A fully integrated production information system at Newmont Gold

An essential factor in cost competitiveness for today’s mining operations is the efficient use of information to aid in decision making. This paper describes the development of a fully integrated production information system utilizing distributed database and fourth generation language technology. Areas of application include mine production, ore movement, mill production, laboratory automation, warehouse inventory, equipment maintenance, exploration drill hole logging and finished metal accounting. The techniques employed in designing this multi-database system are described with special emphasis upon the integration of each database system with all others. Each component database system is evaluated in terms of realized or anticipated benefits, followed by a concluding evaluation of the entire project.