Vulcan and Eureka are both accessed and operated through the Maptek Workbench, offering users the first instalment of a continuum of integrated technical software applications, data and workflows dedicated to mine planning, measurement and operations.

Vulcan was originally launched almost 40 years ago. Vulcan 10.1 features new functionality to streamline design and planning, optimise drill and blast and improve reporting and analysis.

Maptek continues to develop Eureka as a dedicated exploration, drilling and geophysical analysis package for visualising and interrogating 3-D spatial data associated with mining and exploration projects. The core functionality and drillhole tools in Eureka 4 are free to use for Vulcan customers on a timed trial until the end of June 2017.

Maptek solutions bring together the huge amount of technical and geological data around orebody evaluation, mine planning and design, mining process and performance measurement and monitoring. Delivering reliable information across the entire mining value chain allows planning and operational decisions to be made with confidence.

Peter Johnson, general manager at Maptek, said: “A mining operation is a complex environment with many processes, equipment and plans needing to work together for objectives to be met. Considering a single technical process or discipline in isolation is missing the point. Integrating our solutions through the Maptek Workbench enables us to develop a holistic mining technical ecosystem that will revolutionise the way mines are planned, operated and measured.”

He added: “Maptek has the advantage of domain knowledge, technical expertise and engineering resources to leverage development of integrated solutions across the spectrum of data that needs to be considered when planning and executing mining operations. This release marks one more step in our development plan to help operations better manage integrated technical data analysis across their mines. Disparate data is rapidly transformed into relevant knowledge which can be applied in a targeted manner for immediate impact on productivity.

He concluded: “We’ve concentrated on automated workflows and optimised algorithms to keep the right information circulating within the mining cycle, and close the loop between planning, production and results. The Maptek Technology Roadmap outlines key steps in our technology development plan for the next 5 years. Customers can be confident that Maptek will embrace emerging technologies and platforms, and explore new ways to enhance the success of our customers’ business.”

The release of Eureka as a Maptek Workbench application allows closer data sharing with Vulcan design and modelling applications. I-Site Studio and BlastLogic will join the suite of Maptek applications on the Workbench during 2017, with Evolution to follow.

Users will, in future, be able to select the most appropriate tool from any Maptek solution on the Workbench. The result will be a single platform hosting all of the capability and tools that mining technical professionals need for carrying out mine planning, measurement and operations.