The company’s systems are managing over 200 million tonnes of bulk commodity movements per annum in coal, iron ore and bauxite.

“Managing bulk commodity quality and logistics is tough work in a business environment of constrained transport and port capacities, increasing customer demands and the never-ending quest for profit improvement,” the company said.

“But through its software applications, QMASTOR is breaking down departmental and business silos to provide visibility across the entire mining supply chain from geological model through to receipt of customer payments.”

QMASTOR general manager Steve Maxwell says clients’ business benefits are found in areas such as reduced quality penalties, improved planning and decision making, improved inventory management and reconciliation, as well as automation of routine data entry and processing tasks.

“Fundamentally, it is about getting geologists, mining engineers, metallurgists, logisticians and marketers on the same page, with appropriate supply chain visibility to optimise their day-to-day decisions,” Maxwell said.

“A long way from the industry norm of multiple spreadsheets per function, infrequently shared across the supply chain and poorly supported.”

The company has pioneered coal supply chain integration, particularly at the common user terminals and QMASTOR says being able to provide mining companies with a consistent view of their operations from pit to customer is critical.

“QMASTOR is automating the data transfer across the supply chain, pulling in data via dPipe into Pit to Port and SMS3D from a vast array of sources such as XPAC, dispatch systems, plant SCADA, ports such as DBCT, CQPA, PWCS, railways such as QR and Pacific National, and laboratory/superintending companies for plant production, rail and vessel quality analyses.”

QMASTOR’s systems and services can assist clients in areas such as:

Supply chain planning

Budgeting

Resource definition

Mining

Stockpile management

Quality and blend management

Processing

Transportation

Shipping

Dispatch demurrage

Commodity sales/purchase contract management

Invoicing

Revenue, cash and marketing, and logistics cost accounting

QMASTOR also provides complementary mine and stockpile surveying services, utilising best practice technology such as laser scanners or the more traditional total station and GPS equipment.

The use of laser scanning technology is revolutionising the measurement of bulk materials and other mine engineering applications and QMASTOR believes the industry has still to realise the technology’s full potential.

To learn more about QMASTOR’s products and services and how they can help you with your mining supply chain improvements, visit stand 1110 at QME 2006. You can also call QMASTOR in Brisbane on (07) 3221 3264, reach the Newcastle office on (02) 49682090, or visit www.qmastor.com.au.