African Mining July 2022 | Page 25

BUSINESS •

What of cost and benefits ? “ What is most useful is that this is a ‘ co-creation ’ – a creation process between supplier and the end-user ,” says Daling . What he means is that in building the model of the mine , the process becomes almost like a journey of discovery for the mine too – data inaccuracies are picked up , bottlenecks are discovered , and focus is placed on processes critical to output that may not have been noticed before . It is vital that these findings are pulled through to the decisions made going forward to translate to operational efficiencies for the mine .

Daling explains that the cost of doing a dynamic simulation , where one can see changes as data parametres are entered into the model , is significantly more when compared to the traditional method of static calculations , which is relatively easy . It can take up to four times longer to build the model , however , the benefits lie in the realism and accuracy achieved with a simulation and savings are made over time .

He says , “ If one does not simulate a high CAPEX project , the risk lies in the potential overestimating of throughput when using static calculations . The realism achieved in dynamic ( through time ) simulating assists the mine in making the right decision . It is , however , a more involved process , which can take from three to six months to build , depending on the scope of the project . If the model is built on an existing operation , time must be factored in to calibrate the model to match the actual operation ’ s system . “ The advantages of accuracy far outweigh the cost and the time it takes to build a simulation . Our typical Return on Investment is tenfold within three months . The simulation makes particular financial sense in larger projects where there is big capital outlay .”

“ Simulations are usually used for feasibility studies , but there are many simulation options out there ranging from the very basic Monte Carlo simulations , which are quick and easy , to the more complex fully dynamic and fully stochastic simulations ( considering variation ).”

Although it is more costly and more time consuming to build , the use of Digital Twinning ultimately leads to faster , more accurate decision making and greater efficiencies for the mine . “ When an operation is making decisions that are going to involve huge outlay , they want to make the right decision , and the savings lie in efficiencies over time . The advantage is that once the twin is constructed , one can throw almost any decision at it and predictions of impact on operations are possible within a day , allowing for immeasurable benefits .”

4Sight Asset

Daling points out that the supplier has a responsibility to impart all the benefits of the system to the operation , so that the end user understands the capabilities of the system to get the ‘ best bang for buck ’. What is critical is that the model requires constant data updates to keep it representative of the mine and useful over time .

Daling notes that simulation technology is moving to a future which includes AI technologies such as machine learning and automation . “ So , you ' d be able to let the machine learning algorithm loose and run scenarios to predict which set of parameters get you to the optimal profit margin . Machine learning will basically take the model climate itself and change the parameters around equipment and cycles and see what gives you the best profit . There is no way a human would be able to manage so many different equations and all of those changes in parameters .”

The complexity of what the system can do is increasing and work is constantly being done to make model runtimes as short as possible and constantly improving the accuracy of the output of models .

Daling mentions that the uptake in Africa is slower than that of overseas as one of the biggest challenges on the continent lies in the capturing of data across the different disciplines at an operational level . “ Data maturity and reliability can be a challenge in this space due to the lack of infrastructure and expertise available at remote sites . It is difficult to get the right resource in remote areas , and staff retention can also be a challenge where the skill set is scarce .” •

Willem Daling , executive director of operations at 4Sight Asset Simulation https :// www . smart-energy . com / policy-regulation / digital-twins-maturity-continuum-david-socha /

From Hindsight to 4Sight with a Digital Twin .