Process integration and optimisation - A case study in productivity improvement

Metso Minerals Process Technology Asia-Pacific and South America (MMPT) has been working with operations around the world to increase their efficiency through 'Mine-to-Mill' or Process Integration and Optimisation (PIO) projects. These projects have delivered significant improvements in mine efficiency, mill throughput and reduced operating costs at mines around the world. The MMPT methodology involves rock characterisation, site auditing, data collection, modelling/simutation and implementation of integrated operating and control strategies on site. This results in significant benefits to the operations - for example, 5 to 20 per cent increases in concentrator throughput have been measured. MMPT's rock characterisation utilises simple and inexpensive measurements that can be performed by trained site personnel. The advantage of these measurements is that a large amount of data can be collected in a very short timeframe, as the samples do not require shipping to an outside laboratory. Typically, a PIO project starts with a site visit to perform blasting and process audits, collect high quality data including measurements of run-of-mine fragmentation and survey data around all crushing and grinding circuits. These measurements are combined with rock characterisation and the definition of strength and structure domains to model the complete production chain. Site-specific models of the blast fragmentation, crushing, grinding and flotation processes can then be developed. This proven methodology has applications ranging from greenfield projects to long-standing operations with AG/SAG or conventional grinding circuits. Process improvements can be higher mining productivity, higher mill throughput, decreased overall operating costs and higher flotation or leach recovery. This paper discusses a recent application of PIO conducted at a large open pit operation in South America and ernphasises the potential that every operation has to 'do more with what they have'.