866 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
• Control ship loading where material TML (trans-
portable moisture level) limits cause potential for liq-
uefaction and for specification compliance
• Optimize cement addition in underground mine
backfill operations
• Determine reduction in heating value in coal and
alternative fuels used in power generation
• Determine dry tons (payable value) of traded com-
modity shipments
• Control moisture content in agglomeration and pel-
letizing processes
Microwave moisture measurement is used in Barrick Gold’s
digital transformation program at Cortez (Bozbay and
Moyo 2019) which included process objectives to address:
• Reduction of manual tasks that pose a high risk to
employees (specifically sampling from conveyor belts
in hazardous areas such as reclaim tunnels)
• Collecting field data that would lead to process opti-
misation (availability of timely data)
• Targeting best operating practices (not stopping con-
veyors to take samples and interrupt production)
A constant moisture factor used for ore over-estimated
free moisture content and prevented the operation maxi-
mizing plant throughput. Throughput increased by three
percent within two months of implementing a moisture
analyzer (Figure 5) which ensured compliance with the
site’s dry tonnage processing permit and increased the value
of contained gold in plant feed by USD 75 million per year
based on USD 1,500 per ounce in 2019.
Particle size analysis
Particle size analysis of conveyed flows commonly uses
digital camera technology and Time-of-Flight principles to
measure moving materials. Segmentation software is used
to interpret images and determine particle size distribu-
tion (PSD). Some laser scanning solutions have also been
developed for PSD measurement. This paper presents a
solution developed by COREM in Quebec City utilizing
a 3D Infrared camera and advanced imaging algorithms to
overcome known performance limitations of other exist-
ing systems. Originally called Ag Feed (Faucher et al.,
2015), it was rebranded as SizeScan when commercialized
by Scantech International Pty Ltd after successfully dem-
onstrating performance at two iron ore sites in Canada
(Figure 6). It has also been adopted for use in foreign object
detection in conveyed flows. It has been successfully tested
on anthracite demonstrating that material color and lack
of shadows does not limit the ability to identify particle
boundaries.
The system does not require any lights but does require
shade in the analysis zone (up to 1.5 m wide) and is unaf-
fected by dust and humidity. It measures belt speed, vol-
ume and mass flow in addition to PSD with results updated
every two seconds. Calibration is performed by extrapo-
lating PSD results from the measured surface to the full
Source: Bozbay and Moyo 2019
Figure 5. Benefit of moisture measurement over moisture factor on ore feed
• Control ship loading where material TML (trans-
portable moisture level) limits cause potential for liq-
uefaction and for specification compliance
• Optimize cement addition in underground mine
backfill operations
• Determine reduction in heating value in coal and
alternative fuels used in power generation
• Determine dry tons (payable value) of traded com-
modity shipments
• Control moisture content in agglomeration and pel-
letizing processes
Microwave moisture measurement is used in Barrick Gold’s
digital transformation program at Cortez (Bozbay and
Moyo 2019) which included process objectives to address:
• Reduction of manual tasks that pose a high risk to
employees (specifically sampling from conveyor belts
in hazardous areas such as reclaim tunnels)
• Collecting field data that would lead to process opti-
misation (availability of timely data)
• Targeting best operating practices (not stopping con-
veyors to take samples and interrupt production)
A constant moisture factor used for ore over-estimated
free moisture content and prevented the operation maxi-
mizing plant throughput. Throughput increased by three
percent within two months of implementing a moisture
analyzer (Figure 5) which ensured compliance with the
site’s dry tonnage processing permit and increased the value
of contained gold in plant feed by USD 75 million per year
based on USD 1,500 per ounce in 2019.
Particle size analysis
Particle size analysis of conveyed flows commonly uses
digital camera technology and Time-of-Flight principles to
measure moving materials. Segmentation software is used
to interpret images and determine particle size distribu-
tion (PSD). Some laser scanning solutions have also been
developed for PSD measurement. This paper presents a
solution developed by COREM in Quebec City utilizing
a 3D Infrared camera and advanced imaging algorithms to
overcome known performance limitations of other exist-
ing systems. Originally called Ag Feed (Faucher et al.,
2015), it was rebranded as SizeScan when commercialized
by Scantech International Pty Ltd after successfully dem-
onstrating performance at two iron ore sites in Canada
(Figure 6). It has also been adopted for use in foreign object
detection in conveyed flows. It has been successfully tested
on anthracite demonstrating that material color and lack
of shadows does not limit the ability to identify particle
boundaries.
The system does not require any lights but does require
shade in the analysis zone (up to 1.5 m wide) and is unaf-
fected by dust and humidity. It measures belt speed, vol-
ume and mass flow in addition to PSD with results updated
every two seconds. Calibration is performed by extrapo-
lating PSD results from the measured surface to the full
Source: Bozbay and Moyo 2019
Figure 5. Benefit of moisture measurement over moisture factor on ore feed