444 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
Figure 5. Comparison of CB Omni %Cu analysis with existing data sources
basis. In addition, any number of cumulative and/or roll-
ing averages can be configured and output. In this case, the
analyzer was configured to output hourly rolling averages
and day/night shift averages.
Based on the typical truck size and feed rate of mate-
rial through the CB Omni, a truck load of material is
equivalent to about 6 minutes of analysis. Figure 6 presents
normalized Cu grade data over four different time scales,
namely, a 1 minute, 6 minute (1 truck load), 1 hour and
daily basis, over an aggregated 90 days of operation. This
graph provides insight into the grade variability that exists
over these time scales and the potential value that having
minute-by-minute visibility of the grade being mined and
sent to the stockpile and mill can provide.
DISCUSSIONS
There are numerous opportunities for utilizing this data,
including feedback for optimizing mining operations and
feed forward for optimizing stockpile management, as
well as grinding and flotation circuit operation. It is not
only copper grade information that can be utilized. The
CB Omni’s ability to directly measure sulfur can provide
important information for reagent control and potential
acid generation. The copper to sulfur ratio can be a useful
parameter in modelling and predicting metallurgical per-
formance of the flotation circuit. Tracking copper to sulfur
real-time data versus plant performance allows refinement
of these models, providing a benefit to future produc-
tion planning and business modeling over the mine’s life.
Figure 7 presents the copper to sulfur ratio for different
time scales over an aggregated 90 days of operation.
The CB Omni also provides gangue chemistry infor-
mation that can be associated with mineralogy that pres-
ents challenges to mill throughput (e.g., rock hardness)
and have deleterious effects on flotation (e.g., clays). Such
gangue chemistry information associated with actual plant
performance allows further refinement of plant models as a
predictive tool for planning and business modeling.
The CB Omni installation location selected by Red
Chris for this trial was on a conveyor located between the
primary crusher and coarse ore stockpile. Due to the resi-
dence time in the stockpile, the chosen location provides a
more direct and immediate opportunity to provide feed-
back to the mine. The 6-minute data in Figure 6 shows
the indicative grade variability on a truck-by-truck basis.
The 1-minute data highlights that, even within a truck and
after crushing, there is heterogeneity in the conveyed mate-
rial. This is particularly valuable information in relation
to a potential application that PGNAA has been linked
to, namely bulk ore sorting (e.g., Noble 2022). The data
collected during this trial suggests that there is sufficient
heterogeneity to warrant further investigation into the
potential benefit of a downstream diverter to redirect unde-
sirable material based on the CB Omni’s analysis.
Whilst the CB Omni analyzer for this trial was config-
ured to output results on a minute-by-minute basis, analy-
sis can be output as frequently as every 6 seconds. The raw
spectral data obtained during this trial has been analyzed on
Figure 5. Comparison of CB Omni %Cu analysis with existing data sources
basis. In addition, any number of cumulative and/or roll-
ing averages can be configured and output. In this case, the
analyzer was configured to output hourly rolling averages
and day/night shift averages.
Based on the typical truck size and feed rate of mate-
rial through the CB Omni, a truck load of material is
equivalent to about 6 minutes of analysis. Figure 6 presents
normalized Cu grade data over four different time scales,
namely, a 1 minute, 6 minute (1 truck load), 1 hour and
daily basis, over an aggregated 90 days of operation. This
graph provides insight into the grade variability that exists
over these time scales and the potential value that having
minute-by-minute visibility of the grade being mined and
sent to the stockpile and mill can provide.
DISCUSSIONS
There are numerous opportunities for utilizing this data,
including feedback for optimizing mining operations and
feed forward for optimizing stockpile management, as
well as grinding and flotation circuit operation. It is not
only copper grade information that can be utilized. The
CB Omni’s ability to directly measure sulfur can provide
important information for reagent control and potential
acid generation. The copper to sulfur ratio can be a useful
parameter in modelling and predicting metallurgical per-
formance of the flotation circuit. Tracking copper to sulfur
real-time data versus plant performance allows refinement
of these models, providing a benefit to future produc-
tion planning and business modeling over the mine’s life.
Figure 7 presents the copper to sulfur ratio for different
time scales over an aggregated 90 days of operation.
The CB Omni also provides gangue chemistry infor-
mation that can be associated with mineralogy that pres-
ents challenges to mill throughput (e.g., rock hardness)
and have deleterious effects on flotation (e.g., clays). Such
gangue chemistry information associated with actual plant
performance allows further refinement of plant models as a
predictive tool for planning and business modeling.
The CB Omni installation location selected by Red
Chris for this trial was on a conveyor located between the
primary crusher and coarse ore stockpile. Due to the resi-
dence time in the stockpile, the chosen location provides a
more direct and immediate opportunity to provide feed-
back to the mine. The 6-minute data in Figure 6 shows
the indicative grade variability on a truck-by-truck basis.
The 1-minute data highlights that, even within a truck and
after crushing, there is heterogeneity in the conveyed mate-
rial. This is particularly valuable information in relation
to a potential application that PGNAA has been linked
to, namely bulk ore sorting (e.g., Noble 2022). The data
collected during this trial suggests that there is sufficient
heterogeneity to warrant further investigation into the
potential benefit of a downstream diverter to redirect unde-
sirable material based on the CB Omni’s analysis.
Whilst the CB Omni analyzer for this trial was config-
ured to output results on a minute-by-minute basis, analy-
sis can be output as frequently as every 6 seconds. The raw
spectral data obtained during this trial has been analyzed on