Module 1: THE NEED FOR PLANT OPTIMISATION

Need for optimising a mining plant which has been operating successfully? Falling metal prices

Falling metal price, in the wake of global recession

Falling feed grades Rising labour cost Escalating power cost Rising metal stockpiles

Rising metal stockpile

Maximising cash flow Political uncertainty

A copper mine, ignominiously shut down by an African government in 2010

More stringent environmental measures

Acid mist in a copper refinery

Module 2: CONVERTING A RESOURCE TO FINISHED PRODUCT

Prospecting for a metal Planning a mine

Computerised planning of a mine, faster and cheaper than traditional methods Testing to design a processing plant Running financial model Metal pricing in a financial model Thorough sensitivity analysis, this will be used as the benchmark to judge the new plant Corporate social responsibility, appeasing the locals

Corporate social responsibility, preserving the ecology of the area and livelihood of the people is a prerequisite of responsible mining Inaugurating the new mine. Pomp and pageantry

Module 3: PLANT COMMISSIONING

Recruiting the right workers Demography of the work force, the community must be rewarded A form of aptitude testing

Safety induction Training Commissioning

Inside a SAG mill, pre-commissioning checks Reaching commercial production Setting up a metallurgical accounting system

Module 4: CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Fixed and variable costs Achieving higher throughput above nameplate design, profitable tonnage, Frontiers example and the use of microphones. Profitable tonnage Achieving higher recovery above test work design, variable cost, getting more metal out of the ore. Use of reagent synergy Continuous measures for cost reduction, product substitution, cheaper source, better quality, buying in bulk, First Quantums example on mill balls Production bonus tied to cost savings Attitudinal metamorphosis to accepting product substitution

Substituted slurry pump spare from China at the cost of the OEMs Suggestion schemes, Luanshyas example with rubber screens Measures of guaranteeing and sustaining the achievements, productivity bonus scheme Publicising the achievements using electronic boards

Module 5: PLANT OPTIMISATION TOOLS

The performance of a processing plant comprises equipment, labour and mining chemicals used Improving equipment functionality, cost and reliability, Frontiers example Improving labours competence, knowledge transfer, Guelbs example Testing newer and better mining chemicals, reagent synergy, Balubas example Enhancing concentrate grade, this has the effect of reducing transportation cost and improving downstream processing recovery. In the event or recovery suffering, is there a trade off? Will it negate the gain discussed in Module 4? Improving weightometers accuracy. Discussing the 21 possible sources of errors, many of which are often overlooked, Konkolas example

Conveyor belt weightometer scale

Running plant simulation programs to assess the theoretical capability, Grasbergs example. JK SimMet and HSC7

Module 6: ONGOING CHALLENGES, MAXIMISING THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES

Is high grade waste stockpiled separately from low grade waste

WASTE ROCK TREATMENT

91.0 86.0 RECOVERY (%) 81.0 76.0 71.0 66.0 0.14 GRADE % Cu 0.34 0.44

0.24

0.54

Processing waste rock low grade resource to make metal

Such waste can become a valuable resource if:

Metal price improves Plant capacity outstrips mine production Technology improves A spreadsheet on a laptop computer can dictate the tonnage and grade of waste to be treated

Module 7: PLANT OPTIMISATION IN THE GRINDING CIRCUIT

Choice of right grinding media. Every so often, a commercial decision is made to buy the cheapest grinding medium. Depending on the geographic location, grinding media can represent 10% of a mines operating cost? Such a short sighted move could end up being detrimental to the mine throughput

Quality forged mill balls, endeavouring to reduce operating cost False economy, more money is spent on grinding media

Reduced throughput, poor quality balls occupy space in the grinding mill but do not do useful work Accidents can arise from excessive handling and charging of mill balls Sulphide plant recovery is depressed with excessive iron in the pulp Gold plant recovery is depressed with excessive iron in the pulp This module examines the benefits derived in optimising a grinding circuit by using competent grinding media A case study of First Quantum Minerals is used to illustrate this pertinent fact

Module 8: CONCENTRATE GRADE vs. PLANT RECOVERY OPTIMISATION

Vary often; we look at the short term gains rather than observing the larger picture. Concentrate grade enhancement is a classical example Immediately, because plant recovery at the mine drops, the idea is shunned, and inevitably shelved

Grade vs Recovery
% Copper Recovery 94.0 93.5 93.0 92.5 92.0 91.5 22.0 23.0 24.0 25.0 26.0 27.0 28.0

Grade/Recovery relationship, striking the optimum

Concentrate Grade (% Cu)

However, there are several benefits to be derived. If the economics are worked out, plant operators could find that it is prudent to go for the concentrate enhancement route. This module examines those options in details

Good froth

Bad froth.... in concentrate enhancement

Immediate benefits are: Lower transport cost to the port Enhanced downstream processing recovery A quality concentrate that is in demand Often, less flotation reagent is used to obtain a higher concentrate grade, hence the concomitant savings A lower volume of concentrate to filter, so savings in filtration cost A smaller volume of concentrate to handle in the filter plant so less spillage is created. Apart from posing a housekeeping nuisance, spillage on the floor can be a safety hazard due to slippage potential. Cash is tied up in the wrong place with spillage. Morale declines with a dirty plant A real life exercise of a copper plant is studied at depth

Module 9: ENERGY UTILISATION AND IMPROVED USAGE

It is vogue today to minimise ones carbon footprint, energy conservation is an integral part of this Energy is a major cost component; many mines generate their own power. Utilisation must be maximised, wastage minimised and measures for continuous reduction implemented Steady feed to SAG mills, eliminating peaks and troughs Regulating the granulometry of the feed to the SAG mill. Often there is segregation of rock on the coarse ore stockpile. By installing a particle sizer on the feed belt, the feeders at the bottom of the stockpile can be adjusted to meet the required size, Guelbs example

Feed segregation on a coarse ore stockpile Supplementing plant feed with low grade resource Power factor correction

Power factor correction, minimising energy wastage Controlling peak demand, shutting down less important equipment to control peaks Making full use of surge capacities to achieve this, Frontiers example Making full use of plant automation to achieve this, San Christobal in Bolivia It is cheaper to crush than to mill ore

A gyratory crusher, crushing is cheaper than milling the ore

Copper/Gold/Silver mine in a fragile environment

Unique ecosystem that can be destroyed by irresponsible mining

THIS COURSE WILL ADDRESS THESE PERTINENT ISSUES