The premise behind Lantern is simple: use real-time data to inform decision-making on the part of both the drilling and mineral exploration company, so more meters can be drilled at a lower cost. Illuminating every aspect of the drilling program in real-time, the platform is an evolving set of tools to help drillers and their clients work better together – a digital solution to speed up timesheet entry, capture progress in the field, and provide real-time data to help control costs and run drilling programs more efficiently.

Drillers can expedite timesheets and optimize the services they offer, while mining and exploration companies get to avert the disaster of unexpected cost overruns and a drilling season gone horribly, catastrophically wrong. It is a win-win for both sides.

Debuting at AME Roundup last January, the ‘soft launch’ of Lantern was anything but soft. Attracting interest from an equal mix of drilling, mining and mineral exploration companies, we have been working with them ever since to add new tools, new ways to visualize data, and new enhancements to help customize Lantern to suit their workflow.

On top of existing functionality including entering timesheets, tracking costs, monitoring meterage by shift, housing documents and issuing invoices, we are launching new improvements and features including:

An offline app for digital timesheet entry

Available for Android and iOS, Lantern’s new offline app allows crews to enter timesheets and costs remotely in the field; synching all of their data with the Lantern platform once they get back to camp. In this way, data can be entered with or without an active connection to the internet.

A better way to conduct site audits

One of the new features we are currently working on is the ability to enter both timesheets and site audits at the same time, significantly improving how these are conducted at the drill site.

New metrics, dashboard widgets and customization

Lantern now allows both drillers and their clients to toggle through many different types of dashboard outputs and choose how they want to visualize their data. This includes tracking meterage and crew hours, breaking down material and service costs, checking the status of timesheets and managing every aspect of drill productivity, including servicing.

Designed to accommodate the real-world conditions that drillers face in the field, the platform takes an intuitive, step-by-step approach to minimize errors and speed up data entry. Everything has been accounted for, including the meaty fingers of the foreman using the software.

And the cost? Anywhere from USD 5 to USD 10 per timesheet. Given that the average timesheet is worth thousands of dollars, it is a small price to pay for project certainty.