents an exciting challenge,” said Mintec president John Davies. “We have brought the team up to strength technically so that we can support existing and potential new clients.

Mintec’s London office wasted little time dispatching staff on client visits. MineSight specialist David Collins paid a courtesy visit to Sierra Rutile in Sierra Leone just days after the UK office opened in October.