On the path towards Intelligent Mining

Use of Modeling in Mineral Processing and Plant Optimization: the DEM and PBM approaches

DEM is quite a mature technique in research or in micro-scale modeling of physical systems. In this study 4 real industrial applications solved via GPU solver BlazeDEM are shown. Another methodology which has been used in the industry for 50 years, PBM use, and its full application algorithm is shown for HPGR and wet ball mill applications.

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Biography

Tuğcan has BSc, MSc and PhD degrees from mining, mineral processing and metallurgical engineering, respectively. Tuğcan has worked as a design and optimization engineer in the USA in his early career. He has worked in SAG mill, HPGR design and optimization. After coming back to Turkey, he has worked over 75 projects including scoping, feasibility and bankable feasibility studies, audit, and plant optimization. He has been included in all stages of E/P/C/M for several projects and commissioning works. He signed for EBRD and Credit Suisse LLC as professional engineer. He has given several engineering courses in the US and in Turkey, he is the owner of several invited speeches, papers and engineering training courses in addition to the engineering design projects.

1️⃣ 𝗨𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗠 𝗣𝗔𝗖 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴
How can you enhance process efficiency and product quality with process simulation software? Dive into the capabilities of USIM PAC to simulate the complexities of processing high porosity ores like bauxite, and to optimize dry ball grinding processes by integrating high airflow for fines removal.

2️⃣ 𝗗𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗔𝗣𝗖 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Discover the use of dynamic simulation in supporting Advanced Process Control (APC) for grinding and flotation processes in iron ore treatment. This presentation is designed to showcase how simulation enhances the accuracy and reliability of process controls and decision-making, underscoring the pivotal significance of data reconciliation.

3️⃣ 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗜 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗵, 𝘀𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗿𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗸 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝘀
Explore the integration of AI and image analysis for real-time grade measurements, and learn how this technology improves APC and mass balance calculations and supports operational improvements and accurate decision-making in mineral processing.

4️⃣ 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗠 𝗣𝗔𝗖 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗹: 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁, 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀
Discover the adoption and evolution of process simulation software such as USIM PAC in Brazil. Its impact on the mineral processing industry will be highlighted through specific case studies and technological advances.

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Biography

Experienced Director Of Operations with a demonstrated history of working in the mining & metals industry. Skilled in Mineral Exploration, Process Control, Copper, Nickel, and Vulcan. Strong operations professional with a Bachelor's degree focused in MSc. from UFMG - Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais.

Metal balance : a strategic economic tool

Presentation of the economical issues, of different cases ( large mine, small mine, smelter)
Recovery Variability along the time and along the process
Some new tools to be use in a systematic way to improve recovery
• Direct grade measurement with neutronic analyser
• Systematic use of grinding size analyser
• Sytematic use of Quemscan
Introduction of Business Intelligence approach to deal operationaly with all the collected information

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Biography

Graduate from Ecole nationale Supérieure de Geologie ( 1971)
Doctor Ingénieur ( 1974) of Nancy University
45 years of experience in mining and metallurgical industry
General manager of 3 mines ( France and Peru)
General manager of 4 large smelters ( France , Italy, Phillipines and Australia)
15 years as Senior Technical advisor for Glencore

Retired since 2021

Recycling and characterization of spent Printed Circuit Boards – Sampling challenges

Electronic wastes are a valuable resource due to their critical and precious metal content. To include these wastes in recycling chains, it is necessary to precisely determine their metal content. Because analysing the whole sample of a batch of electronic waste is not feasible, different preparation and sampling steps are necessary. They induce an error in the composition of the final sample compared to that of the initial batch, which finally leads to uncertainty in the final metal content measurement.

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Biography

Agathe Hubau is a process engineer at BRGM. She obtained her PhD in 2019 on biohydrometallurgy applied to spent electronic waste for the recovery of strategic metals. Since then, she has been involved in various research projects related to the valorization of primary and secondary resources. In particular, she has been working on sampling issues related to e-waste.

CFD Modelling of bioleaching stirred tank reactors

Among hydrometallurgical processes, bioleaching considers the use of microorganisms in aqueous solution, which reduces production and operating costs while being more environmentally friendly. More particularly, bioleaching in agitated mode using large-scale stirred tank reactors is seen as a process of interest as it may allow a better control of operating conditions and parameters such as physicochemical (temperature, pH, aeration, agitation), biological (microbial consortium) and geometrical parameters (tank, impellers, sparger, baffles).

This process offers an interesting technical alternative to static heap applications , but, till now, due to the large operational and capital expenditures, bioleaching in agitated mode remains mainly limited to the few cases with sufficient high metal value. The generalization of bioleaching stirred tank reactor requires thus further technical optimization to reach its economic viability.

Bioleaching involves particles (ore), a liquid phase (water-like), a gaseous phase (aeration / carbon feed) and microorganisms to ensure the biological reactions. Consequently, the bioleaching process is based on the coupling between a complex gas-liquid-solid hydrodynamics (generated by rotating impellers), chemical and biological reactions.

To describe this complex environment, process modelling and especially computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has proven to be a powerful tool. It allows indeed to access to yet unmeasurable data (particle stress, local turbulent dissipation rates in dense multiphase flows) or to avoid costly experimental campaigns (such as screening of system designs).

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Biography

Dr. Anne-Gwénaëlle Guezennec is a senior researcher in process engineering dedicated to extractive metallurgy at BRGM, the French geological survey.

She has almost 20 years of research experience in the field of bio-hydrometallurgical process development and has been involved in numerous collaborative research projects at national or European level (H2020 NEMO, H2020 Crocodile, H2020 Rawmina, HE CICERO…).

Dr Guezennec is a member of the scientific committee of the International Biohydrometallurgy Symposium (IBS) and of the French researchers association PROMETHEE dedicated to hydrometallurgy.

Two examples of low hanging fruits: Advanced process control & flotation monitoring

This presentation will cover two examples of process control applications that offer high return on investment with low capital expenditures. The presentation will obviously begin with a quick overview of the process control hierarchy, which will allow situating the two case studies more clearly.

The first one will demonstrate how improving a basic regulatory control system of a grinding circuit can generate a few points of percentage of throughput increase without any expenditure except for engineering time. To do so, basic regulatory control will be compared to decentralized control and to economic model predictive control on a simulated circuit using first principle models.

In a similar fashion, the second case study will also show similar benefits, however, the example will instead focus on flotation monitoring with computer vision. This case study will present actual results obtained with the OptimaVue - Flotation system at a gold mine with bulk sulfide flotation.

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Biography

Alex Thivierge graduated from the Bachelor of Mining Engineering program at Université Laval in 2018. He then completed a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering in 2022, where he specialized himself in mineral processing modeling and control. In parallel to his graduate studies, he worked part-time in engineering at Soutex, where he used advanced modeling techniques to improve several comminution and hydrometallurgical circuits. Three years ago, he co-founded Jumine. The firm currently employs 15 people and develops several solutions for process control using cameras and artificial intelligence.

Process Simulation as a tool for feeding the Life Cycle Assessment of Emerging Technologies for the Production of Mineral Raw Materials

Obtaining the materials required for the energy transition involves implementing circular economy approaches for the transformation of mineral resources and the production of strategic and critical raw materials. Adapting and rethinking current technologies, as well as developing new processes, becomes necessary to achieve the goals set by the EU. This must be done considering not only technical and economic aspects but also potential environmental impacts. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a valuable tool for understanding these impacts and identifying environmental hotspots, which must be considered to enhance the environmental performance of the new processes. However, the data required to obtain reliable results and conclusions are very often not available for these emerging technologies. Process simulation can fill this gap by integrating numerical models for the process units lacking the necessary information. Nonetheless, this requires a careful selection of suitable models for the specific phenomena involved in these new technologies, which are often very complex. Logically, implied hypothesis taken through the use of common models available in process simulation software create uncertainties on the LCA results, which must be taken into account particularly when they are compared to the LCA of current developed processes at the industrial scale. This presentation includes two examples of process development in which process simulation is used to feed LCA of emerging technologies at different Technological Readiness Levels (TRLs) for the treatment of mineral resources and the production of raw materials, including the reprocessing of tailings, and the comparison of their environmental impacts with those of more mature technologies.

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Biography

Dr. Douglas PINO HERRERA is a researcher in (bio)process engineering. He started his career as a Chemical Engineer in his home country Venezuela. Then, he obtained a double Master degree in Environmental Sciences from the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí (Mexico) and in Natural Resources Management from the University of Applied Sciences of Cologne (Germany). He has a Ph.D. on Environmental Technologies, which he obtained through the Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctoral Programme involving the University Gustave Eiffel in France, the IHE Delft in The Netherlands and the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio in Italy. His Ph.D. thesis consisted in developing an experimental and modelling approach to study of the depollution of soil contaminated with PAHs using slurry bioreactors. Since 2019, he has been working at BRGM on the developing and upscaling of (bio)leaching processes in several European projects (such as H2020 NEMO, H2020 CROCODILE, H2020 RAWMINA), in which he has been responsible for the bioleaching pilot operations. In these projects, he contributed to the development of models and process simulation for bioleaching processes. Lately, his interest have been focused on developing a process eco-design approach to include not only technical and economic aspects, but also environmental impact evaluation – particularly through Life Cycle Assessment tools – on the development of emerging technologies.