446 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
a 6-second basis and shows additional heterogeneity within
each minute, which suggests that significant below-grade
material exists at these time scales.
In addition to installing a CB Omni analyzer before
the stockpile, installing on the mill feed belt could provide
valuable feed forward information. Due to variable resi-
dence time and predictability of material flow from mine to
mill through the coarse ore stockpile, installing CB Omni
on the mill feed belt would offer a more direct and immedi-
ate opportunity for mill and flotation circuit optimization.
CONCLUSIONS
Despite PGNAA being a mature technology, having
been used in a range of applications and industries for
decades, utilization in copper operations has been limited.
Differences in supplier’s design and calibration methodolo-
gies can be difficult for mining companies to appreciate.
This paper has described a proven installation and success-
ful trial, leading to the acquisition of the CB Omni ana-
lyzer by Red Chris. Thermo Fisher Scientific were able to
successfully demonstrate the design and factory calibration
methodology of the CB Omni resulted in reliable on-site
performance without the need for extensive sampling and
validation, or regular calibration maintenance. Performance
validation was obtained with existing Grade Control and
downstream plant assays and the CB Omni results are pro-
viding Red Chris with valuable feedback and feed forward
data to improve plant performance.
In addition to the value that Red Chris have obtained
and are realizing, the results and data obtained from the
trial should provide others interested in the potential of
PGNAA in mining applications confidence that a well-
designed and robustly calibrated PGNAA analyzer can
deliver reliable results without the need for extensive on-site
sampling or regular calibration maintenance.
REFERENCES
Noble, G., Ferguson, S., Understanding Ore Heterogeneity
and Effective Bulk Ore Sorting Using PGNAA/PFTNA
Proceedings Preconcentration Digital Conference 2020,
pp 260–265. The Australasian Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy, Melbourne, Australia.
Noble, G., Thomson, E., Sanhueza, I., Cross-belt elemental
analysis, stockpile blending optimization &waste bulk
sorting in copper using PGNAA Proceedings Copper
2022 Conference, pp 171–182, Instituto de Ingenieros
de Minas de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Scott, M., Rutter, J., du Plessis, J., and Alexander, D.,
Operational deployment of sensor technologies for bulk
ore sorting at Mogalakwena PGE Mine, Proceedings
Preconcentration Digital Conference 2020, pp 169–181.
The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy,
Melbourne, Australia.
Shue S.L., Faw R.E., and Shultis, J.K., Fast Neutron
Thermalization and Capture Gamma-Ray Generation
in Soils, Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kansas
State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506
Singh, V.P., Badiger, N.M., Kucuk, N., Gamma-ray and
neutron shielding properties of some soil samples
Indian Journal of Applied and Pure Physics, Vol. 52, Sept
2014, pp 579–587.
a 6-second basis and shows additional heterogeneity within
each minute, which suggests that significant below-grade
material exists at these time scales.
In addition to installing a CB Omni analyzer before
the stockpile, installing on the mill feed belt could provide
valuable feed forward information. Due to variable resi-
dence time and predictability of material flow from mine to
mill through the coarse ore stockpile, installing CB Omni
on the mill feed belt would offer a more direct and immedi-
ate opportunity for mill and flotation circuit optimization.
CONCLUSIONS
Despite PGNAA being a mature technology, having
been used in a range of applications and industries for
decades, utilization in copper operations has been limited.
Differences in supplier’s design and calibration methodolo-
gies can be difficult for mining companies to appreciate.
This paper has described a proven installation and success-
ful trial, leading to the acquisition of the CB Omni ana-
lyzer by Red Chris. Thermo Fisher Scientific were able to
successfully demonstrate the design and factory calibration
methodology of the CB Omni resulted in reliable on-site
performance without the need for extensive sampling and
validation, or regular calibration maintenance. Performance
validation was obtained with existing Grade Control and
downstream plant assays and the CB Omni results are pro-
viding Red Chris with valuable feedback and feed forward
data to improve plant performance.
In addition to the value that Red Chris have obtained
and are realizing, the results and data obtained from the
trial should provide others interested in the potential of
PGNAA in mining applications confidence that a well-
designed and robustly calibrated PGNAA analyzer can
deliver reliable results without the need for extensive on-site
sampling or regular calibration maintenance.
REFERENCES
Noble, G., Ferguson, S., Understanding Ore Heterogeneity
and Effective Bulk Ore Sorting Using PGNAA/PFTNA
Proceedings Preconcentration Digital Conference 2020,
pp 260–265. The Australasian Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy, Melbourne, Australia.
Noble, G., Thomson, E., Sanhueza, I., Cross-belt elemental
analysis, stockpile blending optimization &waste bulk
sorting in copper using PGNAA Proceedings Copper
2022 Conference, pp 171–182, Instituto de Ingenieros
de Minas de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Scott, M., Rutter, J., du Plessis, J., and Alexander, D.,
Operational deployment of sensor technologies for bulk
ore sorting at Mogalakwena PGE Mine, Proceedings
Preconcentration Digital Conference 2020, pp 169–181.
The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy,
Melbourne, Australia.
Shue S.L., Faw R.E., and Shultis, J.K., Fast Neutron
Thermalization and Capture Gamma-Ray Generation
in Soils, Department of Nuclear Engineering, Kansas
State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506
Singh, V.P., Badiger, N.M., Kucuk, N., Gamma-ray and
neutron shielding properties of some soil samples
Indian Journal of Applied and Pure Physics, Vol. 52, Sept
2014, pp 579–587.