XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 1099
prioritises ease of installation and use. It is a standalone
operation, independent and without any connection to
the customer PLCs, eliminating common implementa-
tion challenges common to many existing solutions. The
gateway utilizes a 4G cellular connection or ethernet for
reliable data transmission. The general architecture is pre-
sented in Figure 5B. The payback can be remarkably short.
One case highlighted a single-year subscription yielded over
$130k in maintenance and energy savings. Furthermore,
if the potential loss of production is considered (for cases
without standby pumps), the total savings could be in mil-
lions. Common fault types we have identified are tabulated
in Table 1. This pump condition monitoring solution has
opened numerous opportunities for savings like:
• Maximise pump performance through increased
productivity and availability.
• Reduce downtime by improving maintenance and
scheduling practices.
• Enhance safety from monitoring lowering incident
risk.
• Optimize inventory via reduced parts consumption
and overstocking.
• Prevent recurrent failure due to improved machinery
conditions.
CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK
Although digitalization has been gaining interest with
promises for improved safety, sustainability, and efficiency
in the mining and mineral processing industry, the path
to achieving this transformative vision is filled with chal-
lenges. Our exploration through the lens of slurry pumps
reveals the infant stage of market maturity where foun-
dational groundwork remains crucial. The paper under-
scores the importance of affordable and dependable sensors
suitable for challenging mining conditions. It dispels the
misconception that data is readily available and empha-
sizes the difficulty of simply adopting technologies from
other industries. The paramount role of implementation is
highlighted, and the development of a test rig underscores
the vital role of practical experimentation in bridging the
Figure 5. (a) Example of installation on site and (b) General architecture of the system
prioritises ease of installation and use. It is a standalone
operation, independent and without any connection to
the customer PLCs, eliminating common implementa-
tion challenges common to many existing solutions. The
gateway utilizes a 4G cellular connection or ethernet for
reliable data transmission. The general architecture is pre-
sented in Figure 5B. The payback can be remarkably short.
One case highlighted a single-year subscription yielded over
$130k in maintenance and energy savings. Furthermore,
if the potential loss of production is considered (for cases
without standby pumps), the total savings could be in mil-
lions. Common fault types we have identified are tabulated
in Table 1. This pump condition monitoring solution has
opened numerous opportunities for savings like:
• Maximise pump performance through increased
productivity and availability.
• Reduce downtime by improving maintenance and
scheduling practices.
• Enhance safety from monitoring lowering incident
risk.
• Optimize inventory via reduced parts consumption
and overstocking.
• Prevent recurrent failure due to improved machinery
conditions.
CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK
Although digitalization has been gaining interest with
promises for improved safety, sustainability, and efficiency
in the mining and mineral processing industry, the path
to achieving this transformative vision is filled with chal-
lenges. Our exploration through the lens of slurry pumps
reveals the infant stage of market maturity where foun-
dational groundwork remains crucial. The paper under-
scores the importance of affordable and dependable sensors
suitable for challenging mining conditions. It dispels the
misconception that data is readily available and empha-
sizes the difficulty of simply adopting technologies from
other industries. The paramount role of implementation is
highlighted, and the development of a test rig underscores
the vital role of practical experimentation in bridging the
Figure 5. (a) Example of installation on site and (b) General architecture of the system