Customer Success Story: Grand Cote Operations (CGO) and Fusion

GCO’s geology team is tasked with managing complex exploration and grade control processes, conducting extensive reverse circulation (RC) drilling across sand dunes

THE CUSTOMER

Grand Côte Operations SA (GCO), a subsidiary of the Eramet Group, has been a leader in the production of zircon, ilmenite, rutile, and leucoxene from mineral sands along the Senegalese coast since 2014. Located approximately 50km north of Dakar, GCO operates a dredge mining system within a 100km concession.

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As the fourth-largest global producer of titanium raw materials and zircon, GCO contributes significantly to the local economy with over 2,000 jobs, 97% of which are held by Senegalese nationals

CHALLENGES

GCO’s geology team is tasked with managing complex exploration and grade control processes, conducting extensive reverse circulation (RC) drilling across sand dunes. With two rigs on-site, the team drills over 5,000m monthly, requiring meticulous planning, logging, and sampling to ensure the accuracy of the geological model.

The team faced challenges in coordinating drilling efforts, logging geological data in real-time, and ensuring seamless integration between their systems to streamline data flow and improve resource modeling accuracy

THE SOLUTION

Since 2018, GCO has been a Fusion customer, leveraging Datamine’s software to manage their geological database. In 2023, GCO partnered with Datamine International to further enhance their exploration and grade control processes through additional configuration steps, customized reports, and key system integrations.

Drillhole planning

Drillholes planned in ArcGIS are now seamlessly imported into Fusion from CSV files, automating the process and reducing manual data entry

LIMS integration

Heavy mineral and XRF assay results are validated and imported directly from GCO’s Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) into Fusion via an API, ensuring data accuracy and speeding up laboratory workflows.

Studio RM integration

A custom script was developed to directly import drillhole data from Fusion into Studio RM, streamlining resource modeling and eliminating previously manual data file transfers.

Survey coordinates import

Surveyors’ DGPS collar coordinates are automatically imported into Fusion, eliminating errors and manual processes.

THE RESULTS

GCO’s investment in process improvement, supported by Fusion and Datamine’s expertise, has positioned the company as a leader in geological data management,reinforcing its commitment to innovation and operational excellence in the mineralsands industry.

“From shifting dunes to drilling depths, each grain and each sample hold strategic and scientific value. Guided by data from precision dredging to geostatistical modeling, we transform the invisible subsoil into sustainable, exploitable resources for global impact.”

Khadim Bamba NDIAYE - Head of department Geology & Mineral resources

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