JOINT CONVENTION 2003

Indonesian Geologists Association and Indonesian Geophysicists Association

Mulia Hotel, December 15-17, 2003, Jakarta

HANDHELD PC FOR ORE CONTROL AT BATU HIJAU PORPHYRY

CU-AU MINE
Widi Raharja

Mine Geology - Newmont Nusa Tenggara

wrah0141@corp.newmont.com

Abstract

The primary purpose of ore control in any mine is to provide an efficient discrimination between material that is
above or below economic cut-off grade. A secondary but important goal are to provide reliable estimates of the
copper-gold grade that will be achieved in mining. Most of open mine operations using blasthole sampling as a
tool for ore control purposes. Interpretation of ore outlines based on poor quality sample data will produce sub-
optimal results and cause misclassification of ore and waste will leads to financial loss.

In this paper we report, the implementation of the Pocket/Handheld PC for blast hole mapping in Batu Hijau
porphyry copper gold mine. The Batu Hijau ore control geologists using Pocket PC to collect the geological data
from the blast hole mapping. The data are important in defining the distribution of lithology, alteration and
mineralisation assemblages, and more importantly is to define the ores and waste rocks. Previously the data
recording done on the paper based and then transferred to digital files. The practice was proved to be time
consuming and error easily occurred during data entry process.

In general, the processor capability of the pocket PC is comparable to personal computer but the available
program is limited with different operating system. The main database software at Batu Hijau is acQuire hence
to make the data transfer easier and simpler, the palm was installed with Pocket acQuire program which design
for pocket PC. Pocket acQuire is a data collection program that runs on handheld PCs, and is tightly integrated
with the main acQuire database. The tight integration allows for extensive data validation when the data is
collected, and seamless transfers back into the master database and ore control systems. Data is ultimately
collected more efficiently and with fewer errors than traditional manual methods. The data collected during
blast holes mapping including lithology, alteration, mineralogy assemblages, pile condition and the number of
sample taken from the pile. Once blast hole mapping completed, geologists download the mapping result and
integrate with the data from surveyors and lab assay results. Since the data has been electronic format, the
presentation of the data is easier, faster and more accurate.