CRC Ore Grade Engineering, presented by Alan Bye at 2013 CMIC Signature Event
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Transcript of CRC Ore Grade Engineering, presented by Alan Bye at 2013 CMIC Signature Event
OPTIMISATION OF RESOURCE EXTRACTION THROUGH APPLICATION OF GRADE ENGINEERING
CMIC Toronto February 2013 www.crcORE.org.au
Challenges for the Minerals Industry
Mining is getting deeper, grades are decreasing and material movement continues to rise
This is resulting in significant decreases in unit metal productivity on many mine sites
Falling unit metal productivity has been masked by high metal prices
2
Issues Like Declining Grades For Au Mining
3
(Robinson, 2012)
Increasing Energy Intensity
Capital Intensity
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140
280
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700
$0
$5
$10
$15
$20
$25
$30
$35
$40
$45
$50
Cap
ex / Un
it Ou
tpu
t In
dexe
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Cap
ital
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ure
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illio
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Buildings & Structures (LHS) Plant & Machinery (LHS) Capital Intensity (RHS)
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011, Private New Capital Expenditure and Expected Expenditure, Australia, Sep 2011, ABS, Cat no: 5625.0, Canberra.
Value From Productivity vs. Price
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Ind
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GVA - Volume GVA - Value
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011, Experimental Estimates of Industry Multifactor Productivity, 2010-11, ABS, Cat no: 5625.0.55.002, Canberra.
250% Increase in Value 23% Increase in Volume
Multi-Factor Productivity
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110
Ind
exe
d 2
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0-0
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Topp et al. (2008) ABS (2011)
It now takes 40% more inputs to generate a single unit of mineral product
Australian Bureau of Statistics 2011, Experimental Estimates of Industry Multifactor Productivity, 2010-11, ABS, Cat no: 5625.0.55.002, Canberra.
The efficiency in which capital, labour, materials, services, and energy
are utilised to generate a unit of product
Comparative Productivity Trends
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Investment Pipeline
>$200b invested $80b in mining
Compressed project timelines and risk profiles often prohibit new technology adoption
Addressing Industry Needs
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Rapid and Cheap Characterisation Methods
Faster Reserve Modelling and Mine Planning Tools
Process Less Waste with Flexible yet Simple Circuits
A Collaborative Effort
The Commonwealth Government and the mining industry have realised the risks of declining ore grades and rising energy costs.
Through CRC ORE they are investing in new technologies that will maintain the viability of mines beyond periods of high commodity prices.
CRC Program has been operating for 21 years with competitive funding grants for all major industries:
Manufacturing, medical, IT, finance, mining and agriculture…
Program was developed to solve major challenges of strategic national importance: Industry driven (demand pull) Commitment to create commercially sustainable outcomes
Since the program commenced in 1991 the government has committed A$3.4 billion of funds:
There are currently 37 CRC’s in operation
Australian Commonwealth Government Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) Program
CRC ORE Links to Other Research Initiatives
13
CRC ORE has direct links to other major research initiatives and centres of expertise.
These include the AMIRA P9 mineral processing and P843A geometallurgy projects
Aim at all times is to integrate relevant outcomes of these projects into resource optimisation
This brings diverse expertise and deep sector knowledge into CRC ORE’s activities
CRC ORE Links to Commercial Support
14
CRC ORE participants also include a number of well established service providers to the minerals industry
These commercial groups support CRC ORE’s research programs and consulting activities, and assist with technology transfer
The aim of CRC ORE is provision of commercial mechanisms for industry to access outcomes
Research Programmes
P1 • Characterise ore bodies for coarse liberation
P2 • Design new flexible extraction options
P3 • Value the changed economics of the ore body
Large integrated case studies demonstrate the value of a systems approach to mineral extraction.
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Reversing the Trend with Grade EngineeringTM
Industry has recognised the challenges of decreasing grade and is looking to implement significant change
CRC ORE is working with industry to apply systems based analysis to increase effective feed grades
Result is emerging integrated operational solutions approach referred to as Grade EngineeringTM
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Grade Engineering Exploits Coarse Liberation
(Robinson, 2012)
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Differential Blasting
Available Grade Engineering Solutions
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Differential blast design to maximize size by size grade response
Mining Solutions
Gravity and dense media separation at coarse particle size
Sensor based sorting for particle stream and belt based application
SAG/AG mill rejection of pebbles based on grade response
Processing Solutions
Increasing the size of mineable reserves - convert low grade into upgraded feed
Size by size screening for feed upgrade and early waste rejection
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Driven by CRC ORE Site Based Project Portfolio
19
BHP Billiton Mnt Whaleback
Newcrest Telfer
Newcrest Cadia Anglo American Mogalakwena
Phase 1 Site Projects
Phase 2 Site Projects
Anglo American Pebble
BHP Billiton Spence
BHP Billiton Escondida
Anglo American Los Bronces
Anglo American Batopele
Xstrata Frieda River
Xstrata Mount Isa
BHP Billiton Olympic Dam
Where Major Implementation Challenges Remain
20 20
Circuit design that is aggressively conservative Flexible circuits based on grade engineering models regarded as ‘unproven’ Specific role and value of belt or particle based ore sorting remains unclear
Load & Haul
Drill & Blast
CrusherStockpile
Block model
Plant stockpile
AG mills
Ball millsFlotation
cells
Flotation
Concentrate
Full Reporting of:Energy, Water,
Emissions and Costs..
Silo based simulation and optimisation tools
Current process simulation tools don’t easily integrate and give system solutions IES being developed through CRC ORE is designed to help overcome this challenge
Cultural resistance and change management
Optimising large mining operations as a single value system challenges culture Changing a generation of ‘going large’ thinking will require top-down leadership
Summary - Addressing Industry Challenges
21
Declining grades and cut-offs have driven need for higher throughput with larger Capex and Opex to service this trend
Companies increasingly see the need to counter this through a more systems-based approach to maximizing value and manipulating feed grades
CRC ORE has been working with the industry to develop an integrated approach to optimising project value – Grade Engineering
OPTIMISATION OF RESOURCE EXTRACTION THROUGH APPLICATION OF GRADE ENGINEERING
22 www.crcORE.org.au