SOFTWARE EMPLOYED

GEMCOM WHITTLE SOFTWARE

Gemcom Whittle software, referred to widely as “Whittle” has evolved from the original software packages authored by Jeff Whittle called: Whittle "Three-D", "Four-D", "Four-X", "Opti-cut", and "Milawa".

Gemcom Software International Inc (Canada) have distributed, supported and further developed this suite of software since 2001.

Refer to www.gemcomsoftware.com for contact and other details.

PROBER - B OPTIMISATION SOFTWARE

Since 1999, Jeff Whittle’s work has focussed on the development of what started out to be a multi-pit blending scheduler for multi-pit iron ore and coal mines. Early application of this quickly expanded into other types of minerals involving mills, concentrators, leach plant, smelters, refineries and multiple product options.

Still under active development by Jeff today (version C is expected later in 2009), this has progressed to a point where the optimiser is so powerful, that it is no longer the limiting factor in this type of optimisation analysis.

We believe the Whittle Consulting Prober – B optimiser to be the most powerful long-term mining/processing/production schedule optimiser in existence.

The Prober – B optimiser is based on a proprietary search algorithm, combined with powerful linear programming (LP), thereby avoiding the use of more cumbersome mixed integer programming (MIP). The result is a reliable and extremely powerful general schedule optimisation solution for mining business, which is capable of handling models of significant size and complexity.

In a single Prober - B optimisation run, which may take minutes or hours depending on model size and complexity, the following parameters are simultaneously controlled by the optimiser:

• All periods simultaneously (using Discounted Cash Flow and Net Present Value)
• Ultimate pit limits
• Mining methods
• Mining schedule
• Mining Fleet sizing/capital
• Cut-off grades (waste vs stockpile vs process) over time
• Stockpiling/reclaim mined material
• Blending into processing
• Choice of processing paths (cut-over)
• Processing plant calibration over time
• Processing plant sizing/capital
• Stockpiling/reclaim processed material
• Blending into smelters/refineries/products
• Product mix/spec

Relationships, settings and constraints can be set by location, material type, process, product etc, by period in significant detail by tonne or meter cubed, or as a function of any characteristic of the mined material or intermediate product. The input data for the Enterprise Optimization Model can be based on historical analysis, test work or modelling by the relevant specialists.

Whittle Consulting’s Prober – B optimiser software is not available for purchase as a software package, as it takes specialist knowledge to set up, run and direct it. Prober – B is operated in-house at Whittle Consulting’s data processing facility, employing a suite of high end processors (32 and 64 bit) dedicated to this purpose.