XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 397
CONCLUSIONS
High specification PGNAA measurement of conveyed
flows in multiple commodities provides representative and
precise data suitable for many applications that primarily
improve quality control and process performance. Major
reductions in plant capital expenditure, operating costs and
CO2 emissions have resulted from implementing analyzers
in appropriate applications and effectively utilizing the real
time data. The concurrent use of the data has ensured mul-
tiple benefits are derived despite justification processes for
the technology often focused on just one benefit.
Benefits of high precision, representative, real time
measurement data have been underestimated in each appli-
cation discussed in the paper. Many mines and process
operations have no experience with such high resolution
data and initially seek to collect measurements to develop
an understanding so they can plan ways to benefit from it.
Companies that have adopted the technology have achieved
major improvements and benefits.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The permission of Scantech International Pty Ltd to pub-
lish this paper is gratefully acknowledged as well as clients
mentioned in the paper for their support of the technology
and provision of data.
REFERENCES
Arena, T., and McTiernan, J. 2011. On-belt analysis at
Sepon copper operation, in Proceedings MetPlant 2011,
Melbourne: The Australasian Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy, pp. 527–535.
Balzan, L.A. 2022. Improved stability in control of sinter
feed basicity by using GEOSCAN real time on-belt
analysis, in Proceedings AISTech 2022—Proceedings
of the Iron &Steel Technology Conference, 16–18 May
2022, Pittsburgh, Pa., USA. doi: 10.33313/386/161.
©2022 by the Association for Iron &Steel Technology,
pp. 1388–1394
Balzan, L., Jolly, T., Harris, A., and Bauk, Z. 2016. Greater
use of Geoscan on-belt analysis for process control
at Sepon copper operation, in Proceedings XXVIII
International Mineral Processing Congress, Quebec:
Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and
Petroleum.
Balzan, L.A., de Paor, A., Doorgapershad, A., and Futcher,
W. 2022. The end of the rainbow: real time direct
gold analysis in run of mine ore at Newcrest’s Telfer
mine using GEOSCAN analysis, in Proceedings of
International Mineral Processing Conference—Asia
Pacific 2022, Melbourne: The Australasian Institute of
Mining and Metallurgy, pp. 1140–1149.
Goodall, W. 2021. Understanding what is feeding your pro-
cess: how ore variability costs money, in Process Mineralogy
Today, March 10, 2021. Available from: https://
minassist.com.au/understanding-what-is-feeding
-your-process-how-ore-variability-costs-money/
[Accessed: 26 May 2023].
Kurth, H. 2016. Improving ore quality in mine to mill
using through-conveyor real time elemental analysis,
Proceedings XXVIII International Mineral Processing
Congress, Quebec, Canada, Montreal: Canadian
Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum.
Kurth, H. 2022. Ore quality measurement and control
using Geoscan-M PGNAA real time elemental analysis,
in Proceedings International Mining Geology Conference
2022, Brisbane, Australia and online, Melbourne:
The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy,
pp. 338–345.
Matthews, D., and du Toit, T. 2011. Validation of mate-
rial stockpiles and roll out for overall elemental bal-
ance as observed in the Khumani iron ore mine, South
Africa, in Proceedings Iron Ore Conference 11-13 July
2011 Perth, WA. Melbourne: The Australasian Institute
of Mining and Metallurgy, pp. 297–305.
Nadolski, S., Klein, B., Samuels, M., Hart, C.J.R., &
Elmo, D. 2018. Evaluation of cave-to-mill oppor-
tunities at the New Afton Mine, in Proceedings of the
50th Annual Canadian Minerals Processors Operators
Conference, Ottawa, Ontario, 23–25 January 2018.
Edited by B. Danyliw, R. Cameron, and J. Zinck.
Montreal: Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy
and Petroleum, pp. 270–281.
Navarrete, M., del Rio, P., Aravena, P., Soto, A., Valido,
J.C., and Allende, J. 2022. Stockpile Modeling and Ore
Traceability with Advanced Analytics at DMH, paper
presented to MineriaDigital2022—9th International
Congress on Automation, Robotics and Digitalization in
Mining, Santiago: Gecamin.
Patel, M. 2014. On-belt elemental analysis of lead-zinc
ores using prompt gamma neutron activation analysis,
in Proceedings XXVII International Mineral Processing
Congress 2014, Santiago: Gecamin, chapter 17.
Scott, M., Rutter, J., du Plessis, J., and Alexander, D.
2020. Operational deployment of sensor technolo-
gies for bulk ore sorting at Mogalakwena PGE Mine,
in Proceedings Preconcentration 2020, Melbourne: The
Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
CONCLUSIONS
High specification PGNAA measurement of conveyed
flows in multiple commodities provides representative and
precise data suitable for many applications that primarily
improve quality control and process performance. Major
reductions in plant capital expenditure, operating costs and
CO2 emissions have resulted from implementing analyzers
in appropriate applications and effectively utilizing the real
time data. The concurrent use of the data has ensured mul-
tiple benefits are derived despite justification processes for
the technology often focused on just one benefit.
Benefits of high precision, representative, real time
measurement data have been underestimated in each appli-
cation discussed in the paper. Many mines and process
operations have no experience with such high resolution
data and initially seek to collect measurements to develop
an understanding so they can plan ways to benefit from it.
Companies that have adopted the technology have achieved
major improvements and benefits.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The permission of Scantech International Pty Ltd to pub-
lish this paper is gratefully acknowledged as well as clients
mentioned in the paper for their support of the technology
and provision of data.
REFERENCES
Arena, T., and McTiernan, J. 2011. On-belt analysis at
Sepon copper operation, in Proceedings MetPlant 2011,
Melbourne: The Australasian Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy, pp. 527–535.
Balzan, L.A. 2022. Improved stability in control of sinter
feed basicity by using GEOSCAN real time on-belt
analysis, in Proceedings AISTech 2022—Proceedings
of the Iron &Steel Technology Conference, 16–18 May
2022, Pittsburgh, Pa., USA. doi: 10.33313/386/161.
©2022 by the Association for Iron &Steel Technology,
pp. 1388–1394
Balzan, L., Jolly, T., Harris, A., and Bauk, Z. 2016. Greater
use of Geoscan on-belt analysis for process control
at Sepon copper operation, in Proceedings XXVIII
International Mineral Processing Congress, Quebec:
Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and
Petroleum.
Balzan, L.A., de Paor, A., Doorgapershad, A., and Futcher,
W. 2022. The end of the rainbow: real time direct
gold analysis in run of mine ore at Newcrest’s Telfer
mine using GEOSCAN analysis, in Proceedings of
International Mineral Processing Conference—Asia
Pacific 2022, Melbourne: The Australasian Institute of
Mining and Metallurgy, pp. 1140–1149.
Goodall, W. 2021. Understanding what is feeding your pro-
cess: how ore variability costs money, in Process Mineralogy
Today, March 10, 2021. Available from: https://
minassist.com.au/understanding-what-is-feeding
-your-process-how-ore-variability-costs-money/
[Accessed: 26 May 2023].
Kurth, H. 2016. Improving ore quality in mine to mill
using through-conveyor real time elemental analysis,
Proceedings XXVIII International Mineral Processing
Congress, Quebec, Canada, Montreal: Canadian
Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum.
Kurth, H. 2022. Ore quality measurement and control
using Geoscan-M PGNAA real time elemental analysis,
in Proceedings International Mining Geology Conference
2022, Brisbane, Australia and online, Melbourne:
The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy,
pp. 338–345.
Matthews, D., and du Toit, T. 2011. Validation of mate-
rial stockpiles and roll out for overall elemental bal-
ance as observed in the Khumani iron ore mine, South
Africa, in Proceedings Iron Ore Conference 11-13 July
2011 Perth, WA. Melbourne: The Australasian Institute
of Mining and Metallurgy, pp. 297–305.
Nadolski, S., Klein, B., Samuels, M., Hart, C.J.R., &
Elmo, D. 2018. Evaluation of cave-to-mill oppor-
tunities at the New Afton Mine, in Proceedings of the
50th Annual Canadian Minerals Processors Operators
Conference, Ottawa, Ontario, 23–25 January 2018.
Edited by B. Danyliw, R. Cameron, and J. Zinck.
Montreal: Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy
and Petroleum, pp. 270–281.
Navarrete, M., del Rio, P., Aravena, P., Soto, A., Valido,
J.C., and Allende, J. 2022. Stockpile Modeling and Ore
Traceability with Advanced Analytics at DMH, paper
presented to MineriaDigital2022—9th International
Congress on Automation, Robotics and Digitalization in
Mining, Santiago: Gecamin.
Patel, M. 2014. On-belt elemental analysis of lead-zinc
ores using prompt gamma neutron activation analysis,
in Proceedings XXVII International Mineral Processing
Congress 2014, Santiago: Gecamin, chapter 17.
Scott, M., Rutter, J., du Plessis, J., and Alexander, D.
2020. Operational deployment of sensor technolo-
gies for bulk ore sorting at Mogalakwena PGE Mine,
in Proceedings Preconcentration 2020, Melbourne: The
Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.