398
Beyond Amenability and Technology: Key Constraints in the
Wider Deployment of Sorting Systems
Richard Bearman, David Bowman
Bear Rock Solutions Pty. Ltd.
Greg Wilkie
Diamondbacks Pty. Ltd.
Robert Dunne
Robert Dunne Consulting
ABSTRACT: The amenability of a given mineral, or orebody, to sorting and preconcentration and the sensing/
sorting technology required, attracts a great deal of attention. Beyond this base amenability, the practical uptake
and implementation of sorting systems is highly reliant on the wider system and the overall impact on project
financial metrics. Key factors to consider include, consistency of performance, materials handling, stream
preparation, destination for sorting products, operability, derived revenue and cost. Another key area relates to
the evaluation of sorting within the context of a mine studies timeline and implications for other areas in the
studies. The factors are examined and described, with the aim of identifying to potential users of sorting, what
factors must be considered as part of the wider deployment picture.
INTRODUCTION
The focus and targets for sorting are highly dependent on
the orebody and end-use. Broadly, in metalliferous ores,
the target is grade enhancement, whilst in bulk commodi-
ties, including industrial minerals, the priority is qual-
ity. Examples of sorting targets, outside of direct grade
enhancement, include those shown in Table 1.
Industrial minerals applications represent significant
market segments, particularly for particle-based sorters.
The largest overall sorter installations are found in this sec-
tor, including the Ma’aden Umm Wu’al, operating at a total
throughput of 1850tph (Mining Technology, 2023).
In this paper, the main focus is the application of pre-
concentration and sorting to metalliferous ores, where fac-
tors, such as recovery and loss of grade to waste, are of far
greater concern than in the industrial minerals sector.
Of the many changes that have occurred which,
directly or indirectly, impact sorting, some of the most sig-
nificant, are listed below and will be examined in the fol-
lowing section.
Table 1. Ore sorting for quality improvement in industrial
minerals
Primary Ore/Feed Material Contaminant
Lithium Iron
Phosphate Silica
Talc Dolomite, calcite, quartz,
basalt
Barite Quartz
Limestone (high-purity) Quartz, Calc-Silicates
Quartz Schist, feldspar, shale, calcite

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Extracted Text (may have errors)

398
Beyond Amenability and Technology: Key Constraints in the
Wider Deployment of Sorting Systems
Richard Bearman, David Bowman
Bear Rock Solutions Pty. Ltd.
Greg Wilkie
Diamondbacks Pty. Ltd.
Robert Dunne
Robert Dunne Consulting
ABSTRACT: The amenability of a given mineral, or orebody, to sorting and preconcentration and the sensing/
sorting technology required, attracts a great deal of attention. Beyond this base amenability, the practical uptake
and implementation of sorting systems is highly reliant on the wider system and the overall impact on project
financial metrics. Key factors to consider include, consistency of performance, materials handling, stream
preparation, destination for sorting products, operability, derived revenue and cost. Another key area relates to
the evaluation of sorting within the context of a mine studies timeline and implications for other areas in the
studies. The factors are examined and described, with the aim of identifying to potential users of sorting, what
factors must be considered as part of the wider deployment picture.
INTRODUCTION
The focus and targets for sorting are highly dependent on
the orebody and end-use. Broadly, in metalliferous ores,
the target is grade enhancement, whilst in bulk commodi-
ties, including industrial minerals, the priority is qual-
ity. Examples of sorting targets, outside of direct grade
enhancement, include those shown in Table 1.
Industrial minerals applications represent significant
market segments, particularly for particle-based sorters.
The largest overall sorter installations are found in this sec-
tor, including the Ma’aden Umm Wu’al, operating at a total
throughput of 1850tph (Mining Technology, 2023).
In this paper, the main focus is the application of pre-
concentration and sorting to metalliferous ores, where fac-
tors, such as recovery and loss of grade to waste, are of far
greater concern than in the industrial minerals sector.
Of the many changes that have occurred which,
directly or indirectly, impact sorting, some of the most sig-
nificant, are listed below and will be examined in the fol-
lowing section.
Table 1. Ore sorting for quality improvement in industrial
minerals
Primary Ore/Feed Material Contaminant
Lithium Iron
Phosphate Silica
Talc Dolomite, calcite, quartz,
basalt
Barite Quartz
Limestone (high-purity) Quartz, Calc-Silicates
Quartz Schist, feldspar, shale, calcite

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XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 399
• Energy, water and resource utilization focus
• Role of sorting within the wider context of future
flowsheets
• Proliferation of sensor types
• CPU power and available analysis techniques
• Increased population of sorter installations, predom-
inantly from Steinert, TOMRA, Rados and HPY
• More comprehensive consideration within the wider
mine development studies
• Centres of subject matter expertise
• Interest of large, general process equipment vendors
in sorting
• Amenability testing
• Methods for defining and incorporating the impacts
of heterogeneity of feed and
• Linkage of sorting potential back into the mine scale
models.
CURRENT STATUS AND FOCUS
Given that the whole premise for the use of preconcentra-
tion is that it reduces the processing of non-value feed, it
should be ideally suited to address the associated challenges
of energy, water and grade. In relation to water, there is a
very strong connection to the push for dry comminution
and processing. It is perfectly feasible to use dry equipment
in the early stages of processing, given appropriate manage-
ment of dust and use of suitable materials handling sys-
tems. However, at some point, there has to be a move to
wet beneficiation, simply as there are no dry beneficiation
systems that can be applied at high enough rates to meet
the productivity required in a majority of mining opera-
tions. The move to wet beneficiation, essentially negates the
benefit of dry front-end comminution and processing, if
the mass treated remains the same. Through the applica-
tion of preconcentration, there is the opportunity to reduce
the mass processed, but still achieve the metal production
required. The reduction in the mass processed means that
when the system has to transfer to wet beneficiation, there
is less mass to treat per unit of metal output. The combina-
tion of preconcentration and dry processing, is therefore a
highly attractive proposition.
The discussion regarding dry processing is also a subset
of the wider customized or hybrid comminution-process-
ing debate. Numerous innovative flowsheets have been pro-
posed by vendors and research organizations, in response
to the energy, water and ore recovery imperatives, previ-
ously mentioned. In these flowsheets, bulk sorters and/
or particle-based systems, often appear alongside various
forms of compressive grinding, novel beneficiation and
coarse particle recovery methods. As per the dry processing
angle, the aim is to design the flowsheet so that each piece
of equipment and each stream is configured to exploit spe-
cific features of both the feed and the equipment involved.
Although the development of such a flowsheet does not
sound too dissimilar to a conventional process design,
one of the main concerns is that the splitting of numer-
ous streams to provide optimum treatment also generates a
considerable degree of complexity, both in the design, but
also the operation. This is driven both by the sheer quan-
tity of equipment and the need to accommodate swings in
throughput between circuits based on sorted ore feed. Part
of the complication also relates to the push to exploit libera-
tion behaviours at coarser sizes. Although offering potential
improvements in design and recovery, the requirement to
process further for optimized recovery does not disappear
and, therefore, the finer treatment duty can be more com-
plex than usual, as the material remaining has had the more
amenable material removed earlier.
At the same time, performance of preconcentration
equipment, or methods, has improved significantly, with a
wider range of industrially applicable sensors, larger sorting
deployments, more advanced material analysis and faster
data processing. Some of the technical and technology
improvements, include:
Bulk Sorting
• Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis
(PGNAA)
– Improved data analysis duration and definition
of significance of data in relation to cut-of grade
(Sheehy, 2024)
– Combination with other sensors, i.e., magnetic
resonance in analysis of copper porphyries from
block caving (Cetin et al. 2023).
• Magnetic Resonance
– Deployment on conveyed material at a feed rate of
2800tph (NextOre, 2022)
– Truck scanning version developed (NextOre,
2023)
– Improved definition of applicability to mineral
types.
• Other
• Representivity of surface scanning has been exam-
ined and confirmed in specific cases.
Particle-Based Sorting
• Higher per sorter throughput
• Use of hybrid sensor systems
• Conical sorting machines
• Use of advanced algorithms, in combination with AI
and Machine Learning

Previous Page Next Page

Extracted Text (may have errors)

XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 399
• Energy, water and resource utilization focus
• Role of sorting within the wider context of future
flowsheets
• Proliferation of sensor types
• CPU power and available analysis techniques
• Increased population of sorter installations, predom-
inantly from Steinert, TOMRA, Rados and HPY
• More comprehensive consideration within the wider
mine development studies
• Centres of subject matter expertise
• Interest of large, general process equipment vendors
in sorting
• Amenability testing
• Methods for defining and incorporating the impacts
of heterogeneity of feed and
• Linkage of sorting potential back into the mine scale
models.
CURRENT STATUS AND FOCUS
Given that the whole premise for the use of preconcentra-
tion is that it reduces the processing of non-value feed, it
should be ideally suited to address the associated challenges
of energy, water and grade. In relation to water, there is a
very strong connection to the push for dry comminution
and processing. It is perfectly feasible to use dry equipment
in the early stages of processing, given appropriate manage-
ment of dust and use of suitable materials handling sys-
tems. However, at some point, there has to be a move to
wet beneficiation, simply as there are no dry beneficiation
systems that can be applied at high enough rates to meet
the productivity required in a majority of mining opera-
tions. The move to wet beneficiation, essentially negates the
benefit of dry front-end comminution and processing, if
the mass treated remains the same. Through the applica-
tion of preconcentration, there is the opportunity to reduce
the mass processed, but still achieve the metal production
required. The reduction in the mass processed means that
when the system has to transfer to wet beneficiation, there
is less mass to treat per unit of metal output. The combina-
tion of preconcentration and dry processing, is therefore a
highly attractive proposition.
The discussion regarding dry processing is also a subset
of the wider customized or hybrid comminution-process-
ing debate. Numerous innovative flowsheets have been pro-
posed by vendors and research organizations, in response
to the energy, water and ore recovery imperatives, previ-
ously mentioned. In these flowsheets, bulk sorters and/
or particle-based systems, often appear alongside various
forms of compressive grinding, novel beneficiation and
coarse particle recovery methods. As per the dry processing
angle, the aim is to design the flowsheet so that each piece
of equipment and each stream is configured to exploit spe-
cific features of both the feed and the equipment involved.
Although the development of such a flowsheet does not
sound too dissimilar to a conventional process design,
one of the main concerns is that the splitting of numer-
ous streams to provide optimum treatment also generates a
considerable degree of complexity, both in the design, but
also the operation. This is driven both by the sheer quan-
tity of equipment and the need to accommodate swings in
throughput between circuits based on sorted ore feed. Part
of the complication also relates to the push to exploit libera-
tion behaviours at coarser sizes. Although offering potential
improvements in design and recovery, the requirement to
process further for optimized recovery does not disappear
and, therefore, the finer treatment duty can be more com-
plex than usual, as the material remaining has had the more
amenable material removed earlier.
At the same time, performance of preconcentration
equipment, or methods, has improved significantly, with a
wider range of industrially applicable sensors, larger sorting
deployments, more advanced material analysis and faster
data processing. Some of the technical and technology
improvements, include:
Bulk Sorting
• Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis
(PGNAA)
– Improved data analysis duration and definition
of significance of data in relation to cut-of grade
(Sheehy, 2024)
– Combination with other sensors, i.e., magnetic
resonance in analysis of copper porphyries from
block caving (Cetin et al. 2023).
• Magnetic Resonance
– Deployment on conveyed material at a feed rate of
2800tph (NextOre, 2022)
– Truck scanning version developed (NextOre,
2023)
– Improved definition of applicability to mineral
types.
• Other
• Representivity of surface scanning has been exam-
ined and confirmed in specific cases.
Particle-Based Sorting
• Higher per sorter throughput
• Use of hybrid sensor systems
• Conical sorting machines
• Use of advanced algorithms, in combination with AI
and Machine Learning

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.

Previous Page Next Page

Extracted Text (may have errors)

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.