XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 1125
to increase the tonnage to maximize the copper production
rate within the rheological process constraints in the grind-
ing/classification circuits.
A reasonable conclusion is that adding up the right
amount of water to the sump for the right, the %solids
in the feed to the cyclones is crucial as well as putting the
right amount of water to the ball mills feed to get the right
apparent viscosity of the mill.
Several earlier mine-to-mill detailed engineering proj-
ects never analyzed the tailings product and the effects of
the grinding on the water recovery. The current Digital
Twin for low grades takes into account an integrated analy-
sis of the mine, mill, and tailings water recovery for the
plant to improve the net metal production rate.
COLLABORATION BETWEEN SILOS FOR
INTEGRATED OPERATIONAL DECISION
SUPPORT
Today’s technologies are enabling mineral and metal-
lurgical processors to develop competency centers where
they can manage their mine and mineral processing plants
remotely to coordinate mining operations with down-
stream operations. The centers can be located near the mill
or based remotely to enable a virtual, cloud-based opera-
tion. Integration of the operational data and events trans-
forms the organization into a continuous improvement
and innovation culture. An operational excellence program
should be an ongoing process of improvement to achieve
environmentally safe, profitable operations.
The availability of a central data infrastructure database
allows operational information to be shared with external
collaborators. The data published by the mineral processing
company pertain to a set of equipment used for material
separation such as filters. The operational data of the fil-
ters are shared by the customer and the service provider in
real time. This new capability provides a secure, auditable,
and low-maintenance exchange of real-time processes and
equipment. It drastically reduces the time spent accessing
data and enhances the use of data for equipment vendors
which can make recommendations about the optimal use of
energy. Many exciting new possibilities are currently being
explored by service providers using the data at the original
resolution. This allows for the monitoring of sophisticated
equipment by experts, integration with utilities, automatic
restocking, and integration with joint ventures (Bascur et
al., 2016).
CONCLUSIONS
As presented in the conclusion in Figure 11, the key
strategy has been to use an object oriented creating of tem-
plates to provide the right attributes for people consump-
tion with the right operational context with the Digital
Twin Unit strategy as described earlier. As such, the process
variables are easily couple for any type of analysis by the
latest data analysis tools. Now, the teamwork and use of
the tools by operators, engineers, maintenance and man-
agement is a reality. The integration of the Rock Processing,
Water Processing with the traditional Mineral Processing
Figure 11. Digital Twin key take aways for improving metal production while increasing water
recovery
to increase the tonnage to maximize the copper production
rate within the rheological process constraints in the grind-
ing/classification circuits.
A reasonable conclusion is that adding up the right
amount of water to the sump for the right, the %solids
in the feed to the cyclones is crucial as well as putting the
right amount of water to the ball mills feed to get the right
apparent viscosity of the mill.
Several earlier mine-to-mill detailed engineering proj-
ects never analyzed the tailings product and the effects of
the grinding on the water recovery. The current Digital
Twin for low grades takes into account an integrated analy-
sis of the mine, mill, and tailings water recovery for the
plant to improve the net metal production rate.
COLLABORATION BETWEEN SILOS FOR
INTEGRATED OPERATIONAL DECISION
SUPPORT
Today’s technologies are enabling mineral and metal-
lurgical processors to develop competency centers where
they can manage their mine and mineral processing plants
remotely to coordinate mining operations with down-
stream operations. The centers can be located near the mill
or based remotely to enable a virtual, cloud-based opera-
tion. Integration of the operational data and events trans-
forms the organization into a continuous improvement
and innovation culture. An operational excellence program
should be an ongoing process of improvement to achieve
environmentally safe, profitable operations.
The availability of a central data infrastructure database
allows operational information to be shared with external
collaborators. The data published by the mineral processing
company pertain to a set of equipment used for material
separation such as filters. The operational data of the fil-
ters are shared by the customer and the service provider in
real time. This new capability provides a secure, auditable,
and low-maintenance exchange of real-time processes and
equipment. It drastically reduces the time spent accessing
data and enhances the use of data for equipment vendors
which can make recommendations about the optimal use of
energy. Many exciting new possibilities are currently being
explored by service providers using the data at the original
resolution. This allows for the monitoring of sophisticated
equipment by experts, integration with utilities, automatic
restocking, and integration with joint ventures (Bascur et
al., 2016).
CONCLUSIONS
As presented in the conclusion in Figure 11, the key
strategy has been to use an object oriented creating of tem-
plates to provide the right attributes for people consump-
tion with the right operational context with the Digital
Twin Unit strategy as described earlier. As such, the process
variables are easily couple for any type of analysis by the
latest data analysis tools. Now, the teamwork and use of
the tools by operators, engineers, maintenance and man-
agement is a reality. The integration of the Rock Processing,
Water Processing with the traditional Mineral Processing
Figure 11. Digital Twin key take aways for improving metal production while increasing water
recovery