Aug 13 2014
Aconex, provider of the #1 cloud solution to manage the world's largest construction and engineering projects, has been engaged by Belo Sun Mining Corp. for engineering on the Volta Grande Project, a gold mine in Pará State, Brazil.
Belo Sun, a Canada-based mineral exploration company, is currently using the Aconex platform to manage information and processes for a feasibility study of the project, and plans to extend deployment to the tendering and construction phases over the next year.
According to Belo Sun Chief Operating Officer Ian Pritchard, the company selected Aconex because of its successful track record on large mining projects in Canada. During the feasibility study of the Volta Grande Project, approximately 180 individuals from 15 companies in Canada, Brazil and Australia are using the system. Pritchard cited the Aconex platform's cloud-based neutrality of access for different organizations, ease of use, security, and cumulative audit trail as key advantages.
"Many of us have used in-house engineering software for managing complex projects," said Pritchard. "But you need an independent system when multiple consultants in different geographies require immediate access to project information and the latest version of documents. With Aconex, project data is secure and accessible in the cloud, document revisions are registered automatically, and all correspondence is captured permanently. There is a single historical record of what's been sent, what's been received, what updates have been made, and what's been approved -- with names, times and dates. The platform is easy to learn and use, which gives us flexibility in bringing on new team members. Consultants come and go at different phases of the project, and the data is always there on Aconex. All of these capabilities significantly reduce project risk."
Located approximately 60 kilometers from the town of Altamira (population 100,000) in northeast Brazil, Volta Grande hosts a gold resource of 5.1 million ounces (measured and indicated) at an average grade of 1.69 grams per tonne (g/t) Au and 2.5 million ounces (inferred) at an average grade of 1.75 g/t Au.(1)
Since 2010, Belo Sun has drilled 204,937 meters (785 holes) in the exploration of the Volta Grande Project. The feasibility study commenced in 2013. The environmental permitting process has begun, with geotechnical and hydrological data collection to support the mining plan.
"Despite a challenging global environment in the mining sector, we continue to win new business across Latin America, Canada and the U.S., as well as other regions around the world," said Frank Kopas, general manager of the Americas at Aconex. "We're pleased with the opportunity to help Belo Sun deliver all phases of the Volta Grande Project on schedule."