Ottawa, ON – September 18, 2013 – Neptec Technologies Corp., a leading developer of innovative 3D robotic vision products, today announced the successful demonstration of its OPAL-360 obscurant-penetrating LiDAR scanner at Barrick Gold Corp.’s Goldstrike mine in Nevada. The OPAL-360 was mounted on a P&H 4100 shovel and collected real-time 3D data during loading operations in the mine. “Subjecting our OPAL scanners to the dusty, vibration- and shock-intense real-world operating environment of mining equipment is a major proof point for us,“ said Mike Sekerka, Chief Operating Officer at Neptec Technologies. “The testing at Goldstrike went off without a hitch.”
The Goldstrike demonstration of OPAL is part of a collaborate initiative involving Neptec, Barrick, Teck Resources Ltd., Peck Teck Consulting Ltd. and others to develop intelligent automation solutions in the complex loading area of open pit mines. OPAL 2.0 laser scanners, which incorporate Neptec’s patented obscurant-penetrating LiDAR technology, are specifically designed for real-time applications in harsh environments like mining.
“We are looking to technologies like OPAL and 3DRi to help us improve the safety, productivity and process control of our mining operations,” said Andrew Scott, Barrick’s Director of Mining Information Technology and Automation. “Neptec’s commercialization program, aimed at bringing proven Space technologies developed for the Canadian Space Agency and NASA into other industries, shows how innovations from outside the traditional mining technology community can be applied to real, high-value problems in our industry.”
“When the government of Canada chose to participate in the exploration of Space, few people would have predicted that the resulting technology innovations would one day make mining operations safer and more profitable,” said Paul Nephin, Chairman and a founder of Neptec Technologies. “The OPAL scanner is a perfect example of how Canadian government investment in innovation in the Space program benefits other industries and builds a stronger economy by creating new products, jobs and global export opportunities for Canadians.”
“This initiative is about improving productivity and safety, and mitigating the chronic skills shortages in our industry,” said Peter Wan, Principal Advisor on Mining Technology at Teck. “We are very encouraged by the performance of Neptec’s OPAL and are looking forward to the next phase as Neptec develops a truck spotting solution for us.”
Neptec Technologies recently presented results of the Goldstrike demonstration at ISARC 2013 in Montreal. Additional information is available from www.neptectechnologies.com.
About Neptec Technologies Corp.
Neptec Technologies Corp. develops innovative 3D machine vision products for machine automation and robotics applications in harsh environments. The company was founded in 2011 to commercialize space-technologies developed by Neptec Design Group Ltd., an award-winning space flight technology company and NASA prime contractor. Our first products are a family of obscurant-penetrating laser scanners (OPAL) and a software development tool kit (3DRi) with advanced features such as automatic change detection and object recognition and tracking. Together, these out-of-the-box “building blocks” make it easy to integrate intelligent real-time machine vision applications on autonomous off-road vehicles, and for more familiar LiDAR-based survey and measurement tasks in harsh environments. The company is located in Kanata, Ontario. For more information, visit www.neptectechnologies.com.
About Barrick Gold Corporation
Barrick is the gold industry leader. Based in Toronto, the company operates mines and advanced exploration and development projects on four continents. Shares are traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol ABX. The company has been ranked as a world leader in social and environmental responsibility for five consecutive years by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, and is also listed on the NASDAQ Global Sustainability Index of the top 100 companies, and Corporate Knights Magazine’s Global 100 list of the world’s most sustainable companies. For more information, visit www.barrick.com.
About Teck Resources Limited
Teck is a diversified resource company committed to responsible mining and mineral development with major business units focused on copper, steelmaking coal, zinc and energy. Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, its shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols TCK.A and TCK.B and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TCK. Further information about Teck can be found at www.teck.com.
About Peck Tech Consulting Ltd.
Peck Tech Consulting Ltd. is the leading industry resource to rapidly assist customers to define the most viable and complete technology solution and strategy that delivers tangible and measurable outcomes related to higher overall health and safety as well as enhanced performance and productivity. Combined, Peck Teck employees and associates offer 100 years of project consulting and development experience and innovation derived from working on technology product development and deployment on production and exploration drills, electric cable shovels, hydraulic excavators, haul trucks and drag lines. More information is available at www.pecktech.ca.