Tag Archives: University of British Columbia

Weir’s ore characterisation work shifts gears to value generation loop

Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chris Carpenter, VP of Technology for Weir ESCO®, is on a crusade to educate the mining industry on the importance of orebody knowledge.

As an executive with more than 35 years of experience and 40 patents to his name, he has heard numerous stories about “sub-optimal operational decisions” being made at mine sites due to a lack of information.

Through an ore characterisation project under development within several teams at Weir, Carpenter shared the company is focused on developing cost-effective solutions to provide this information in real time.

He is, however, aware that the mining sector, as a whole, needs convincing.

“I can tell you that many of our customers do not yet acknowledge the full value of what we are looking to provide the sector,” he told IM.

This is changing, with industry studies on the correlation between poor orebody knowledge and negative financial impacts and risks in the mine development process coming to light – IMDEX, the Mineral Deposit Research Unit and the Bradshaw Research Institute for Minerals and Mining at the University of British Columbia and Ideon Technologies are, for instance, currently engaged on such a study.

In announcing the study, IMDEX Chief Geoscientist, Dave Lawie, hit on a similar theme to Carpenter: “For the mining industry to adopt this technology, it must have clear evidence of the financial impacts and risks of poor or no orebody knowledge and a way of assessing the most efficient methods of collecting, analysing and optimising it.”

What “this technology” is remains open to debate, with many pre-concentration and ore sorting technologies continuing to sprout up among fertile innovation soil in the mining sector.

ESCO and Carpenter believe this technology – at least in a base metals and iron ore application context – has roots in Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), an arm’s-length foundation created by the Government of Canada to fund new clean technologies. Motion Metrics International Corp received SDTC funding back in 2020 for a project using the core innovations of hyperspectral imagery (HSI) sensors, 3D particle size distribution (PSD) analysis and machine-learning algorithms to control energy-intensive mining equipment, an SDTC backgrounder from 2020 explained.

Chris Carpenter, VP of Technology for Weir ESCO

Motion Metrics, in a separate announcement, said the 3.5-year project would lead to the design, development and deployment of a commercial mine-to-mill energy efficiency solution.

“Upon successful completion, mines worldwide will be able to order and deploy this solution, without changing their daily operations, to meet their sustainability targets while reducing their comminution costs,” it said.

University of British Columbia’s Norman B. Keevil Mining Engineering Department and several other organisations partnered with Motion Metrics for this project.

A lot has changed in the four years since this announcement, with Weir Group having acquired Motion Metrics International Corp and been incorporated into ESCO.

IM initially reported on developments of what Carpenter referred to as an “ore characterisation” project in 2022. At that time, this consisted of a BeltMetrics™ trial installation using a MOTION METRICS™ advanced imaging sensor for PSD analysis and a commercial, HSI sensor positioned above a conveyor that was directly after the crusher in a mine’s flowsheet.

When IM caught up with Carpenter in late July, he could report on not only progress with the BeltMetrics installation, but also a fixed-term trial of “ore characterisation” in a TruckMetrics™ installation.

“We have now run two different applications for the technology,” he said. “The belt monitoring trial continues to operate and has demonstrated the ability to predict SAG mill throughput based on the input ore characteristics. We also ran a very successful trial of bulk sorting using similar technology looking at the content of haul trucks. The trial monitored and analysed around 1,000 trucks and several were identified as low grade. Extensive lab testing continues as we evaluate mine ore samples to understand the capabilities of our approach. Based on our lab and field evaluations we are convinced the technology will allow us to quickly and accurately monitor grade, alteration, deportment and deleterious minerals.”

The BeltMetrics trial installation uses a MOTION METRICS advanced imaging sensor for PSD analysis and a commercial, HSI sensor positioned above a conveyor that is directly after the crusher in the mine’s flowsheet

“I would say our proof of concept work has really allowed us to now pick up the pace of investment and search for more development partners to further this technology.”

The TruckMetrics ore monitoring trial – carried out on 100-232 t-payload trucks – may pique interest here, but Carpenter says the initial product development path lies in the processing plant and on the conveyor.

“We are looking to, first, put more minimum viable products (MVPs) out in the market for belt-based solutions,” he said. “While our initial entry into this space was to look at bulk sorting – and we recognise this is still the ‘big target’ – [the] voice of [the] customer research has identified a huge need to provide plant-based systems for applications in managing stockpiles and feed grades.”

These MVPs are likely to be deployed on “development partner” sites with existing separation mechanisms downstream of the crusher – ie apron feeders – where diversions can be made based on the HSI and PSD data.

This same voice of the customer research highlighted the need for an in-pit system that could boost productivity, throughput and recovery ahead of the plant, yet the financial amount estimated for a commercial system based on the HSI and PSD sensor combination did not find favour.

“This has led to our own research into what we feel is a new-to-the-world application or modification of standard HSI,” Carpenter said. “We believe this will give us a competitive edge in the market.”

Illumination restrictions and uses have often been touted as the potential drawbacks of using spectral imaging in the ore sorting space, which IM understands is one of the areas of focus for Weir’s own R&D and lab-based testing.

But there are also other factors to consider ahead of a commercial Weir proposition – whether that is in the pit or plant – landing on the market.

“We don’t just want to be sensor salespeople,” Carpenter says. “The complexity and variety of applications will require a shift to specific solutions for our customers and the need to back that up with the aftermarket service our customers expect becoming their productivity partner.

“What we are proposing is more than just technology; it needs to be a solution that validates the value on a regular basis in a continuous loop.”

That same loop comes back to Carpenter’s and Lawie’s assessment of the industry need to acknowledge the value of such data ahead of adopting the technology.

“Fortunately, our ‘Mining technology for a sustainable future’ focus at Weir is allowing us to invest the money the industry needs to provide both the value generation and value acknowledgement to make such solutions viable and effective,” Carpenter concluded. “This type of work – and orebody knowledge more widely – is critical for the future of mining.”

IMDEX in deep dive study to show value of orebody knowledge

Mineral exploration, Mining industry recognition, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Leading global mining-tech company IMDEX is collaborating on what it says is a groundbreaking study backed by Canada’s preeminent sciences research body to determine the real value of orebody knowledge (OBK) in mineral exploration and mining.

IMDEX is partnering with the Mineral Deposit Research Unit (MDRU) and the Bradshaw Research Institute for Minerals and Mining (BRIMM) at the University of British Columbia, and Ideon Technologies, a leader in applying muon tomography for orebody imaging, in the million-dollar, two-year deep dive into the economics of OBK.

The MDRU is one of the largest integrated mineral deposit and exploration research groups in the world, dedicated to solving mineral exploration-related problems. The BRIMM creates multidisciplinary teams of leading researchers to work with industry to find solutions to the biggest challenges facing the mining industry and trains the next generation of multidisciplinary professionals.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada – the major federal agency responsible for funding natural sciences and engineering research in Canada – will part-fund the study through the NSERC Alliance program.

IMDEX Chief Geoscientist, Dave Lawie, said the research findings would contribute to knowledge on the economic benefits of enhanced OBK, promote adoption of new technologies, and help define future research and development directions in the mining industry.

“The mining industry has been slow to adopt innovative orebody knowledge approaches and data collection, despite the increasing improvement and sophistication of the technology,” Lawie said.

“One of the reasons for this reluctance is that mining companies, researchers and technology providers find it difficult to articulate the financial value of OBK; to explain in dollar terms the financial gain of being able to make better decisions earlier and reduce risk from greenfields exploration through to mining production.

“Clearly articulating the dollar value of OBK also assists in the adoption of technology where the cost is born in one part of an operation or organisation, but the dollar benefit is accrued in a different department or during a separate phase of development. It helps address the question, ‘Who will pay for what does not happen?’ where operational risk reduction is the key driver.

“Without quality OBK, companies are taking unnecessary mine development risks.

“For the mining industry to adopt this technology, it must have clear evidence of the financial impacts and risks of poor or no OBK and a way of assessing the most efficient methods of collecting, analysing and optimising it.”

IMDEX says it is leading the development of innovative orebody knowledge technology including through its IMDEX BLAST DOG™, a semi-autonomously deployed borehole sensing and physical measurement technology that provides near real-time orebody knowledge and physical information of the blast hole.

The company also has extensive experience in directional core drilling capabilities through its acquisition of Devico and its leading technology, which has benefits particularly in the search for deep mineral deposits.

Ideon’s technology generates images of orebodies deep beneath the Earth’s surface, up to 1 km below ground level, and has proven effective in detecting deep orebodies, which are challenging to locate using traditional methods, according to IMDEX.

“As exploration increasingly targets greater depths, deep OBK and efficient, environmentally sound methods of drill testing will become more relevant for making accurate early estimates of mineral reserves at speed,” Lawie said.

Senior researchers at UBC will drive the study along with a range of postdoctoral experts. The study will analyse mine projects completed over the past 23 years, integrating information from the Toronto Stock Exchange and the Australian Securities Exchange with the respective countries’ mine project reporting codes, the NI 43-101 and the JORC code, to assess the link between OBK – or lack of it – and mine project performance.

Other elements of the study will:

  • Quantify the write-down value attributable to orebody complications;
  • Quantify the link between OBK and mine project performance;
  • Assess the cost of obtaining OBK against the potential value lost in the project; and
  • Develop a risk assessment tool to allow companies to design work programs to optimise OBK and reduce project risk.

Lawie said previous UBC research by John Steen, Michael Samis and Andrew Gillis covering the period 2003 to 2016 revealed that geoscientific challenges were associated with financial losses by mine projects in at least 30% of cases, presenting the Value of Information case that has now expanded into the economic benefits of enhanced orebody knowledge.

This research will provide a starting point for the study using advanced data collection and interpretation to better understand the geological risks associated with mine development projects.

“To our knowledge, this integrated research approach has not been previously attempted,” Lawie said.

Newlox heralds the potential of OAR gold leaching technology following test work

Environmental, Metallurgy, Mineral processing, Mining services, Precious metals, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Newlox Gold Ventures Corp’s affiliate has reported what it says are “excellent results” from Stage 1 testing of the new Organic Aqua Regia (OAR) gold leaching technology on high-grade gold ore samples.

Newlox Research and Development Corp’s final analysis of the results from Stage 1 testing indicated not only is a gold recovery of 94.68% achieved at ambient temperature, but also a 100% recovery is achieved at 80°C.

The company is investigating the use of OAR technology as a non-toxic and water-free alternative to cyanidation to produce both gold and other precious metals. This will benefit Newlox Gold Ventures Corp’s ambition to recover residual precious metals and contaminants from historical tailings.

Newlox R&D is developing OAR in conjunction with the University of British Columbia in Canada and Chiba University in Japan to leach gold with this reagent, which is both non-toxic and widely used in other industries, according to the company. The main advantages include that it is non-toxic, is recyclable, extracts gold faster than cyanide, does not use water, and does not require carbon or electrowinning.

The company undertook Stage 1 testing on a high-grade gold ore grading an average of 48.87 g/t. The ore was ground in a BICO mill to reach a point where 80% of the material was below a grain size of 0.12 mm (P80 -0.12 mm) before leaching with OAR. Newlox’s research team used the Yates model in 16 experiments to investigate several combinations of reagent dosage and leaching time, it said.

Newlox R&D Corp undertook leaching tests in Vancouver, with the gold dissolution in the OAR calculated based on the gold grade in residues obtained after filtration. A third-party metallurgical laboratory (Global Mineral Resources) in Burnaby, British Columbia, was used to verify the results using aqua regia digestion and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS).

The company explained: “The R&D team used the Yates testing protocol to modify various factors during testing and evaluate their effects and relevant interactions. The Yates protocol identified the most significant factors in overall gold recovery. Most encouragingly was the feature that all samples returning over 90% recovery during Stage 1 testing had reagent dosage commonalities, indicating a clear route forward for Stage 2 testing.”

Parallel testing was undertaken at the University of Chiba in Japan on the same ores tested by Newlox R&D in Vancouver. The Japan-based team experimented with alternative reagent additives and different leaching temperatures and found significant effects based on those factors.

Leaching tests undertaken in Japan at 80°C achieved 100% gold recovery in four hours, followed by precipitation of the dissolved gold by adjusting the solution’s pH. The pH control enabled pure gold recovery while concurrently suppressing the precipitation of other elements in the precipitate.

“This promising result indicates that gold may be recovered from the solution without the need for electrowinning,” the company said.

Stage 2 testing is now underway to both reproduce the results seen in Stage 1 testing and further investigate the effect of reagent dosage, time, and temperature on leaching mechanics. Additionally, the R&D team is focused on testing both the recyclability of the OAR reagent, and methods for recovering gold from the solution.

Ryan Jackson, President & CEO of Newlox, said: “We are most encouraged to report that the first round of testing achieved up to 100% gold recovery, using the cutting-edge OAR leaching technology. This initial round of testing forms part of the Newlox R&D 12-month OAR development program.

“We are gratified to realise such early positive results. OAR leaching promises to become a paradigm-shifting technology applicable not only to the $180 billion formal global gold mining industry but also as a method to bring the $27 billion informal gold mining industry into the 21st century.”

Mine electrification hinged on reskilling, collaboration and mine design, EY says

Environmental, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining industry recognition, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, Power supply for mines, Precious metals, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , ,

A recent survey of miners and mining original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) has shown that electrification of mines offers a lot more than lower carbon emissions and improved worker benefits.

The survey, commissioned by EY and conducted by the Sustainable Minerals Institute at The University of Queensland (Australia) and The Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering at The University of British Columbia (Canada), deduced that reaping the full benefits of an electricity-powered mining future would require “reskilling, reaching out across sectors and rethinking the fundamentals of mine design”, EY said.

Paul Mitchell, EY Global Mining and Metals Leader, said the mining sector was on the verge of an electrification revolution, driven by significant cost reduction potential, lowered carbon emissions and improved worker health benefits.

“This is critically important, given the World Health Organisation has declared that diesel particulates now belong in the same deadly category as asbestos, arsenic and mustard gas,” he said.

Four key themes emerged from the survey, according to EY.

  • Electrified mines improve economics and strengthen licence to operate;
  • Collaboration will unlock better electrification solutions;
  • Mine design needs a rethink to build in optionality for future innovation, and;
  • Electrification needs different skills, and advances technology deployment.

EY explained these four in more detail:

“Demand for carbon reduction in the sector is inevitable, and electrification is one way to achieve it,” the company said. “Diesel engines cannot be replaced with carbon-generating electricity and therefore electrification needs to be accompanied with a move to renewable power.

“The survey finds that electrification reduces not only operational costs, but also up-front capital costs because it reduces the infrastructure needs of ventilation shafts in underground mines. More significantly, the reduction of diesel particulates results in improvement to worker health and safety.”

Partnerships and co-creation of solutions with OEMs, other mining companies and governments are needed to successfully integrate electrification in mines, according to EY.

“The survey finds that, in the case of electrification, miners are clear that they can’t go it alone. This is leading to a more open perspective around the role of suppliers as strategic partners, which expands the possibilities for miners to benefit through innovation, cost reduction and competitive advantage.”

Newmont Goldcorp has taken such an approach at its Borden gold project, in Ontario, Canada – partnering with Sandvik and MacLean Engineering on developing what it says will be the world’s first all-electric underground mine – while Nouveau Monde Graphite has built up a taskforce of its own to progress its plans for an all-electric open-pit graphite mine in Quebec, Canada.

In terms of mine design, decoupling mines from diesel is not an easy task. This is due to the diverse range of technical and financial challenges in mining various deposits.

EY said: “Getting full value out of electrification requires a thorough consideration and understanding of the technology road map, in parallel with the strategic plan for the mine. The survey highlights the need for a phased implementation with a flexible design that provides for technology improvements of the future.”

And, lastly, mine electrification will require different worker skills as it enables other advanced technologies, requiring less maintenance and human intervention, according to EY.

“Analysis of the survey findings reveals there will be increasing demand for data and digital literacy skills across all phases of the mining value chain, as the human-to-machine interface evolves and becomes more prevalent,” the company said. “In developing economies, this means challenging the assumption that a mine provides employment only for people doing physical labour.”

Mitchell added: “It is important to start thinking about building agility into mine design to leverage the potential benefits in asset flexibility, lower ventilation requirements and the human footprint.

“The future of electrification in mines requires a paradigm shift in thinking – from existing known and proven technologies to new emerging technologies. We must realise that the challenges of the sector can be solved faster by collaboration – and a robust strategy, underpinned by gaining the right capabilities and an agile approach, is critical.”

The Electric Mine charges on to Sweden

Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Following the success of the inaugural Electric Mine event in Toronto, Canada, in April, International Mining Events has wasted no time in confirming the 2020 follow up; this time in Stockholm, Sweden.

Taking place at the Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel on March 19-20, 2020, The Electric Mine 2020 will be even bigger, featuring new case studies from miners implementing electrification projects and presentations from the key OEMs and service suppliers shaping these solutions.

A leading hub in Europe for mining equipment and innovation, Sweden was the obvious choice for the 2020 edition of the event. Miners including Boliden and LKAB have already made electric moves above and below ground, and the north of the country is set to host Europe’s first home-grown gigafactory, the Northvolt Ett lithium-ion battery cell facility.

Sweden and Finland also play host to Europe’s major mining OEMs such as Epiroc, Sandvik, Metso and Outotec (soon to possibly be Metso Outotec Corp), and the Nordic region has a rich mining innovation legacy.

Capacity crowd

The announcement of the 2020 Electric Mine edition comes hot on the heels of a hugely successful debut in Toronto.

With the Radisson Admiral, on Toronto Harbourfront, filled out to capacity, the circa-150 attendees were treated to more than 20 world-class papers from miners Vale, Goldcorp (now Newmont Goldcorp), Kirkland Lake Gold, Boliden and Nouveau Monde Graphite; OEMs Epiroc, Sandvik, Caterpillar, Volvo CE and BELAZ; and equipment and service specialists Siemens, ABB, GE Transportation (a Wabtec company). Presentations from Doug Morrison (CEMI), Marcus Thomson (Norcat), David Sanguinetti (Global Mining Guidelines Group), Erik Isokangas (Mining3) and Ali Madiseh (University of British Columbia), meanwhile, provided the R&D angle delegates were after.

The event was a truly global affair, attracting delegates and exhibitors from Africa, Australasia, Europe, North America and South America, all eager to hear about developments across the sector.

Bigger and better

International Mining Events is upping the ante for 2020, increasing the event capacity to 200 delegates and making plans for a possible site visit to witness electric equipment in action.

Talks from several miners, as well as global international companies, will again underpin the 1.5-day conference program, which will also expand to cover the use of renewable/alternative energy within the field.

There will, again, be opportunities for sponsorship and exhibiting, with several companies already in discussions about booking the prime opportunities for the event.

If you would like to know more about The Electric Mine 2020, please feel free to contact Editorial Director, Paul Moore ([email protected]) or Editor, Dan Gleeson ([email protected]).

In the meantime, we look forward to seeing you in Stockholm!

The Electric Mine logo

The Electric Mine conference shifts gear

Base metals, Environmental, Mine operation news, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining project news, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Precious metals, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

With just under four months to go, The Electric Mine conference is charging up to full capacity.

IM has been able to assemble a world-class speaker line-up covering the entire mine electrification process – from R&D and power infrastructure, to battery charging and electrified equipment.

The conference, to take place on April 4-5, 2019, in Toronto, Canada, will host the great and the good in this fast-evolving sector and hear case studies from real mine trials or applications.

This includes a presentation from Kirkland Lake Gold, which is currently running one of the largest in-production underground battery-electric fleets in the industry at its Macassa gold mine in Canada.

Just last month, IM heard that some 33 units were active underground at the deep and high-grade mine in Ontario and Andrew Schinkel, Senior Electrical Engineer of the Macassa Mine Complex, will most likely be able to add to that number, as well as comment on the fleet’s productivity, come conference time.

The soon-to-be-in-production Borden gold project, also in Ontario, will be under the spotlight at the event, with the involved OEMs and mining company collaborating on stage as they have during mine development.

Maarten van Koppen (pictured, left), Senior Project Engineer at Goldcorp Porcupine Mines, Jeff Anderson, Senior Mechanical Designer, MacLean Engineering, and a Sandvik Mining co-speaker (to be confirmed), will present: ‘The Borden Gold Project – lessons learned from the ‘mine of the future’ and the crucial role of partnerships in building an all-electric underground mine’.

The major mining representation does not end there.

Samantha Espley, Director of the Technology & Innovation Centre for Mining and Mineral Processing, Vale Base Metals Operations, will chart the mining company’s roadmap to underground electrification in Sudbury during her talk; expect the OEMs in the room to ask questions about the future fleet for the Creighton deep zone!

Caterpillar’s Product Manager for Underground Technology Solutions, Jay Armburger, is also set to take to the stage at the Radisson Admiral. The focus of his talk will be on heat generation, comparing battery and diesel LHDs underground. A few passing references to the proof of concept R1300G LHD trials it ran not all that long ago at an underground mine in Sudbury, Canada (pictured, right), are likely.

We’ll also hear about developments above ground.

A joint presentation from Karl Trudeau (Nouveau Monde Graphite), Michel Serres (ABB Canada) and David Lyon (MEDATECH) will shed some light on what it will take to create an all-electric open-pit mine able to produce 100,000 t of graphite concentrate at NMG’s Matawinie project in Quebec, Canada.

Those three speakers could be in the front row for Per-Erik Lindström’s talk on The Electric Site project in Sweden.

Lindström, Vice President Global Key Account Management for Volvo Construction Equipment, has seen first hand how battery-electric equipment can move the needle in terms of cost and emissions at the Skanska Vikan Cross quarry, just outside of Gothenburg, and there are more than a few miners interested in the prototype machines (pictured, left) the OEM has manufactured for this purpose.

These presentations will be complemented by a talk from Heather Ednie, Managing Director, Global Mining Guidelines Group, on the second edition of the group’s Battery Electric Vehicle guideline; an opening keynote from Ali G. Madiseh, Canada Research Chair in Advanced Mine Energy Systems, Norman B. Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering, University of British Columbia, titled: ‘The Electric Mine: a new norm in mine energy systems’; Erik Isokangas, Program Director, Mining3, discussing the value proposition for autonomous electric haulage; and Doug Morrison, President and CEO, Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI), looking at electrification to maximise productive capacity.

Meanwhile, Justin Bain, Chief Executive Officer, Energetique (Energy/Mobility), will fly in from Australia to pronounce the death of diesel Down Under – his firm has recently been involved in the conversion of diesel utility vehicles to battery-electric drive.

Along similar lines, Paul Miller, of Miller Technology, will talk about what goes into developing an innovative fully-electric light utility automobile, designed for continuous underground operation.

IM then has two behemoths in the mine power sector, Siemens and Schneider Electric, looking at the all-important infrastructure that goes into electrification.

Dr Bappa Banerjee, General Manager, Mining Equipment, GE Transportation, will look at the electric future for load and haul in his keynote, Mathieu Bouffard, Project Manager, Adria Manufacture, will cover battery charging and power management of battery-electric vehicles, and Don Duval, CEO of NORCAT, will showcase some of the new technologies that have come out of the organisation’s Underground Centre in Sudbury.

This speaker line-up is only set to improve as we move into the New Year, with IM in advanced discussions with more OEMs and miners looking to present.

The first global event on mine electrification continues to charge ahead…

If you’d like to hear more about The Electric Mine conference – including presenting and sponsorship opportunities – please feel free to get in contact with Editorial Director Paul Moore ([email protected]) or Editor Dan Gleeson ([email protected]).

To view the full speaker line-up, venue details and to take advantage of the soon-to-expire Early Bird attendance rate, please visit the event homepage here.