Avgold mining group`s Allanridge exploration division has selected Husky portable field computers from Ukukhanya Technologies, facilitating the move to a paperless logging and ground sampling environment.
"The Husky units have facilitated a 50% time saving in lava core logging and a 25% time saving in sediment core logging. In addition, the duplication of work and error generation has been significantly reduced," said Ukukhanya Mobile Technologies account manager Giovanni Mottalini.
There are six exploration geologists, a project manager, a technical assistant and 9 field-aides on site. The logging of borehole core is split up between five of the geologists. Over the last 20 months 70km of borehole core has been produced.
The limited number of staff to handle the workload, which involves a great deal more than just logging, facilitated the move to a paperless logging system.
"Avgold began tests on various systems to aid the route to a paperless time saving system including laptops, handheld pen computers and the Husky`s. The different systems were tested for their robustness, ease of use, time saving, compatibility and integration into the current NT and Win 95 on site network," he explained.
The Husky PX5 units running Sable Data Works software were selected for entering borehole logs into the computer database.
The Husky PX5 rugged hand-held computers combine portability, ease of use and the choice between using a pen, keyboard or both. A harness strap allows the operator to use both hands to measure and wet the core simultaneously. The screen is also visible in direct sunlight, shade and indoors.
"The PX5 includes solid mass storage technology for reliable data storage, high performance 133 MHz processing and has proved to be the most robust in a dusty and wet coreyard environment," Mottalini added.
The future for Husky in the Avgold`s exploration and mining environment is limitless. It is already being employed to do more than just routine logging and sampling input. Detailed sedimentological and structural inputs have been undertaken, all of which are merged into one mother database. Future underground applications could include face sampling, underground mapping and geotechnical data collection.
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