PRECONCENTRATION
economic viability. He believes the processing
costs for a big mining operation will drop radically
for each pound of copper or ounce of gold
produced — as much as 20% in some mines.
There is also the positive environmental
aspect of the process. “If we can see what’s in
the passing material faster, it means a smaller
processing plant that uses less electricity, less
water and produces less waste material thrown
into tailings and dams.
“For every tonne of metal, we offer a much
lower environmental footprint. For mines that are
constrained by water usage, that’s a bonus,”
Miljak says.
CSIRO’s Nick Cutmore, who heads up the
project’s research team, explains the sensing
technology was evaluated at the Newcrest
Ridgeway mine in Australia. The testing
demonstrated throughput capacity, accuracy and
response times that improve significantly on
competing sensing technologies. “NextOre’s ore
sorter should prove useful for both older, mature
mines as well as undeveloped mines. It can extend
the life of older mines and make undeveloped
mines viable in the first place,” he says.
Before implementation, operations
considering sensor-based sorting should
undertake:
n Geometallurgical evaluation
n Trial tests to investigate sensor response
n Bench-scale testing where sensor selection is
Gekko’s new
IPJ3500 is
4.5m high,
3.5m wide
and has a
feed capacity
of 250 t/h
not obvious or for difficult applications
n Performance testing in full scale sensor-based
sorting machines
n Larger scale site-based piloting with a
temporary semi-mobile plant installation.
New IPJ
Gekko Systems has been engaged by Canadian
mining producer, New Gold Inc, to supply
technology for its New Afton copper-gold mine.
That operation’s new gravity circuit addition will
consist of Gekko's largest InLine Pressure Jig
(IPJ) unit - the IPJ3500 – as well as an IPJ2400
and its proven Mag-Screen technology. It will be
installed in the existing ball milling circuit.
The innovative flowsheet is using Gekko’s IPJ
for the pre-concentration of native copper in the
supergene ore that will be an increasing portion
of the incoming ore to the plant in 2018. The IPJs
were selected for this application as they can be
fed a relatively coarse particle size distribution,
thus allowing the recovery of larger native copper
flakes.
The gravity technology is to be delivered to
site in the summer of 2018 and commissioned
early in the fourth quarter of 2018.
Knowledge
unleashed
United. Inspired.
Certiq
Certiq from Epiroc is a telematics solution that gathers, compares
and communicates vital machine data. It’s available for all types of
mining and construction equipment, both surface and underground.
With great knowledge you can create great things.
epiroc.com