Tag Archives: Alison Keogh

CEEC prepares for next chapter in growth with personnel changes

Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining people, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , , , , , ,

The Coalition for Eco Efficient Comminution (CEEC) has announced several major changes in its governance and operation, with CEO, Alison Keogh (right), stepping down, Janine Herzig (left) joining CEEC as Executive President and Board Director and Marc Allen taking over from Michael Battersby as Chair.

After six years of working as CEO to promote CEEC, Keogh has decided to step down from the position, and to welcome in new leadership for CEEC’s next chapter, CEEC said, adding that it will make an announcement shortly about the appointment of additional operational staff and Directors.

Keogh says she is proud to have been an early mover to help industry share critical knowledge on installing renewables and progressing net zero emissions approaches. She grew the group’s global reach, led international workshops across three continents and developed free webinars and podcasts to reach more people, CEEC said. She also initiated CEEC’s first workshop on Water Curves in North America and helped raise awareness of how important comminution and processing are to reduce energy, emissions and water footprint across mining worldwide.

More recently, she steered CEEC through the global pandemic and oversaw the organisation’s 10-year anniversary milestone in 2021.

“I am honoured to have led CEEC, which helps industry share practical solutions and innovative advances that are so important for the sustainable minerals needed for our world’s future,” she said. “Collaboration is vital to accelerate the world’s transition to net zero emissions. CEEC brings leaders and innovators together to share knowledge of cutting-edge processing to reduce mining’s footprint.

“I look forward to CEEC’s next chapter led by Marc Allen and Janine Herzig and encourage visionary leaders to contribute to this inspirational and global group.”

CEEC’s Board of Directors has undertaken a strategic review to consider the ever increasing environmental, social and governance (ESG) requirements of the resources sector. The outcome of this analysis is that CEEC has created the role of Executive President and has brought in Janine Herzig in this position.

Herzig is a Director of MetVal Consulting Pty Ltd, Convenor of the MetPlant Conference Series, former Non-Executive Director of Base Resources Ltd and former Director and Immediate Past President of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM). She has over 30 years’ experience in the resources sector, across multiple commodities; starting her professional career as a graduate metallurgist in Mount Isa and later working in various operational and project roles across on numerous sites, including 10 years with Iluka Resources.

As General Manager – Minerals and Industrial, with Amdel, she then led a major expansion and transformation of the company, which then became Bureau Veritas.

A Fellow and Chartered Professional (Metallurgy) of the AusIMM, Herzig is currently the Chair of the AusIMM ESG Board Advisory Group, Chair of the AusIMM International Advisory Forum, and Chair of the AusIMM Awards Committee Highest Honour Panel. She is also Co-Chair of the Global Mineral Professionals Alliance (GMPA) and its Global Action on Tailings (GAT) initiative.

Herzig is also a member of the Steering Committee for the NExUS program, the Advisory Board for the ARC Training Centre for Integrated Operations for Complex Resources, presenter for the AusIMM Professional Certificate in ESG and Social Responsibility and is on the Advisory Board of the Australian Society for Off-Earth Construction (ASOC) which operates out of the Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources.

“I am delighted to assume this comprehensive leadership role with CEEC, having been a CEEC Advocate for the past two years,” she said. “It allows me to combine my passions for mineral processing, ESG initiatives, technical excellence and giving back to an industry that I love.”

CEEC’s Board has appointed Marc Allen as Chair of CEEC, taking over from Michael Battersby.

Allen is an energy and emissions expert who joined the CEEC Board as a Director in 2019. He is the Technical Director at engeco, a Singapore-based consultancy providing advisory services primarily in energy and greenhouse gas management and strategy, as well as broader sustainability, across Australasia.

He has over 20 years’ experience in a variety of operational and consulting roles with INPEX, Energetics, Simulus and BOC. His experience has focused on sustainability, process engineering, carbon management and energy efficiency to enable the transition to a low-carbon economy through development and implementation of robust strategies for greenhouse gas and energy management. He has published several papers on renewable energy, energy efficiency and carbon pricing, and holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical) degree from the Curtin University of Technology. He is also a mentor for the Curtin Next Step mentoring program.

Outgoing Chair, Michael Battersby, welcomed Allen to the position: “I have been honoured to hold the position of Chair of CEEC for the last four years. However, renewal is always beneficial. I will join Joe Pease in becoming a past Chair and will continue as a Director.

“Having worked with Marc Allen during my time as Chair, I know he will lead CEEC to new heights in the coming years.”

Allen commented: “I have been involved with CEEC since 2018 and am very much looking forward to fulfilling the role of Chair and working to continue our mission to maximize energy efficiency across the minerals processing industry. I’m appreciative of the leadership shown by both Joe Pease and Michael Battersby during my time at CEEC so far and hope to continue to work with them closely while they remain on the board.”

CEEC will be announcing additional changes to prepare for the next evolution of the organisation and its growth and expansion. These include an increased focus on net zero, decarbonisation and ESG, finalisation of the Water Curves project, the release of new ‘Spotlight Leader Conversations’ video interviews and more episodes of the new ‘CEECing Change’ podcast.

The winners of the 2021 CEEC Medals were announced on June 21 and will be officially awarded by President, Janine Herzig, at the upcoming IMPC-APAC Conference in Melbourne in August.

Metso Outotec to spread sustainable comminution message through CEEC

Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining industry recognition, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , ,

Metso Outotec has become the latest company to join the Coalition for Eco Efficient Comminution (CEEC) as a new sponsor, with the OEM’s President and CEO, Pekka Vauramo, noting that the company’s sustainability focus aligns with CEEC’s objective to promote eco-efficient minerals.

CEEC’s vision is to accelerate the implementation of eco-efficient comminution practices through promotion of supporting data and industry benefits.

Alison Keogh, CEEC CEO, said: “Metso Outotec brings strong alignment and skills to support CEEC’s mission. Metso Outotec has a global reach and has been championing sustainability for a long time by proactively developing technologies and partnering with mining companies to become more energy efficient.”

Vauramo said: “We are committed to limiting global warming to 1.5°C and accelerating our sustainability efforts, as the most recent IPCC report makes it clear that the window of opportunity for keeping to 1.5°C is closing quickly. We want to support our customers in reducing their emissions with our sustainable offering that utilises the most efficient technologies.”
Metso Outotec Head of Grinding Business Line, Christoph Hoetzel, said that as comminution is the most energy-intensive step in mining, improving how rocks are ground and processed now and in the future is key to reducing industry’s carbon emissions.

“I encourage three collaboration actions through CEEC to accelerate our collective efforts for more energy and water efficient minerals: sharing case studies and knowledge, benchmarking and innovation,” he said. “Our combined learnings and operational successes can all help industry truly improve and accelerate the decarbonisation change.

“Visionary leaders are actively pushing towards what can be done better. Metso Outotec is keen to help communicate the business case for alternative grinding circuits and processing flowsheets. Our range of proven energy efficient solutions – which is the widest in the industry – allows a truly holistic approach considering efficiency, reliability and low operational costs. Such holistic approaches with innovative plant design and optimisation are vital to reduce mining’s footprint.”

Keogh commended Metso Outotec’s goals to accelerate eco-efficient minerals, noting its demonstrated track history of being a leader in comminution improvements.

Metso Outotec has previously been shared winners of the CEEC Medal twice.

In 2012, staff from Metso and Compañía Minera Antamina co-authored the paper ‘Optimisation and continuous improvement of the Antamina Comminution Circuit’, which won the inaugural 2012 CEEC Medal.

In 2020, Metso and Newmont Corp staff co-authored the paper ‘Reducing Energy and Water Consumption through Alternative Comminution Circuits’, winning the 2020 CEEC Medal for Operations.

Maptek brings mining software knowledge to CEEC

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Maptek has become the latest company to join the Coalition for Eco Efficient Comminution (CEEC) as a new sponsor, signing on for three years of sponsorship.

Announcing the Maptek sponsorship, CEEC CEO, Alison Keogh, welcomed the company to CEEC’s worldwide network of miners, mining supply companies and researchers working toward more sustainable practices.

“Maptek is the first mining design software company to sponsor CEEC’s important work,” she said. “It delivers advanced tech solutions to people making key decisions at mine sites, and has a truly global reach, which means Maptek can help drive large, positive impacts.

“High-impact Maptek technologies are used at thousands of sites worldwide, so Maptek is in a great position to work with miners to find and implement new ways to create value and reduce footprint. Together, we see exciting opportunities for mining companies to leverage technology as we all strive to decarbonise and achieve the best possible ESG outcomes.”

Maptek solutions cover the whole mining cycle, and the company’s vision is to change the way mining is done, forever, CEEC says.

Maptek CEO, Eduardo Coloma, said these aims can be best achieved by considering comminution outcomes from the earliest stages of mining.

“Building eco efficiency and sustainability into a mine’s operating model is more than possible,” he said. “The latest technologies allow us to predict energy and productivity improvements by linking the orebody to the plant. There are a lot of opportunities, and we hope to contribute to sharing the world’s leading practices and technology options to accelerate these through our support of CEEC.

“CEEC objectives to drive efficiency, productivity and sustainability throughout the whole mining life cycle are well aligned with Maptek aspirations.”

Coloma believes the industry can share site knowledge and practical ways to optimise energy consumption and reduce operating costs, with better downstream cost efficiencies.

He added that partnerships and collaboration are key to success. Maptek brings established partnerships with miners and collaborators, including CEEC Sponsor PETRA Data Science, and is looking forward to working with others to help share practical site optimisation and industry decarbonisation options, CEEC says.

Coloma said understanding its customers’ future energy plans now enables users to incorporate solar and wind energy usage into mine scheduling tools, and predict better plant and energy performance.

“Maptek solutions already include multi-objective optimisation for blast design and fragmentation prediction and analysis, all helping to drive improved productivity and performance from mine to mill,” he said. “Tracking fragmentation on a blast-by-blast basis helps operations improve mining performance.

“We’re keen to share inspiring ideas and solutions like this, to help encourage uptake of best practice, which is fundamental to increasing sustainability for the future of the mining industry.”

Keogh said Maptek coming on board as a CEEC sponsor highlights the huge potential to translate improvement goals around mining footprint and productivity, and connect them across the silos into real actions on the ground at mine sites.

She noted that industry now has advanced technology to make decisions that drive big impacts downstream: from blast design and execution, to ore-waste delineation, efficient excavation and fleet use, through to energy and water use in the mill and beyond.

“Technology options available now offer exciting and tangible options,” she said. “We can leverage advanced, practical software at sites, and extend this further with new knowledge from big data and digital twins. I look forward to mine sites sharing their work to not only test and plan, but also put in place these positive changes across mine sites worldwide.”

Weir-backed report highlights decarbonisation opportunities in mineral processing

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An independent report, commissioned by the Weir Group, has highlighted the global mining industry’s energy usage, illuminating where energy is consumed and linking it with opportunities and pathways for sector-wide decarbonisation.

The report analyses mine energy use from over 40 published studies, centred on five commodities – copper, gold, iron ore, nickel and lithium. For these five metals, it finds comminution – the crushing and grinding of rocks – alone accounts for 25% of final energy consumption at an ‘average’ mine site. Extended across all hard-rock mining, this is equivalent to up to 1% of total final energy consumption globally.

The report reconfirms comminution as a key target for energy and emissions reduction efforts.

These findings align with the mission of the Coalition for Energy Efficient Comminution (CEEC), a global initiative to accelerate eco-efficient minerals, with a focus on energy-efficient comminution. It also extends on previous CEEC messaging, indicating up to 3% of global electrical energy is used in comminution when considering all mined commodities, quarrying and cement production.

In addition to optimising comminution, the report also highlights other energy and emissions reduction opportunities such as the redesign of grinding circuits at greenfield sites, improved drill and blast approaches, pre-concentration, and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve decision making.

The report emphasises the mining industry’s crucial role in supporting the transition to net zero emissions, needed to limit global temperatures in line with the Paris Agreement, CEEC says. This includes more efficient and sustainable technologies if the industry is to meet the challenge of decarbonisation.

“Despite the scale of the challenge, the report underlines that small improvements in existing mines can lead to large savings in both energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,” CEEC said.

Report author, Marc Allen, states a 5% incremental improvement in energy efficiency across comminution could result in greenhouse gas emission reductions of more than 30 Mt of CO2e.

Allen said: “A relatively modest 5% improvement in comminution across the industry may result in emissions reductions close to the total emissions for New Zealand (35 Mt CO2e).

“A more robust energy audit process and implementation of low-cost opportunities across a mine and process plant may result in total energy savings of up to 10-15% and overall emissions reductions of over 200 Mt of CO2e per annum, depending on the source of electricity.

“Large-scale introduction of renewable energy provides the potential to reduce emissions significantly in the industry – hundreds of millions of tonnes of greenhouse gas savings when there is widespread adoption of renewable energy and energy storage.”

CEEC CEO, Alison Keogh, commended Weir for commissioning this timely work, and all industry leaders taking proactive steps to reduce mining’s footprint. She said outstanding CEEC Medal winning work and 700 published advances have already shared good options for miners to consider, thanks to CEEC sponsors, volunteers and authors.

She urged industry to collaborate to accelerate decarbonisation steps.

“More open knowledge sharing helps speed installations of renewables and energy-efficient approaches across all of industry,” Keogh said. “Benefits also include increased productivity, shareholder value, and financing as companies demonstrate performance towards net zero emissions sooner.”

She cited three key collaboration actions vital to success: (1) sharing best practices, to ensure existing mines and processing plants are better informed and take actions earlier to become more energy and water efficient; (2) sharing new technologies, designs and innovations; and (3) supporting test work and pilots of novel technology on sites and at increasing scales.

Keogh called for greater industry dialogue, noting: “This report highlights both a challenge and an opportunity to revitalise cross-industry discussion and actions on decarbonisation and ESG solutions. Weir is one of many visionary CEEC sponsors supporting public good initiatives like CEEC; we invite industry leaders to actively contribute and collaborate through mining-vendor-research partnerships and share knowledge, site case studies and net zero plans via independent organisations such as CEEC.

“Together, we can accelerate improved energy, emissions and water footprint across industry faster.”

Weir Group Chief Executive, Jon Stanton, commented: “Mining needs to become more sustainable and efficient if it is to provide essential resources the world needs for decarbonisation while reducing its own environmental impact. This report is an important contribution to that debate which we hope will spark thoughtful conversations around the world on the way forward.”

Centerra Gold joins CEEC’s quest for eco-efficient comminution

Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , , , ,

Centerra Gold has become the latest miner to join the Coalition of Energy Efficient Comminution (CEEC) as a new sponsor.

Centerra, which follows in the footsteps of Hudbay Minerals in backing the not-for-profit organisation, is a Canada-based gold mining and exploration company with assets in Canada, the Kyrgyz Republic and Turkey. It is one of the largest Western-based gold producers in central Asia, and its Mount Milligan mine (pictured) is the first, large new operation in British Columbia in a generation.

The company’s vision is to build a team-based culture of excellence that responsibly delivers sustainable value and growth, according to CEEC.

CEEC CEO, Alison Keogh, said: “We are thrilled with Centerra’s decision to become a CEEC sponsor. Our sponsors work collaboratively to accelerate energy-efficient, productive mining processes. That’s vital for our industry and communities as we reduce impact, tackle costs and improve shareholder value.

“As a CEEC sponsor, Centerra helps CEEC provide industry with information and tools from experts and grow the network of committed professionals working to accelerate eco-efficient comminution and maximise the potential of their mineral resources and assets.”

Centerra Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Daniel Desjardins, praised CEEC for its contributions towards environmental, social and governance (ESG) actions in the field and welcomed the opportunity to share information to advance business goals.

“Centerra’s financial and operational objectives are underpinned by a fundamental commitment to ethical and sustainable practices,” Desjardins said. “Our values are strongly aligned to CEEC’s mission for eco-efficient comminution; environmental, social and governance factors are our foremost priorities as we strive to continually improve the management of our operations.

“CEEC offers a pathway to share best practice and innovation in the international mining sector. We look forward to collaborating with like-minded organisations on shared challenges such as energy and water use.”

Centerra produced 783,308 oz of gold and 3,220 t of copper in 2019, making it one of the leading gold and copper producers based out of Canada.

The company’s major assets include the Kumtor Mine in the Kyrgyz Republic, which has produced more than 12.6 Moz of gold between 1997 and the end of 2019, and the long life, low-cost gold/copper Mount Milligan Mine, in British Columbia, Canada. The third operating mine, the Öksüt Gold Mine, in central Anatolia, Turkey, poured gold for the first time on January 31, 2020, after just 22 months of construction.

Hudbay invests in comminution energy efficiency research with CEEC sponsorship

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The Coalition for Energy Efficient Comminution (CEEC) has announced new sponsorship from base and precious metals mining company, Hudbay Minerals Inc.

Hudbay, a diversified mining company producing copper, zinc, gold and silver, owns three polymetallic mines, four ore concentrators and a zinc production facility in Canada and Peru (Constancia, pictured), as well as copper projects in the US. Its vision is to be a responsible, top-tier operator of long-life, low-cost mines in the Americas, CEEC says.

CEEC CEO, Alison Keogh, said that with growing global demand for minerals such as copper to support the shift towards low-carbon technologies, the need for lower footprint mineral processing was becoming even more critical.

“Rock crushing and grinding can typically account for more than half of a mine’s energy consumption,” she said. “By working together as an industry to understand and optimise comminution challenges, we have the opportunity to improve efficiency and environmental outcomes.

“We’re delighted that Hudbay has joined our list of visionary sponsors, each committed to collaborating with CEEC’s global network of miners, suppliers and researchers to advance efficient, cost-effective, lower footprint mining.”

Peter Amelunxen, Hudbay Vice President of Technical Services, said increasing performance and delivering sustainable value involves a combination of operational know-how and technical sophistication.

“We recognise that collaboration with CEEC is a positive step in our commitment to continuous improvement.”

Amelunxen said Hudbay was particularly interested in “adding a metric to our success” by contributing to the CEEC Energy Curves database. This free tool allows users to benchmark the energy efficiency of sites and visually assess potential energy and cost benefits through various operational scenarios.

“We’ve always approached what we do in terms of improving cost and energy efficiencies,” he said. “However, we’re most excited about using the Energy Curves to quantify, pound for pound, the energy reduction piece.

“This will help inform our decisions around targeted enhancements to existing sites and plan best practice operations in future mines. The bottom line is that this tool will enable us to demonstrate how we are improving environmental management while also improving returns for shareholders.”

David Clarry, Hudbay Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility, said data sharing through the CEEC Energy Curves, and broader initiatives such as participation in the CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project), were important for the industry.

“By being transparent and sharing knowledge, we can learn from each other and find novel approaches for achieving environmental benefits in a cost-effective way,” Clarry said. “Tapping into all the resources that CEEC offers gives us cutting-edge learnings so we can continue to pursue economically viable opportunities to improve energy efficiencies, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and better manage climate-related risks.”

Keogh said with the COVID-19 pandemic affecting many businesses around the world, Hudbay’s sponsorship during this time was commendable.

“As a lean, virtual not-for-profit, we thank all our sponsors for their continued support during this period of uncertainty,” she said. “This ongoing commitment will help CEEC and the industry to weather the storm and come out stronger and more sustainable on the other side.”

CEEC Medal recipients recognised for pushing lower footprint mineral processing

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Two standout research and field work contributions that have the potential to improve environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance across industry have been awarded the highly respected CEEC Medal for 2020.

Attracting a record 23 high-quality nominations from across the globe, the shortlisted Operations and Technical Research papers showcased exciting site improvements and innovative ideas for future technologies, according to the Coalition for Energy Efficient Comminution (CEEC).

Now in its ninth year, the CEEC Medal recognises the best published papers that raise awareness of comminution research findings, alternative comminution strategies and installed outcomes.

CEEC Director and Medal Evaluation Committee Chair, Dr Zeljka Pokrajcic, said this year’s nominations reflected industry trends to install renewables, consider embodied energy and emissions, and the continued embracing of technologies such as pre-concentration and coarse flotation.

“It’s rewarding to see how industry leaders and experts are collaborating to forge improvements that make good business sense and proactively improve efficiency,” Dr Pokrajcic said.

The 2020 recipients are:

Operations

Peter Lind and Kevin Murray of Newmont and Alan Boylston and Isaias Arce of Metso Outotec, (formerly Metso), for their paper titled, ‘Reducing Energy and Water Consumption through Alternative Comminution Circuits’. This was presented at the 7th SAG Conference in Vancouver, Canada, in 2019.

Technical Research

Dr Grant Ballantyne (pictured), for his paper titled, ‘Quantifying the Additional Energy Consumed by Ancillary Equipment and Embodied in Grinding Media in Comminution Circuits’. This was also presented at the 7th SAG Conference in Vancouver.

Dr Pokrajcic said the winning Operations paper from Newmont/Metso Outotec documents a successful miner/vendor collaboration on how to assess the comminution circuit options in a low energy and water environment.

The paper considers a typical case of a low grade, bulk tonnage copper-gold orebody in an arid climate (Chile, South America) with significant energy costs. It brings together important solutions – including energy-efficient comminution, ancillary equipment, preconcentration and flotation – and presents compelling economic comparisons.

CEEC CEO, Alison Keogh, said of the paper: “This global knowledge sharing offers real value for decision-making across the globe. The paper’s practical, systematic technology approach, which incorporates all-important financial analysis, has the potential to accelerate industry’s progress to deliver lower footprint minerals.”

The paper’s co-authors, Lind and Boylston, explained that the work was the result of collaboration between many innovative thinkers, with ideas and approaches built over many years.

“We wanted to make a difference, to bring technologies together to show that you can save energy, save water and save money as well. This was a group effort, not only by our extended teams at Newmont and Metso Outotec, but also involving Steinert and Scantech in working through how to apply technologies,” they said.

The CEEC Medal Evaluation Committee praised the winning Technical Research paper from Dr Ballantyne as being “an impressive approach to capturing and quantifying energy consumption of ancillary equipment and energy used to manufacture and transport grinding media”.

The paper shares insights on embodied energy using data collected from sites and presents results on the CEEC Energy Curves.

“The research presents a broader approach that considers the impacts of not just energy used in particle breakage but also embodied energy in the manufacture and transport of grinding media, and energy used in the operation of ancillary equipment such as conveyors and pumps,” Dr Pokrajcic said.

“Bringing this spotlight to embodied energy has strategic value. Many companies are including investigation of supply chain in their procurement decisions.”

Dr Ballantyne, previously a Senior Research Fellow at the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC), and now with Ausenco, noted that his work started in 2012, building on earlier concepts shared by industry at a CEEC workshop in Australia. These concepts were developed further following industry input at the 2015 SAG Conference in Canada.

“I also acknowledge the inspiration and collaboration of Chris Greet (Magotteaux), Evert Lessing (formerly Weir, now Metso Outotec), Malcolm Powell (formerly The University of Queensland) and Greg Lane (Ausenco) for contributing expert input and data to the work,” Dr Ballantyne said.

“New research ideas and collaboration with industry are key to industry innovation,” he said. “Support and mentoring from these suppliers as well as experts from Ausenco and The University of Queensland ensured these new ideas could be published for industry to progress thinking.”

In addition to the two CEEC Medals awarded in 2020, three publications received High Commendations.

High Commendations – Operations

Ben Adair, Luke Keeney, and Michael Scott from CRC ORE, and David King from Minera San Cristóbal operations, for their paper titled ‘Gangue rejection in practice – the implementation of Grade Engineering® at the Minera San Cristóbal Site’. This was presented at Physical Separation 2019, in Cornwall, United Kingdom.

This paper shares the prediction and outcomes of a Grade Engineering pilot at Sumitomo’s Minera San Cristóbal operations in Bolivia. The work identifies ore amenability and levers to optimise up-front rejection of gangue before processing.

Keogh said: “This approach highlights the scale of the opportunity for mining leaders to invest in unlocking hidden value for shareholders through productivity step-change while significantly reducing impact on the environment.”

High Commendations – Operations (continued)

Malcolm Powell, Ceren Bozbay, Sarma Kanchibotla, Benjamin Bonfils, Anand Musunuri, Vladimir Jokovic, Marko Hilden, Jace Young and Emrah Yalcin, for their article titled ‘Advanced Mine-to-Mill Used to Unlock SABC Capacity at the Barrick Cortez Mine’. This was presented at the 7th SAG Conference in Vancouver.

This work was a collaboration between three organisations: JKMRC at The University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute, Barrick’s Cortez mine and JK Tech. It shares an advanced mine-to-mill approach that unlocks improved SABC production capacity at Barrick’s Cortez mine in Nevada, USA.

Dr Pokrajcic said the article was an excellent review of the dynamic between SAG and ball mills, illustrating how mine-to-mill, with the consideration of blast movement as well as fragmentation, and operation-wide optimisation could empower sites to identify and sustain long-term improvements.

“It highlights the opportunity of operationalising cooperative ore blend control to balance energy use across the milling circuit, reducing specific energy consumption while benefitting from increased production,” she said.

High Commendation – Technical Research

Paul Shelley and Ignacio Molina (Molycop) and Dimitrios Patsikatheodorou (Westgold Resources), for their paper titled ‘SAG mill optimisation insights by measuring inside the mill’. This was presented at the Procemin-Geomet Conference in Santiago, Chile, in 2019.

In a first for industry, this innovative approach aims to collect data from sensors inside the grinding balls within grinding mills, CEEC said. It brings potential application for high frequency measurement of temperature and impacts inside the mill.

Dr Pokrajcic said: “If this early work can be successfully commercialised and scaled up, it could bring new insights that link to operational and energy efficiency improvements.”

Keogh said nominations for the 2021 CEEC Medal were now open, and she encouraged the submission of relevant, ground-breaking articles from online events and industry presentations.

“Because of disruptions to physical events, we have extended the closing date for submissions to October 30, 2021.”

Details of the application process for the 2021 CEEC Medal can be found here.

Thermo Fisher Scientific joins CEEC communication hub

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The addition of new industry sponsors is enabling the Coalition for Energy Efficient Comminution (CEEC) to gain greater traction in leading change and driving the uptake of more energy and water efficient, lower impact mineral processing, it says.

CEEC said this after recruiting Thermo Fisher Scientific, a world leader in supplying solutions for efficient and sustainable mining, as a sponsor of the global not-for-profit communication hub.

Employing more than 75,000 people globally, Thermo Fisher Scientific operates through four segments: Life Sciences Solutions, Analytical Instruments, Specialty Diagnostics, and Laboratory Products and Services. The company provides weighing, monitoring and sampling systems and applications expertise to help optimise process control, production monitoring and automation in mining and bulk material handling.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Field Marketing Manager, Scott Ferguson, said the company’s mission “to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer” was very much in alignment with CEEC’s vision for more efficient, lower footprint mining.

Following extensive analysis of client needs, and a solid investment in research and development, Thermo Fisher is expanding its suite of sorting and pre-concentration products for the minerals sector, according to CEEC.

In response to renewed interest in pre-concentration processes, Thermo Fisher Scientific has launched its cross belt analyser, CB Omni Fusion, using prompt gamma neutron activation analysis into bulk ore sorting applications.

The company also released a new particle size analyser (PSM-500) in June 2020 – specifically designed for comminution circuits.

“The ability to measure product out of the grinding circuit in real time can have very large benefits,” Ferguson said. “By optimising grinding control systems, operators can maximise throughput, use energy more effectively and achieve greater recovery.

“This analyser draws upon proven technology and incorporates an interactive user interface and improved reliability,” he said.

Thermo Fisher Scientific has been supplying slurry samplers, in-stream analysers and cross belt analysers for more than 40 years, CEEC explained.

CEEC CEO, Alison Keogh, said Thermo Fisher Scientific was a welcome addition to its list of valued sponsors from around the globe.

“We’re proud to partner with companies that provide solutions for efficient and sustainable mining,” Keogh said. “These relationships open the door to wider awareness and adoption of new technologies and processes that positively impact the industry.

“This support from Thermo Fisher Scientific, in conjunction with our other sponsors, helps CEEC continue its important global work of providing free and impartial online resources and low cost events that highlight best practice and emerging advances in profitable, eco-efficient mineral processing.”

Newcrest Mining focuses on comminution improvements with CEEC membership

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Newcrest Mining has become the latest member of the not-for-profit Coalition for Energy Efficient Comminution (CEEC).

Headquartered in Melbourne, Newcrest Mining has gold and copper operations in Australia, Papua New Guinea and Canada.

Newcrest Head of Technology and Innovation, Andrew Logan, said the sponsorship of CEEC was a natural fit, as sustainability, technology and innovation, and operating performance were key areas of focus for business transformation.

“We are always seeking ways of adding value to the business, while managing our impacts in a responsible way,” Logan said. “In collaborating with CEEC, we are looking forward to knowledge sharing that can help improve our existing circuits, upskill our people and deliver on our commitments towards more profitable, energy efficient mining.”

Newcrest Head of Metallurgy, John O’Callaghan, said understanding and balancing the energy equation in existing and future operations was critical to success.

“Benchmarking using CEEC’s Energy Curves is very important to us from both a management and operational perspective,” O’Callaghan said. “It’s critical to know where our operations sit compared with each other and with our competitors, especially given the energy intensive nature of comminution.

“The more organisations that get involved in Energy Curves, the more useful and relevant the data becomes, so I’d encourage other miners and their suppliers and partners to contribute to the database.”

CEEC said: “Newcrest joins a growing network of supporters who see the value of knowledge sharing through CEEC to help address common industry challenges. The company has already contributed data to Energy Curves.”

CEEC CEO, Alison Keogh, said she looked forward to collaborating more closely with Newcrest and was excited about the potential flow-on effects to industry that their sponsorship could bring.

“Collaborating with sponsors such as Newcrest and others allows CEEC to be a catalyst for kick-starting more innovative and sustainable approaches to mining and mineral processing,” Keogh said.

“Ultimately, the shared goal of CEEC, our sponsors and everyone who accesses our free and independent resources is to bring benefit to industry, the environment and the communities in which we operate.”

CEEC welcomes University of Adelaide’s IMER as newest sponsor

Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining industry recognition, Mining services, Mining software, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , ,

A new sponsorship partnership between the Coalition for Energy Efficient Comminution (CEEC) and the University of Adelaide’s Institute for Mineral and Energy Resources (IMER) will, CEEC says, enhance greater opportunities for innovation in the resources sector.

IMER operates at the international forefront of the mineral, energy and resource sectors, with 200 of the world’s experts working with business and government on industry-led, challenge-based projects, according to CEEC.

Welcoming the sponsorship agreement, CEEC CEO, Alison Keogh, said both organisations valued the role of innovation in sustainable mining.

“IMER is a leading research and development institute that aims to meet global mining and energy challenges with multidisciplinary solutions, advancing our progress towards modern energy systems,” she said. “CEEC’s mission is to share mining practices that improve energy efficiency, reduce costs, enhance shareholder value and help businesses achieve sustainability targets.

“A collaboration with IMER offers the opportunity to share insights from research across disciplines with potential to revolutionise the mineral and energy resources sector.”

IMER Manager, Dr Chris Matthews, said CEEC had actively contributed to accelerating innovation in the mining sector with a collaborative project stemming from a CEEC workshop.

“After involvement in CEEC’s workshop, we forged new collaborations, including an exciting industry partnership which plans to trial the use of solar thermal energy to enhance comminution,” Dr Matthews said.

“Comminution reduces solid materials to a smaller average particle size, by crushing, grinding, cutting, vibrating, or other processes. Solar thermal heat can weaken rocks, reducing the need for fossil fuel-derived mechanical energy traditionally used to crush and grind rocks, making it a more environmentally sustainable alternative.

“IMER has developed a process where heat is provided by concentrated solar thermal, which data has shown could reduce comminution energy by up to 50%. The potential to improve energy efficiency in this project is just one example of the alignment between IMER’s research on low cost, low emissions energy and CEEC’s vision.”

Interim Director of IMER, Professor Michael Goodsite, said IMER aims to progress society towards modern energy systems required for decarbonisation and the transition to a net-zero emissions energy future.

“Innovation in the processing and comminution of the raw materials required for renewable electricity generation and transmission will help us achieve better outcomes for Australia and our world. I look forward to seeing continued value-adding outcomes from this important collaboration,” he said.

Keogh said IMER had already contributed important insights to industry, with experts sharing potential transformational opportunities using solar beam-down technologies for a range of industrial processes. She said potential ground-breaking technologies were the focus of the International Forum on Zero Carbon High Temperature Minerals Processing, which was held in Adelaide, South Australia, from March 16-18.

“IMER’s sponsorship support enhances CEEC’s work to share exciting new innovation relevant to mineral processing and comminution,” she said. “We are a not-for-profit group, entirely funded by sponsorship from the minerals industry. We have a strong network and a focus on sharing energy-efficient, lower-footprint comminution and processing practices. Sponsorship from IMER and others helps CEEC connect leading thinkers through our global network and workshops, to promote best practice and innovation.”