Hexagon acquires Blast Movement Technology
January 8, 2020
Hexagon AB, a global leader in sensor, software and autonomous solutions, has acquired Blast Movement Technology (BMT), a pioneer in blast movement monitoring and analysis for openpit mines. BMT’s technologies complement Hexagon’s drill and blast solutions with accurate ore location information, enabling customers to extract greater profit from every blast.
The ability to accurately track blast movement is a huge benefit for mines striving to be smarter and more sustainable. It’s a highly variable process that can cost mines millions of dollars in lost revenue per year from ore loss – where valuable ore is sent to the waste pile, dilution – where waste is sent to the mill, and misclassification – material containing a specific grade of ore is sent to the wrong downstream location.
Through a combination of sensors and software, BMT’s solution provides customers with accurate blast information that’s used to recover all of a mine’s resources. The solution collects data from blast movement sensors, which move with the blasted material. Software is used to transform the data into actionable insights – from the post-blast location of ore to the outputs of more precise dig lines based on the measured movement.
“The integration of BMT’s solution into our Smart Mine portfolio will be invaluable for mining operations striving to control ore loss, misclassification and dilution,” said Hexagon’s Mining division President, Josh Weiss. “As well as being integral to our drill and blast solution, it’s an exciting way to begin 2020, which marks the 50th anniversary of our mine planning suite.”
Jacques Janse, CEO of BMT said: “BMT has experienced exceptional growth in the last four years and the business is now robust enough to maximize the opportunity that this next phase under the Hexagon umbrella will present. BMT complements the Hexagon suite of products in the drill and blast space and will ensure that Hexagon remains at the forefront of innovation in the blast movement space.
“Hexagon has the capacity to fast-track improvements to the BMT solution and its expertise in software will enhance the BMT offering, ensuring customers receive valuable information to aid confident decision-making and increase ore yield.”
With offices worldwide, Brisbane-based BMT counts more than 100 customer sites mining nine commodities in nearly 40 countries. BMT will operate within the mining unit of Hexagon’s Geosystems division.
Source : me.smenet.org