USIM PAC, a new kind of process simulation software

1995 – Another souvenir… Paper presented at EUROSIM congress in Vienna – It explains USIM PAC process simulator original approach based on the material description. USIM PAC is the only software on the market able to model in one platform nearly all the mine-to-mill processing operations from crushing to refining passing through grinding, gravity and magnetic separation, flotation, leaching and concentration. Developed by the BRGM, it is now published and commercialized by CASPEO. A new kind of process simulator…  for 30 years already!

Modelling the minerals diversity: a challenge for ore processing simulation

Since 1986, the Process Simulation Group of BRGM has been developing a powerful software package, USIM PAC. It is an easy to use steady-state simulator which makes it possible for the mineral processing specialist to profit by himself from available experimental data to model plant operations, and then find an optimal plant configuration to meet his objectives. Designers of new plants can also work with this simulator to calculate the sizes and settings required to achieve a given circuit objective.

This software package includes functions to manage experimental data, to calculate coherent material balances, sizes and settings of units of equipment, physical properties of the processed material, to simulate plant operations and display results on tables and graphics.

Mineral processing is the industry which transforms the ore issued from the mine or the quarry to a concentrate (e.g., in the case of copper, zinc or lead) or to the final product (e.g., carbonate, kaolin or gold). This industry is characterised by the great diversity in the raw material. This diversity appears through the mineralogical and chemical constitution of the ore or through the variability of its properties (mechanical, chemical or physical properties). Consequently, it involves a great diversity in the processes and in the unit operations (from grinding to leaching, from gravity separation to flotation). Owing to the minerals diversity and the wide range of application, ore processing simulation is a real challenge.

Numerous mathematical models for unit operations are included in USIM PAC and most of the physical and hydrometallurgical treatments of mineral processing can be reproduced by the simulator. The great variety of models (due to the diversity of unit operations and objectives) requires a great flexibility for the simulator.

This approach used both to design the software and to describe a simulation problem can be defined as an object oriented approach. A real adaptability has been experienced within a wide range of applications from the mineral processes to other fields such as the hydrometallurgical treatments or the environmental applications.

Abstract of the paper presented at EUROSIM 1995 congress on modelling and simulation– September 11-15, 1995 – Vienna – Austria

Authors:

• Stéphane Brochot, CASPEO
• Marie-Véronique Durance, CASPEO
• Guy Fourniguet, BRGM
• Jean-Claude Guillaneau, BRGM
• Jacques Villeneuve, BRGM