The GPS and information technology industries are now
applying considerable development effort to what is being termed machine control
and machine information systems, in particular focusing on the industries the of
mining construction and agriculture. GPS based systems are demonstrably finding
common acceptance and adding commercial value to many machine applications in
industry. This has been the first step in the evolution of the information age
that is now reforming mining practices. Adding the technologies of wireless data
communication, modem computer databases, and networked PC's mining is on the
verge of a new era in overall process management. This paper is a general
discussion of what the information age means to miners and a general description
of new mining operation technologies available to day from the Caterpillar
technology alliance.