IM COVER MARCH 23.

qxp_proof 01/03/2023 10:48 Page 1

www.im-mining.com MARCH 2023

ORE SORTING UTILITY VEHICLES

SURFACE LOADING COPPER PROCESSING
HIGH PROFILE
MacLean Engineering

YEARS
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action?
with harsh conditions deep in the wilderness of Alaska,
they use Komatsu equipment designed for whatever
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Msc_Hoffman_IMM_297x210mm_Mar2023.indd 1 2/23/2023 12:47:21 PM

 CONTENTS .qxp_Layout 1 02/03/2023 12:52 Page 1

12 CONTENTS
M A R C H 2 0 2 3

10 HIGH PROFILE – MacLean Engineering

MacLean Engineering has innovated
again with its new ML5 BEV Multi Lift
elevated work platform. Paul Moore
recently caught up with the company on
this new EV- Series solution at the
51 IMARC event in Sydney

12 COPPER PROCESSING
10 Copper’s ties to global economic growth
are only strengthening with the ongoing
electrification of the world. Dan Gleeson
investigates how increasing amounts of
the metal can be produced with the
minimised operating footprint
stakeholders insist on

22 22 SURFACE LOADING
Paul Moore looks at the hot topics
including electrification and teleremote
operation in hydraulic shovels, high
performance rope shovels, an impressive
new large wheel loader and the latest in
GET innovation

36 ORE SORTING
Wherever they are positioned, sensor-
based ore analysis and sorting solutions
0 are making a difference at mining
operations. Dan Gleeson examines the
evidence

51 UTILITY VEHICLES
58 From the latest battery driven machines
to the latest in diverse machine types for
specific applications, Paul Moore
reviews new innovations in the utility
sector

58 WATER MANAGEMENT
From the latest on water treatment to
greater use of process water, more
efficient tailings processes and more
rigorous water reporting, Paul Moore
36 reviews the latest in mine water
management

www.im-
mining.

COVER: Immersive Technologies

g.com

MARCH
2023

Immersive Technologies offers human performance solutions for all

makes and all models of surface mining loading equipment. The ORE SO
RTING
R
SURFA
companies’ simulator technology and services are deployed in mines M
CE
HIGH PR
E LOAD
RO
acLean
O FILE
ING
CO
OP
UTILIT
PPER PR
Y VE
EHHICLES
Engine OCCE
ESS
S ING
in 48 countries around the world. This includes the latest PRO5, ering

which delivers true-to-life visual realism through photo-realistic

environments and a 3D stereoscopic display; while its visual system
provides sensory immersion and depth perception at the highest
levels possible.
https://www.immersivetechnologies.com/news/news2023/
Immersive-Technologies-Celebrates-30-Year-Anniversary.htm YE
E
AR
S

AROUND THE WORLD 3 The Leader 6 World Prospects 64 Forthcoming Events IBC Tailings

MARCH 2023 | International Mining 1

LEADER MARCH 23 .qxp_final 01/03/2023 10:51 Page 1
Editorial Director
Paul Moore BSc (Hons), MSc
Email: paul@im-mining.com
Editor
Daniel Gleeson BA (Hons)
Email: daniel@im-mining.com
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Email: phil@im-mining.com
+44 (0)1442 870 829
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Email: kate@im-mining.com
Accounts Manager
Nicola Shukla
nicolas@im-mining.com
Marketing Assistant
Joanna English BA (Hons)
jo@im-mining.com
Circulation Assistant
Jane Alter
circulation@im-mining.com
Design and Production
Trevor Sheldon
Email: sheldonmann@gmail.com
Website
www.im-mining.com
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Emma Smith
Email: emma@im-mining.com
Annual Subscription
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International Mining
(ISSN No: 1747-146X) is published
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© Team Publishing Ltd 2023
ISSN 1747 -146X
IM uses, as preference,
SI units throughout, so,
for example, all tonnes
are metric unless
otherwise stated.
All dollars are US unless
otherwise stated
THE LEADER
Reuse, repurpose, recycle
T
he mining industry is one of the biggest users
globally of off-the-road (OTR), or earthmover,
tyres. As a consumable product, these items
have traditionally had a linear make-use-dispose
trajectory, with few options for refuse or reuse.
However, an enhanced focus on mining companies’
environmental, social and governance (ESG)
performance has shone a spotlight on waste
management practices and the possibility of building
greater circularity into business models.
This, combined with impending regulation in various
countries is pushing organisations to take another look
at tyre recycling and how they can embrace it. While
there are no aggregate figures for the quantity of used
OTR tyres generated globally, by examining the
tonnages imported annually in key mining markets, it’s
possible to get a feel for the level of risk and
opportunity.
For example, Tyre Stewardship Australia states that
the Australian mining industry generated 68,100 t of
used tyres in 2019. It's a similar story in other markets
too. Chile hosts an estimated 500,000 t of used OTR
tyres. Some mines have commercial lives spanning 40+
years, and this means there are potentially millions of
tonnes of used tyres residing at mines across the
globe.
Finding management solutions is difficult because
few recycling facilities can handle mining tyres. Ultra-
class products can weigh 5 t a piece and require
specialist lifting equipment, transportation and
shredders. Even in places with recycling mandates, the
firms that are authorised to collect the tyres may be
challenged because of the cost and logistics involved.
In most mines, OTR tyres are buried or used to
create landforms upon closure. Some companies
repurpose them in the meantime, for instance, as
safety berms along haul roads. However, the problem
remains that tyres don’t degrade - whether stored
onsite or sent to landfill, those tyres will remain in the
landscape indefinitely.
Shredding tyres and repurposing the rubber is
better than burying them but, ultimately, it’s just
delaying their journey to landfill. We should be seeking
out the highest and best uses for these materials. By
breaking tyres down into their fundamental elements,
they can be used to create new tyres.
Some of the biggest risks and opportunities
associated with storing used tyres are ESG related.
Investors, stakeholders and landowners are
increasingly interested in the way in which mining
companies steward the land. In time, outdated
practices, such as burying tyres, could pose a
reputational risk for a sector whose environmental and
social performance is under a microscope.
Ontario, Canada, was one of the first mining
destinations to introduce tyre recycling legislation in
2016 and there are voluntary initiatives in other
Canadian provinces. For example, Kal Tire and Liberty
Tire offer shredding services for earthmover tyres
across British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
South Africa also has a waste tyre recycling program,
but manufacturers have indicated that the system has
problems which have led to tyres being stockpiled.
Chile recently introduced legislation which specifies
VO LU M E 1 8 • N U M B E R 3
that starting in 2023, 25% of
mining tyres must be recycled,
increasing to 100% by 2030. To
enable this, Kal Tire opened an
OTR tyre recycling facility in
Antofagasta in 2021 which can
handle up to 20 t/d of tyres,
including ultra-class products.
Regulations are a step in the
right direction. However, they are only applicable from
the date of introduction. While it’s unlikely that buried
tyres would ever need to be dug up, as more legislation
is introduced, mining companies will need to evolve
their used tyre management practices to remain
compliant.
The desire for change is real, but the question
remains of how to pay for it? The recycling of OTR tyres
is costly and, if there is no incumbent regulation, mines
can struggle to make thecase for capital allocation.
One way to tackle this is through accessing mine
remediation budgets. This allows mines to recycle
tyres progressively rather than waiting until closure
when there are thousands of products awaiting
disposal.
Regulators are also starting to support this thinking.
In April 2022, the government of BC introduced an
interim reclamation security policy for mining which
requires bonding for specific liabilities and encourages
progressive reclamation throughout the life-of-mine.
By taking a proactive approach to OTR tyre recycling as
part of this, miners have the chance to better their
stance as environmental stewards and boost their
standing with stakeholders.
In places which have recycling legislation for OTR
tyres, some companies may also be able to use
practices like retreading to garner carbon credits which
can help to offset the cost of recycling. For example,
KalTire’s Maple Program rewards mining companies for
the oil and carbon emissions saved by using its Ultra
Tread™, retreading and Ultra Repair™ services.
Greater uptake of recycling can also drive social
prosperity. Through committing to recycling and
building partnerships with Indigenous or First Nations
businesses to create sustainable supply chains, mining
companies can boost the local skills base and leave a
positive legacy for the communities in which they
operate.
Ultimately, a diverse approach is required to boost
uptake and accessibility in OTR tyre recycling,
including government-led policy, standards, proactive
investments from mining companies, technological
and product innovation, and willingness from local
businesses to build the capacity required to turn these
‘waste’ products into a source of value. To enable this
transformation, mining companies must raise the
visibility of this issue and help their teams to access
remediation budgets. Companies don’t need to wait
until year 25 to begin turning their waste tyres into
value – it can be an economic reality today. For more
information, visit https://www.kaltiremining.com/en/
sustainable-solution/recycling
Dan Allan
Senior Vice President
Kal Tire Mining Tire Group
MARCH 2023 | International Mining 3
 MAY
23-25

The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa

The world’s only global mine electrification event

We are now at a crossroads with surface and underground mining fleets, as the industry works to meet interim
reduced emissions and final net zero targets. A big part of that is moving away from diesel to reduced or zero
emission alternatives, whether that be battery, hydrogen, e-fuels or hybrid combinations.

Trolley assist and in-pit crushing & conveying, seen as inflexible or costly options until relatively recently, are now
ramping up fast due to favourable economics, while ventures like the Charge On Innovation Challenge and the
Electric Mine Consortium are using collaboration to overcome issues like charging and infrastructure.

Find out how the mining sector is successfully tackling arguably its biggest ever challenge, in Tucson, in May!

Headline presenters for The Electric Mine 2023 include:

Iain Curran Denise Johnson John Mulcahy Dan Funcannon Jason Bowsher
BHP Caterpillar Inc Rio Tinto Komatsu Freeport-McMoRan

Peter Wan Sergio Garcia Brian Huff Jonas Ranggård Jason Smith
Teck Resources Codelco Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions Boliden Epiroc

Sanket Patel Gilbert Lamarche Max Luedtke Marie-France Laurin Bappa Banerjee
Vale Foran Mining ABB Stantec Wabtec

Joel Bauer Michael Bobotis Tara MacLean Barry Flannery Darrell White
FLSmidth Hatch MacLean Engineering Xerotech Thiess

Sam Redondo Samu Kukkonen Derek Alband Hassan Obeid Jim Hawkins
Shell Normet Liebherr Mining Cummins Railveyor

@theelectricmine www.theelectricmine.com #TheElectricMine

EM_DPS_March2023.indd 1 24/02/2023 10:29

 Purevjamts Tsendjav Thomas Charbonneau Ruben Salinas John Oliver Rhea Adams
3BTEC Mongolia Stäubli David Brown Santasalo FLANDERS Inc First Mode

PLATINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

Welcome Drinks Sponsor IPCC SPONSOR

SHOWCASE SPONSORS

GREEN SPONSORS

EXHIBITORS

1.RPMGlobal 19. Mayhew A. Sandvik

2. MST Global 20. Siemens B. Caterpillar
3. TAKRAF 21. Cavotec C. Epiroc 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27
4. SAMINCO 22. MEDATech
5. Shell 23. Calvera Hydrogen
7
6. Railveyor 24. 6
7. Stafl Systems 25.
1112
5 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
8. Dana 26. 10 13
9. MacLean 27. 4 19
9 14
10. Liebherr 28. 3
8 15
18 SHOWCASE
11. WAE 29. Simgenics
MAIN STAGE 2 17
12. KonNx
13. FLANDERS
30. Hitachi Energy
31. DPG 1 16 STAGE
14. Aramine 32. MMD
15. Normet 33. TotalEnergies
16.Virta 34. Stäubli
17. Becker 35. Hitachi CM
A B C
18. ABB 36. DB Santasalo

Credit: Boliden

EM_DPS_March2023.indd 2 24/02/2023 10:29

WORLD PROSPECTS.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 10:43 Page 1
WORLD PROSPECTS
Trolley line commissioned at Husab in Namibia
ack in 2015, Swakop Uranium invested in
B a new mining fleet for the new Husab
uranium mine near the town of
Swakopmund in western-central Namibia
consisting of 23 327 t class Komatsu 960E-2KT
electric dump trucks and three Chinese NHL
NTE330 electric drive trucks of the same class.
All the trucks were trolley-ready with a view to
starting up the trolley assist operation as the
mine ramped up in 2017.
One main trolley line was completed in
2017/2018 but until now the trucks have not
been using it. Immanuel Matheus, Senior
Engineer, Mining Technical told IM: “Trolley’s
benefits for these years have been reduced by
the significant decline in oil prices and the
increase in local electricity tariffs during. There
was also a need to increase the norminal
maximum demand (NMD) of the mine.”
However, with more favourable power prices
plus the general industry push to reduce
reliance on diesel, trolley assist at Husab is
again in the spotlight to both reduce costs and
increase mine productivity due to higher truck
speeds. Testing with two of the Komatsu 960E-
2KT trucks under trolley began in late 2022 and
with the successful trial completed the line and
these two trucks are now commissioned.
Matheus said that eventually all of the 960Es
and NTE330s will be using the trolley line.
Referred to as trolley line 1, it is 680 m in
PAMA signs up McLaren Applied for fuel optimisation tech
cLaren Applied has announced PT
M Pamapersada Nusantara (PAMA) as the
company’s latest mining client. PAMA,
one of Indonesia’s largest mining contractors,
provides a comprehensive suite of operations to
mine owners across all stages of production and
expansion. The partnership will see McLaren
Applied’s Formula 1-derived technology utilised
to optimise the efficiency and fuel consumption
of PAMA’s mining vehicles, accelerating the
decarbonisation of mining.
The statement said: “With fuel representing up
to 50% of a mine’s operating expenses, small
gains in efficiency can have large impacts on
costs, productivity and pollution. Such gains are
hard won, with haul trucks capable of carrying
around 100 tons of mined material over steep,
uneven ground operating in a dynamic
environment which requires constant analysis.
Ever-changing variables such as payload,
weather, terrain and route all affect the driving
technique required to ensure maximum efficiency.”
While traditional fuel analytics can only
provide mine managers with performance reports
for the previous day or shift, too late to keep
6 International Mining | MARCH 2023
length including the supporting poles. It is
slightly curved towards the end of the ramp
which is a challenge in terms of alignment of the
pantographs. Other challenges include the
regular road maintenance to keep the profile
smooth, and the fact that there are no trolley
experienced operators at the mine currently. In
addition, Matheus said that the project is labour
intensive as for any rejects except due to low
speed when connecting to the overhead line,
there must be a HT (high tension) technician on
standby to clear the fault. A high voltage
technician must also be on standby in case the
trolley line trips.
But the benefits are clear already. Matheus
told IM: “It allows the haul trucks to move faster
on ramps and in fact it doubles the on-ramp
speed to 24 km/h for the 960E, resulting in
reduced cycle times and increased haulage
productivity. While on the trolley line, the truck
engine goes into idle mode which significantly
reduces the fuel burn on ramps. The result is a
reduction in noise and CO2 emissions to the
environment.”
The energy is supplied by an external provider
(Nampower), however the mine also has a 12
MW solar plant to supplement the mine’s energy
needs. Siemens was responsible for the trolley
line construction. The onboard truck trolley
equipment was supplied by Komatsu (the 960E
truck has a Komatsu AC electric drive, Siemens
pace with the rapidly changing situation,
McLaren Applied says its cutting-edge Fuel
Analytics Service is far more advanced. "Formula
1-derived technology collects detailed live data
from multiple sensors onboard PAMA’s fleet of
mining trucks, transmitting it to cloud-based
servers at much higher data rates than typical
telemetry systems and using it to inform a
powerful machine learning-based algorithm."
The Fuel Analytics Service references the data
against a full digital model of the mine, using
specially developed AI tools to instantaneously
calculate what changes the driver should make to
optimise fuel efficiency. This information is
communicated back to the driver within
milliseconds, offering real-time recommendations
for optimal driving to maximise efficiency and
minimise fuel consumption in any conditions.
alternator and liquid cooled Insulated Gate
Bipolar Transistor inverter system) with the
exception of the pantographs which were
supplied by Pamodzi Unique Engineering in
South Africa.
As things stand today, the payback period is
expected to be roughly three to four years. The
project remains, however, sensitive to diesel
prices which change monthly in Namibia. Any
increases in diesel prices will of course favour
the project.
Swakop Uranium is a partnership between the
Republic of Namibia and the People’s Republic of
China of which 10% is held by the Namibian
state-owned Epangelo Mining Company and
90% by Taurus Minerals Ltd, jointly owned by
China General Nuclear Power Group and the
China Africa Development Fund.
www.swakopuranium.com; www.komatsu-
africa.com 
Pablo Garcia, Director of Connected
Intelligence at McLaren Applied, said: “With over
30 years’ experience at the cutting-edge of
motorsport, Formula 1, McLaren Applied has an
unparalleled breadth of experience in the
optimisation of performance around the globe. To
be able to formally bring our expertise to a new
sector is therefore an incredibly exciting
opportunity. Together, McLaren Applied and
PAMA will take vital steps to help accelerate the
decarbonisation of mining, bringing benefits to
the industry and the environment and creating a
blueprint for optimisation which can be copied
around the world.”
Pak Hendra Hutahean, Vice President Director
at PAMA, said: “Our new partnership with
McLaren Applied demonstrates PAMA’s
willingness to embrace new mining
decarbonisation initiatives. By employing
McLaren Applied’s cutting-edge technology and
unique expertise, we are confident that we will
be able to take significant steps towards
protecting the planet.”
www.mclarenapplied.com; 
s
https://pamapersada.com 
Becker_Mar2023 PROOF.qxp_Layout 1 28/02/2023 10:05 Page 1

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 WORLD PROSPECTS.qxp_proof 02/03/2023 12:54 Page 2
WORLD PROSPECTS
Boart creates Veracio to take orebody data AI to next level
oart Longyear Group Ltd has announced
B that its Geological Data Services division
will now operate as a separate entity
called Veracio. Veracio it says “is ideally suited to
combine science and digital technologies in a
single, integrated platform and help mining
companies get more value from their orebody
data, faster, while mitigating the environmental
impact of their decisions.”
Veracio will be led by newly appointed Chief
Executive Officer, JT (John) Clark, a seasoned
growth leader in mining technology with a track
record of operational success. Veracio’s
technologies and platform, the result of a decade
of testing and development in sensing,
automation, and artificial intelligence (AI)
technologies, “empowers miners to dig deeper
into data, accelerating exploration and making
better decisions that result in economically
efficient operations and reduced waste.”
Powered by Boart Longyear’s award-winning
Geological Data Services integrated technology
platform, Veracio is “well-positioned to support
the growing global need for critical minerals by
championing an approach to orebody science
based on speed and sustainability.”
As Veracio’s CEO, JT Clark, who was most
recently a Managing Director and Partner at
Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where he led the
Global Mining Practice and built Phosa, BCG’s AI
solution for mineral processing, will lead the
company’s growth strategy. The leadership team
also includes Mike Ravella, the founder and
innovative mind behind Boart Longyear’s
Geological Data Services division, who assumes
the role of Chief Innovation Officer. Jeff Olsen,
BHP trialling bp HVO at Yandi
HP is trialling the use of
B hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO)
to help power mining equipment
at its Yandi iron ore operations in
Western Australia.
Supplied through a collaboration with
bp, the renewable diesel made from
HVO will be used in haul trucks and
other mining equipment over an initial
three-month trial period, the miner says.
BHP Western Australia Iron Ore
(WAIO) Asset President, Brandon Craig,
said: “About 40% of BHP’s operational
greenhouse gas emissions come from using
s
diesel fuel, and this is a core focus of our
decarbonisation strategy. Ultimately, our aim is
to have fully-electric trucking fleets at our sites,
but alternative fuels like HVO may help us reduce
our emissions in the meantime while the
8 International Mining | MARCH 2023
Boart Longyear’s Chief Executive
Officer, is Veracio’s Chairman,
bringing with him a wealth of
mining and leadership
experience.
“We utilise our mine-ready
tools to capture differentiated
data about the earth and its
minerals, and leverage cutting
edge AI, to enable our clients to
make their most critical decisions
faster, with better information,” says Clark. “Our
mission is to help miners set a new bar for
productivity and efficiency while improving their
environmental stewardship.”
The mining industry must rapidly redefine how
it finds and processes orebodies,” says Ravella.
“From our hands-on experience in mineral
exploration and mining, we know solving this
problem requires investing in geological science
and creating practical tools powered by AI to
empower a deeper understanding of the orebody
which will drive mining efficiency. Veracio
combines a century of expertise with cutting
edge innovation to deliver on this vision.”
“As a stand-alone entity infused with Boart
Longyear’s rich legacy of innovation and deep
mining heritage, Veracio is uniquely positioned to
aid mining customers in meeting the
unprecedented minerals demand that is fuelling
the transition to a more sustainable economy,”
says Olsen.
Veracio leverages key digital sensing platforms
and AI that helps miners move beyond the
borehole and see the entire orebody in fine
detail. Critical components include:
electrification transition takes place.
“This collaboration with the teams at Yandi
and bp is really exciting to see, given the
potential application in our WAIO business and
BHP’s operations globally.”
bp President Australia, and SVP Fuels and Low
Carbon Solutions, Asia Pacific, Frederic Baudry,
n AI solutions that improve and automate
improved understanding of the earth and
orebodies, and deliver improved solutions for
mining activities across the value chain;
n Data capture and intelligence platforms
including TruScan™, an in-field sample
sensing platform; TruSub™, a rod string
system; and TruProbe™, which allows for
driller deployable downhole sensing without
a logging truck;
n A foundational, integrated cloud platform that
gives teams anywhere in the world access to
these technologies, enabling them to access
orebody data in near-real time, at a higher
definition, and with lower sampling error.
From economic models and mine designs to
mine safety and more efficient mining
operations, the statement said Veracio
technologies “enable significant commercial,
environmental and sustainability outcomes for
existing assets and greenfield projects that
benefit from better orebody knowledge. Veracio
offers a bigger vision for better use of the Earth’s
resources leading to a lower carbon footprint.”
www.boartlongyear.com; www.veracio.com 
said: “bp’s ambition to be a net-zero company by
2050 or sooner, and to help the world get to net
zero, recognises the crucial role bp has to play in
the energy transition.
“Globally, bp plans to increase its
investment in low-carbon energy. Forging
strategic partnerships with companies like
BHP enables bp to create solutions that
satisfy the increasing demand for lower
carbon fuels in sectors like mining and
transport.”
BHP has a medium-term target to reduce
operational greenhouse gas emissions by
at least 30% by its 2030 financial year, from
an FY2020 baseline. Approximately 40% of
BHP’s operational emissions in its FY2020
baseline year came from diesel-powered
equipment.
The HVO is to have internationally recognised
certification as being sourced from more
sustainable feedstocks such as waste products.
www.bhp.com; www.bp.com 
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HIGH PROFILE -MACLEAN.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 10:46 Page 1
HIGH PROFILE
MacLean’s BEV elevated work platform
MacLean Engineering has innovated again with its new
ML5 BEV Multi Lift elevated work platform. Paul Moore
recently caught up with the company on this new EV-
Series solution at the IMARC event in Sydney
t the IMARC show in Sydney in early
A November 2022, IM met with MacLean
Engineering’s Dan Stern, Senior Product
Manager and Peter Black, Technical Sales
Manager, to talk about one of its latest battery
electric innovations – the ML5 BEV Multi Lift  –
which has been developed specifically for the
Australian market initially and will be the next
addition to the company’s extensive EV Series.
This is an all electric, certified elevated work
platform (EWP) for installation of services in
tunnel headings up to 6.5 m high and is fully
equipped for the multi-tasking required in today’s
underground trackless environment. MacLean
says it represents a new take on the industry
accepted integrated tool carrier (ITC) with
additional features better suited to underground
mining. These EWPs are extensively used for
explosives charging plus building vent walls and
fans.
It is mounted on a self propelled, 4 wheel drive
carrier with a 4.5 m deck height and 6.5 m
working height with payload up to 4.5 t. It offers a
remote drive system (RDS) from the basket and is
available with a ROPS/FOPS enclosed cab with
heat and A/C.
Stern told IM: “We have been working closely
with Australian mine operators over the past few
years to meet a really evident requirement for a
certified man lift device for underground mining.
Today, the equipment being used is a surface
construction wheel loader from say John Deere,
Caterpillar or Volvo which is sent to a third party
company to be modified as an Integrated Tool
Carrier for underground including a man lift device
along with the required certification, which
involves a lot of cost and complexity. Mining
owner operators and contractors came to us
asking if we could offer a factory-built machine,
certified for this task from the outset.”
The ML5 Multi Lift also has a two person cab
10 International Mining | MARCH 2023
unlike the wheel loaders with one person cabs.
Currently the second worker has to follow the
wheel loader in a light vehicle. With the MacLean
machine, if they are using two workers, they can
travel together to the working site in the same
vehicle.
Black added: “We developed this as a
dedicated EWP for the mining industry. But it will
also fit a standard set of Volvo fork and jib
attachments so it can meet underground utility
and materials handling needs as well. This allows
you to get a high level of utilisation out of the
equipment. Another unique feature we have put
into the design of this machine includes boom
swing, which instead of being fixed, can be
slewed from side to side by the operator. This
means the whole face can be covered for service
or charging work from one point in the centre of
the drive without having to reposition the
machine. In addition, the basket itself will slew,
which allows you to maintain parallel face
coverage as well as parallel coverage to the side
of the drive when moving up and down.”
Another feature cited
by Black is that the
controls for moving the
machine up and down
the drive are in the
basket so you don’t need
a second operator in the
cab, saving on man hours
required to do the job.
Stern adds: “It is also a
major safety
improvement. One of the
big challenges on using
the modified wheel
loaders is
communication between
the person in the loader cab and the person in the
basket. Miscommunications have occurred where
the operator has mistakenly moved the basket
and pinched the person in the basket up against
the back or ventilation fan they have been
working on. With our machine all the controls are
also in the basket so the operator can even tram
the machine forwards and backwards.”
Plus of course the machine is battery powered.
Black states: “These machines are often going to
install ventilation infrastructure in areas that don’t
have adequate ventilation yet. If you can remove
the diesel engine from that environment, all the
better as you are reducing emissions and
particulates.”
It uses best in class battery technology in terms
of energy density and cycle life plus has smart
battery management tech with active liquid
cooling. The battery is a high performance Li-ion
NMC for high density and long life cycle – in
excess of 10,000 cycles. The 134 kWh capacity
provides a large range of applications, and there
are several charging options to keep the
equipment running. It is compatible with existing
mine electrical grids via on-board chargers and
does not require additional charging
infrastructure. It has down ramp regenerative
braking capability of over 30% on well-maintained
ramps.
MacLean told IM in November that the first
machine was in early construction at the home
factory in Collingwood, Ontario and was set to be
shipped to Australia in Q2 2023 following testing,
with commissioning with the launch customer in
NSW likely by end-2023.
For now the units will continue to be
assembled in Canada for the Australian market,
but if the demand levels ramp up as expected,
fabrication could move to MacLean’s Australian
hub in Wangara, WA. And the demand is set to be
significant – the first customer as an example
operates over 40 modified Volvo wheel loaders.
Stern concluded: “Every mine operator we show
this to instantly gets it and wants it, which is very
rewarding for us.” IM
MacLean Engineering’s Dan Stern (left) and
Peter Black (right) at IMARC 2022
Safety in our veins. Innovation in our DNA.
MacLean mobile mining equipment
Unveiling MacLean’s first Australian BEV at the UGOPS Conference 2023
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
Booth# 59
Brisbane, Australia
27 - 29 March 2023
CANADA | USA | MEXICO | PERU | SOUTH AFRICA | AUSTRALIA
COPPER PROCESSING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:00 Page 1
COPPER PROCESSING
Red metal momentum
Copper’s ties to global economic growth are only
strengthening with the ongoing electrification of the
world. Dan Gleeson investigates how increasing
amounts of the metal can be produced with the
minimised operating footprint stakeholders insist on
he copper sector has become one of the
T most dynamic spaces in mining, with
collaboration between suppliers,
stakeholders and end users leading to massive
shifts in the way the metal is extracted, smelted,
concentrated and refined.
Red metal miners intent on decarbonising their
operations and producing product in the most
sustainable ways are being rewarded by
investors and end users alike, whether it be new
equity and debt investment in development
projects, or accreditation as a supplier of choice
with companies that have sustainable sourcing
requirements at their core.
There is only one direction copper miners can
head if they want to stay relevant and in demand
in the future, and that is towards ‘net zero’
status.
An organisation that understands these
pressures better than most is The Copper Mark,
an assurance framework set up to promote the
responsible production of copper.
The Copper Mark works with companies and
organisations throughout the copper industry to
enable them to better understand and meet the
increasing demands for independently verified
responsible production practices, and to
contribute positively to sustainable development.
In the three-or-so years since launch, the
organisation has encouraged many large copper
producers to sign up to The Copper Mark, with
the assurance framework now covering some 20-
25% of global copper production.
The organisation is doing its utmost to
increase participation across the copper space,
yet it is also trying to keep up with ever-changing
12 International Mining | MARCH 2023
stakeholder requirements. This means even with
up to a quarter of copper production coming from
Copper Mark-approved sites, there are still gaps
between its standards and the reality on the
ground.
Copper Mark’s Executive Director, Michèle
Brülhart, explained: “Based on the data we have
after three years of implementation, there are
three major areas where we see most
improvement opportunities in terms of getting
more copper producers to comply with the
framework. Unsurprisingly, these are quite
closely related to areas where stakeholder
expectations are rapidly changing and evolving.”
The area where The Copper Mark has seen
most gaps is the due diligence in mineral supply
chains and, connected to that, the criteria it
refers to as “business relationships” in its
framework.
“There you see lots of regulatory
developments in Europe, such as the London
Metals Exchange’s responsible sourcing
requirements, that our member companies are
having to adapt to,” Brülhart told IM. “There has
been a need for companies to catch up and, I
would say, broaden the systems they had in
place previously.”
The second area affecting uptake and
compliance is around tailings management. In
this area, The Copper Mark reacted quickly to the
publication of the Global Industry Standard on
Tailings Management (GISTM), adopting the
standard in between its normal revision
timelines.
“We wanted to commit to the best available
practices, hence adopting the standard, but
Freeport’s Bagdad mine in Arizona, which is the
site testing Jetti Resources’ technology, is one of
the company’s major leaching test hubs
understand this is not an overnight transition; it
will take some time for our participants to
achieve all the requirements of the GISTM,”
Brülhart said.
The third is around greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions – a rapidly-evolving market force
affected by expectations from investors,
policymakers and customers.
Where five years ago, companies were talking
about using carbon offsets and credits, they are
now committing to fully decarbonise their
operations and – in many cases – look beyond
Scope 1 & 2 emissions.
Copper producers are probably only behind
iron ore companies and the wider steelmaking
supply chain when it comes to agreeing on
decarbonisation pathways.
On all three of these evolving improvement
opportunities, The Copper Mark, like copper
producers, is trying to find a balance between
pushing forward in its ambitions around
responsible copper production and doing too
much too soon.
Brülhart explained: “You can have the most
beautifully designed system with lofty goals, but
if no-one participates, it has zero impact. We
want to have impact on the ground and bring
responsible practices to the copper industry and
other industries we work with, so we have been
very deliberate in our engagement with the
community.”
This is seeing The Copper Mark lay out clear
guidelines for its member companies in terms of
what the ambition for the assurance framework is
today, setting expectations of standards
members will need to meet at a future date and
supplying visibility of a long-term framework
pathway.
The benchmark in minerals
processing
It is not just mining companies and copper users
that are signing up to The Copper Mark.
FLSmidth, for example, joined The Copper
Mark as a Partner back in April 2021, saying, “As
both an enabler of sustainable mining and a
company which sources copper for our products,
joining The Copper Mark is a natural step for
FLSmidth.”
Among other benefits of signing up to the
framework, FLSmidth saw the move as a way of
further advancing its MissionZero ambition to
support, enable and work with mining customers
so they can move towards zero energy, zero
water waste and zero emissions by 2030.
Copper is one of FLSmidth’s key commodities
and, therefore, an important focus for its
technology and innovation efforts.
75890-Multotec-A4 ad-Inter-Mining.indd 2 2022/08/03 10:25
COPPER PROCESSING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:01 Page 2
COPPER PROCESSING
FLSmidth says its HPGR Pro enables up to
20% more throughput compared to
conventional HPGRs, with less energy
consumption and up to 30% longer roller
life
Jesús Pelayo, VP Global Key Accounts – Copper
at FLSmidth, told IM that the company sees a
significant business opportunity in bringing its
copper customers towards a sustainable future,
highlighting several developments, including in
the comminution space.
“With our most recent acquisition, FLSmidth is
stepping into the spotlight as the market leader
in high pressure grinding roll (HPGR) technology;
our HPGR Pro offers better performance and
much lower production costs, meeting the
highest demands for economy, efficiency and
reliability,” he said. “Over the entire lifecycle,
this new development enables up to 20% more
throughput compared to conventional HPGRs,
with less energy consumption and up to 30%
longer roller life, supporting our clients in
reducing their GHG footprint.”
On the tailings management side – an area
highlighted by The Copper Mark in terms of
ongoing assurance framework developments –
Pelayo highlighted the company’s EcoTails®
process, which, he says, makes it possible to
recycle more than 90% of water associated with
tailings management.
“This represents a great opportunity for our
clients to achieve not only zero GHG emissions
but zero water discharge and zero energy waste,”
he said.
The company’s REFLUX™ Flotation Cell
(RFC™) technology, meanwhile, pushes the
boundaries on concentrate grade, recovery and
throughput well beyond the performance of
conventional open tank flotation systems,
reducing GHG emissions in the process,
according to Pelayo.
He added: “Demand for minerals is rising –
that’s the good news – but mining is also getting
harder, while pressure is on to improve the
industry’s environmental, social and governance
(ESG) performance. In response, mines must take
steps to maximise productivity and realise their
14 International Mining | MARCH 2023
full potential via systematic and ongoing
performance optimisation. This is where we come
in; to identify opportunities to improve
productivity across the flowsheet, plan and
implement upgrades to achieve best outcomes
for investments, and monitor and measure
results to empower continuous improvement
processes.”
FLSmidth is backing up these technologies
with targets such as reducing GHG emissions
coming from the use of its products per unit of
revenue by 56% by 2030, compared with its 2019
baseline. This target, validated by the Science
Based Targets Initiative, corresponds to a 7%
year-on-year drop in emissions.
Wayne Douglas, Head of Technology,
Innovation and the Mineral Technology Research
Centre, says FLSmidth’s ‘Concentrator Of The
Future’ will steer the company towards this goal
and end up as the benchmark in minerals
processing in the future, providing disruptive
innovations along the whole flowsheet in dry
comminution, coarse and fine flotation, and dry
tailings linked by digitalisation and artificial
intelligence (AI).
“Our strength in combining our products in
unique combinations to maximise the
sustainability desires of the client will allow us to
optimise for any challenge; be it water, energy
efficiency, grade, recovery, footprint, etc,” he
said. “This can be accomplished with existing
products, or by innovations in processing as
outlined by the MissionZero mine.
“On top of the individual product’s
performance at purchase, we focus on the full
lifecycle of the products across the plant to
deliver continued best-in-class performance,
uptime and total cost of ownership. With
appropriate spares, performance-enhancing
digital solutions, advanced wear parts and
recycling of components where possible, we can
ensure the lowest environmental impact during
the life of the mine.”
And Douglas claims this pathway can be taken
without impacting a company’s position on the
cost curve.
“This can be translated into measured values
of lowering the CO2/tonne and water/tonne of
metal produced, while maintaining a competitive
cost/tonne in operating expenses,” he
concluded.
Redefining the mill circuit
Bjorn Dierx, Enduron HPGR Global Product
Manager for Weir Minerals, agrees with Pelayo’s
assessment of the copper producing environment
becoming more complex and challenging in
recent years.
In response, he says Weir Minerals is
harnessing digital and technological
opportunities to redefine one of the most energy
intensive parts of the mine – the mill circuit.
Traditional mill circuit flowsheets – comprising
SAG mills and ball mills – are inefficient, with 40-
60% of the slurry returned to the mill for
reprocessing, according to Dierx, reducing the
throughput and capacity of the mill.
“Water is also lost through evaporation with
each pass,” he told IM. “As the grinding media
composition needs to be balanced against the
rock fragmentation and comminution
characteristics, it is also relatively inflexible in
responding to changing feed conditions in an
agile way.”
The redesigned and reconfigured mill circuit
Weir Minerals envisages sees the SAG mill
replaced by a more efficient HPGR that is also
less energy intensive and able to reduce
recirculating loads threefold, according to Dierx.
“It is able to swiftly change the required
grinding parameters, producing a more
predictable output, even with changing feeding
conditions,” he explained.
In this redesigned comminution circuit, the
ball mill will be replaced by a vertical stirred
grinding mill, which Weir Minerals now offers its
customers through its recently announced
alliance with Swiss Tower Mills Minerals.
Integrating vertical stirred grinding mills into
Weir Minerals’ minerals processing flowsheet will
provide customers substantial improvements in
throughput and energy efficiency, helping them
meet their productivity and sustainability goals,
according to the company.
Dierx continued: “The reconfigured flowsheet
reduces overgrinding and applies energy mainly
to the coarser particles, resulting in a steeper
particle size distribution (PSD), which, in turn,
improves mineral recovery during flotation.”
When the mineral is able to be liberated at a
coarser size fraction, additional efficiency gains
can be achieved by introducing coarse particle
flotation (CPF).
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COPPER PROCESSING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:03 Page 3

COPPER PROCESSING

Integrating vertical stirred grinding mills from Swiss Tower

Mills Minerals into Weir Minerals’ Enduron HPGR-backed
minerals processing flowsheet will provide customers
substantial improvements in throughput and energy
efficiency, according to Weir Minerals

This technology – which Weir Minerals has
access to through a cooperative agreement to
design and develop CPF systems with Eriez
Flotation – further increases throughput, as well
as having sustainability benefits
“Not only does it reduce energy consumption;
with maximum production of coarse reject
material, the ability to manage tailings is vastly
improved,” Dierx said. “The coarser tailings PSD
improves water drainage and can reduce tailings
impoundment size, thereby minimising
environment risks.”
A recent process optimisation study for a
mining company looking to increase the capacity
of the base case copper concentrator with an
SABC (SAG-ball mill-crusher) circuit from 12 Mt/y
to 27 Mt/y highlighted these benefits.
Several iterations of SABC and HPGR circuit
designs were reviewed to better understand the
opportunities to reduce operating and capital
costs, as well as provide greater operational
flexibility. Furthermore, the study sought to
provide the expected return on investment of the
HPGR and ball mill circuit during the ramp-up
phase of the greenfield project.
Weir Minerals Enduron® HPGR-based circuits
were found to have lower capital costs than the
SABC-based circuits, reducing the miner’s
anticipated capital expenditure by around A$100
million ($69 million), according to Dierx.
Further, in terms of operating costs, the HPGR-
based circuits demonstrated a reduction in
operating power requirements by around 6-9
MW, compared with the SABC circuit equivalent.
And the addition of CPF reduced energy
consumption by around 6-10 MW for both
circuits.
“In addition to the poor energy efficiency of
the SABC circuits, operating costs were also
higher as a result of increased grinding media
consumption, which has a high carbon footprint
resulting from embodied energy,” Dierx said.
A single-train HPGR circuit with CPF was
forecasted to reduce processing costs by up to
A$1.23/t of ore and reduce power demand by up
to 19 MW when compared with the base case
SABC circuit. Moreover, water consumption was
also reduced by around 1.8 gigalitres per annum.
The Enduron HPGR has a number of unique
features that are instrumental in delivering these
results with unrivalled circuit availability in
industrial applications, according to Dierx.
“Traditionally, HPGR manufacturers have
opted against skewing designs for fear of roller
misalignment creating unfavourable load
distributions and preventing the use of flanged
guards to reduce the edge effect,” he said.
“However, the Enduron HPGR’s unique roller
bearings design allows for skewing alongside
effective self-adjusting cheek plates, reducing
wear and promoting better grinding.”
Another feature of the Enduron HPGR is the
protective bearing arrangement that’s been
designed to guard against premature failure and
reduce the number of peak loads transferred to
the bearings. Enduron HPGRs are supplied with a
multi-row cylindrical roller bearing system and a
A combination of Metso Outotec Planet Positive solutions – not just individual items – can provide
the compounded impacts the mining industry needs to meet its 2030, 2040 and 2050 goals, the
company says
Weir Minerals tailored rubber thrust pad
arranged directly in front of the bearing
housings. This ensures the bearings are always
parallel with the shaft, mitigating the peak
pressures and bearing contamination. It also
allows for oil lubrication to the main bearings,
which delivers leading bearing life with proven
performance guarantees in excess of 100,000
hours, Dierx added.
He concluded: “OEMs like Weir Minerals have
a vital role to play in developing and delivering
technologies and equipment that help miners
achieve their lofty GHG targets – it’s through
these partnerships that the transition to a low
carbon economy will be realised.”
Pushing through an open door
For a mining operation, after extraction and
haulage, crushing and grinding is where most
emissions are generated, according to Oliver
Guyot, VP Minerals Technology at Metso Outotec.
The mining OEM has plenty to offer in terms of
reducing the energy consumption associated
with comminution – its portfolio of stirred mills

16 International Mining | MARCH 2023

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COPPER PROCESSING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:03 Page 4
COPPER PROCESSING
may use up to 40% less energy than traditional
technology in a regrind application, for instance.
Yet, Metso Outotec, as its Planet Positive focus
outlines, has made significant improvements in
energy efficiency at every stage of the mining
process. The use of its latest large TankCell®, for
example, comes with reduced energy
requirements of up to 20% over the standard
flotation benchmark.
Beyond simply energy efficiency in copper
processing, the company contributes to lower
GHG footprints in several other ways, according
to Guyot, entailing consumable wear parts that
have significantly longer lifetimes and recycling
options; reduced equipment footprint
alternatives that come with less infrastructure
requirements; and a supply chain
decarbonisation plan that leads to lower
embedded carbon and Scope 3 emissions
associated with its products.
On the metallurgical processing side, Kim
Fagerlund, VP of Metals R&D, says the current
trend of copper producing plants using higher
capacities for economies of scale is also having a
direct impact on efficiency and, therefore, the
energy used to process the red metal.
“Metso Outotec’s Flash Smelting and Flash
Converting Process, together with LUREC® high
concentration sulphur dioxide processing,
meanwhile, is the cleanest copper smelting
method available (up to 99.9% of sulphur can be
captured),” he told IM. “In addition to sulphur
capture, more than 1.2 Mt/y of CO2 emissions
were avoided in our customers’ operations by
applying our copper flash smelting, measured
against industry baselines and the actual saved
emissions depending on the annual production
volumes.”
Yet, getting the industry to apply sustainable
solutions today still requires a dedicated
approach from the mining supplier community
that showcases the benefits over the full life of
operation.
Metso Outotec’s Planet Positive portfolio,
which currently consists of some 130 products
and services, has been designed to do exactly
this.
Marius Verwoerd, VP of Sustainability,
explained: “Our Planet Positive portfolio is
products and services that are significantly better
than the market-standard equivalent – we have
quantified this, and use the Planet Positive label
to communicate to our customers that these
products can make a meaningful contribution to
their sustainability goals; this is very often based
on carbon intensity.”
The company is currently working on providing
embedded carbon calculations to mine sites on a
case-by-case basis, but it is already able to
highlight how a combination of Planet Positive
solutions – not just individual items – can provide
18 International Mining | MARCH 2023
the compounded impacts the industry needs to
meet its 2030, 2040 and 2050 goals.
It can do this through a simulation tool that
leverages the Geminex™ digital twin platform to
calculate the environmental footprint of a
flowsheet (energy, CO2, water) together with the
capital and operating expense impact. Such
integrated modelling ensures that a reduction in
carbon emissions at the front end does not
translate to, for example, more fines generation
in the tailings dam.
Guyot explained: “With this powerful
calculator, primarily developed for low-grade
copper mines, we have a unique tool to engage
our customers in the cost/benefit tradeoffs and
assess all sorts of Planet Positive flowsheet
options and how they can benefit our customers’
operations.
“It’s not just putting individual solutions in the
plant – it is about showing the interlinked
benefits throughout the mine site.”
This was displayed in a recent award for
crushing, screening and grinding technologies to
a greenfield iron ore project in South America,
which saw the company’s HRC™e high pressure
grinding rolls and Vertimill® grinding mills
included in the same flowsheet. By using this
design, the plant is expected to save up to 25%
of installed power compared with a conventional
HPGR/ball mill circuit and over 40% compared
with a conventional SABC circuit, the company
claims.
These compounded benefits will ultimately be
needed to tackle the challenges the industry is
facing, according to Verwoerd.
“To set the context, part of the challenge is
that the climate transition needs an increase in
supply of copper,” he said. “This, in turn, means
developing more complex orebodies, and very
often lower-grade orebodies. You have to improve
your performance and run faster to stay in one
place.
“Within that context, technology and
innovation is going to be an important part of
solving that challenge.”
On the metallurgical side, Metso Outotec is
well equipped for this, according to Fagerlund,
who highlighted the company’s advances in
processing high arsenic containing concentrates
in Chile.
“You always need to look at the ore itself to
select a suitable process,” he said. “Luckily, we
have the capabilities to do this – we have our
own research centres, testing facilities and
internal benchmarks that have been verified. We
then have the options to act on these
suggestions with full flowsheet design
capabilities.”
Metso Outotec continues to work on
“disruptive technologies for the future”, but it is
cognisant the normal timelines associated with
market adoption and the need to bring on more
copper supply in line with the climate transition
makes it tricky to affect the emission ambitions
set for the next decades.
“Copper production growth and net-zero
copper production is expected within a relatively
short horizon,” Guyot said. “This means that the
priority is towards modernising or upgrading
existing operations and to build the next
processing plants based on the best available
technology today.”
Ore sorting is one avenue the company is
pursuing through collaboration with sensor
technology companies able to retrofit these on
in-pit crushing and conveying or “early-crushing”
stage processes.
Another development is “coarser flowsheets”
able to reduce the amount of energy used and
take a more “surgical” approach to targeting ore,
not waste, in the comminution process. Coarse
particle recovery technology is one specific focus
area here.
Then there is the use of alternative fuels in the
copper reduction process, such as hydrogen, as
Fagerlund acknowledged.
The company is convinced that now is the right
time to crystalise these technology and process
developments given the state of flux present in
the copper market.
Verwoerd concluded: “This is not us trying to
push the market in a direction it doesn’t want to
go; our customers have sustainability objectives
and are subject to many pressures from
stakeholders to reduce their footprint.
“In that regard, if we are pushing a door, it is
very much an open door.”
Learnings in the leach pad
Back in November, BASF and Moleaer™
announced an exclusive partnership to combine
expertise in mineral processing, hydrometallurgy,
gas transfer and nanobubble technology to
develop what they viewed as innovative
processes for mining.
The initial aim was to target the copper
leaching process and improve extraction rates of
copper ores containing high levels of
chalcopyrite, which have historically been
difficult to leach.
The pair viewed the combination of Moleaer’s
nanobubble technology to improve the extraction
process of copper and BASF’s LixTRA™ reagent
as offering “compounded” mineral recovery rates
and efficiencies, especially in sulphide-based
ores such as chalcopyrite.
LixTRA is a liquid surfactant added in small
(parts per million) quantities to the irrigation
system of the leaching process. It is non-
hazardous, low foaming and fully compatible
with downstream solvent extraction/
electrowinning (SX/EW) processes and does not
COPPER PROCESSING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:03 Page 5
negatively affect microbial activity, according to
BASF.
LixTRA reduces the surface tension of the
lixiviant, resulting in a droplet with a lower
contact angle, which increases the wetting area
on the mineral surface. This effect improves
interstitial lixiviant flow through the ore,
increasing the rate of copper recovery. Deeper
intra-particle permeation is also observed,
significantly increasing the diffusion of copper
from the ore particle.
Moleaer’s nanobubble generators, meanwhile,
help with creating the ideal oxygen-rich
environment to facilitate ferric oxidation and
ensure maintenance of a healthy microbial
community, plus increase the kinetic rate of
copper recovery, according to JJ Taute, BASF’s
Head of Global Segment Hydrometallurgy.
“First, they provide very high dissolved oxygen
transfer rates (up to 85%, versus 1-3% for
traditional aeration) so can significantly increase
the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the
aqueous phase,” he told IM. Second, Moleaer’s
nanobubble generators have “neutral buoyancy”
and lack the ability to float to the surface and
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COPPER PROCESSING
Moleaer’s technology (on the right) provides the
opportunity to considerably increase lixiviant
oxygen levels within heaps and accelerate
sulphide leaching kinetics, while BASF’s LixTRA
reagent (graphic on the left) facilitates improved
intra and inter-lixiviant ore permeation and
significantly increases copper recovery levels
“pop”, meaning they are highly stable and long
lasting, so, when added to the lixiviant in a
leaching process, can ensure high levels of
oxygen reach all parts of the heap.
“This is especially of interest for run of mine
and dump heaps with tall lifts where high
compaction of the ore can lead to areas of poor
permeability and low oxygen,” Taute said.
Moleaer’s technology provides the opportunity
to considerably increase lixiviant oxygen levels
within heaps and accelerate sulphide leaching
kinetics, while BASF’s LixTRA reagent facilitates
improved intra and inter-lixiviant ore permeation
and significantly increases copper recovery
levels.
“When combining the two technologies, we
have seen a synergistic effect, which potentially
offers a step change in sulphide leaching
efficiencies,” Taute said.
The combined LixTRA-Moleaer offering for
leaching copper sulphides is not the only
solution billed as offering a processing
breakthrough in the copper space; several
companies – some from within the mining
company fraternity – have come to the table with
solutions targeting recovery of copper from hard-
to-leach deposits.
Taute says the technology combination he is
focused on is complementary to these.
“Many of these technologies focus on
overcoming the passivation layer associated with
chalcopyrite leaching by employing novel
catalysts and lixiviants,” he said. “Although we
see a catalytic effect with LixTRA on primary
sulphides, we predominantly see both LixTRA
and Moleaer’s nanobubbles as potentially
complementary technologies, as all leaching
technologies would benefit from greater ore
lixiviant contact and higher oxygen levels within
the heaps.”
Initial work carried out at BASF’s
Hydrometallurgy Centre of Excellence in Tucson,
Arizona, on a chalcopyrite ore, demonstrated a
quantifiable increase in copper recovery with
LixTRA and Moleaer alone, and a synergistic
effect when combined, Taute says.
The pair are conducting more detailed
validation and optimisation test work in Tucson,
as well as at customer sites around the globe, to
verify these findings across a wider range of
orebodies.
Once the companies are in receipt of a wider
bank of test results, Taute is optimistic the
mining industry will look at adopting the
combined solution.
“Historically, introducing new chemical
innovation to the industry has been a long, slow
process, but with the demand for copper set to
increase significantly, there appears to be a real
focus to improve efficiency at mines, and
especially around existing leach processes,” he
said. “The result has been several customers
reaching out to us to learn more about our
technology, which is not usually the case.”
Despite this new openness, he did
acknowledge a remaining reticence within the
ABSOLUTE MATERIAL CONTROL
MARCH 2023 | International Mining 19
COPPER PROCESSING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:03 Page 6
COPPER PROCESSING
industry to be the first to adopt new technology,
referencing BASF’s experience with LixTRA to
date.
BASF has carried out numerous column and
mini heap trials around the world over the last
three years, increasing copper recoveries by over
40% in some cases; however, it only recently
gained its first commercial account in Chile.
“We understand the risks associated with
applying new chemistry and especially concerns
around compatibility with upstream and
downstream processes,” Taute said. “However,
BASF has been a major supplier of copper SX
reagents to the downstream SX process for over
50 years, so it is this reputation, knowledge and
experience coupled with numerous proof-of-
concept trials that we believe will eventually
mean the technology will become mainstream.”
He concluded: “The beauty of both
technologies is in the simplicity of their
application; a small pumping system for LixTRA
and a Moleaer nanobubble generator coupled to
an oxygen source for the nanobubbles to easily
integrate into existing systems. It’s exciting, new
and sustainable extraction technology, and we
are hopeful of making big strides in 2023.”
Low-carbon leaching
The excitement around chalcopyrite leaching
Taute mentioned is tangible at several Freeport-
McMoRan sites, with the company advancing
new applications, technologies and data
analytics as part of a plan to improve copper
recovery from its leach processes in North and
South America.
One of the solutions currently under the
Freeport microscope is Jetti Resources’ patented
catalytic technology, the mining company
recently confirmed to IM.
In its December quarter and 2022 annual
results, the leading copper miner – which has
received Copper Mark accreditation at all its
copper production sites – said it believed the
leach innovation initiatives it was pursuing
provided potential opportunities to produce
incremental copper from its large existing leach
stockpiles and lower-grade material currently
classified as waste.
Freeport has been exploring the potential for
incremental low-cost additions to its production
and reserve profile for some time, saying in its
latest results release that it had identified
opportunities to achieve an annual run rate of
200 MIb/y (90,718 t/y) of copper through these
initiatives by the end of 2023.
Freeport has a long history of copper leaching
production with its Americas division, which
includes assets such as Morenci and Cerro Verde,
having developed and implemented industry-
leading technologies for leaching of oxide ores.
The company has been pursuing internal and
20 International Mining | MARCH 2023
external initiatives to expand this leading
position, focused on traditional ores and
sulphide orebodies like chalcopyrite.
This is where Jetti’s technology comes in.
The Colorado-based company has developed
catalytic technology to allow for the efficient and
effective heap and stockpile leach extraction of
copper. This bolts onto existing SX/EW leaching
plants so it can be deployed rapidly with limited
capital expenditure. Because it uses no heating
or grinding, it also comes with low operational
costs.
In addition, there are huge environmental
benefits from using leaching over pyrometallurgy.
A Freeport spokesperson confirmed to IM that
the company was in a trial of the Jetti technology
through “a commercial installation” at its Bagdad
mine in Arizona. This mine is one of its major
leaching test hubs, with the company targeting
over 3 MIb/y of incremental copper cathode
production from the open-pit copper mine
through this work.
Bagdad has a 77,100 t/d concentrator that
produces copper and molybdenum concentrate,
an SX/EW plant that can produce approximately
6 MIb/y of copper cathode from solution
generated by low-grade stockpile leaching and a
pressure-leach plant to process molybdenum
concentrate.
The spokesperson added: “There is potential
to expand production via the treatment of
additional stockpiles at Bagdad in the future
based on results.”
Even more recently, Jetti confirmed that
Freeport’s majority-owned El Abra mine in Chile
was using its technology.
The use of Jetti’s technology is one of several
leaching initiatives the company is pursuing, with
all of them geared towards not only adding low-
cost production to Freeport’s large production
base, but also achieving a lower carbon footprint.
Jetti, which Freeport is an investor in, has been
conducting a carbon footprint study and Life
Cycle Assessment (LCA) of its technology, with
the LCA including analyses of typical copper
mining operations without Jetti’s technology and
a mining operation with Jetti’s technology
installed.
Jetti has also committed to starting to track
water usage and waste at all its operations and
sites, which includes the installation it has at
Capstone Copper’s Pinto Valley operation, also in
Arizona.
In addition to Freeport, Teck Resources has
taken an interest in Jetti’s technology having
signed an agreement for the evaluation of the
solution at a number of Teck’s assets with
potential copper resources outside of existing
mine plans.
As to Freeport’s wider leaching plans, the
company said it was looking to use data
analytics to provide new insights to drive
additional value, while new applications to retain
the heat in the stockpiles were “yielding results”.
The company has assessed it has some
38,000 MIb of contained copper in leach
stockpiles deemed “unrecoverable” by
traditional leach methods. Of this amount, about
50% is from the massive Morenci mine, which
already has leaching production capacity of 900
MIb/y of copper.
Moving the copper industry forward
Solvay says it remains focused on reagent-based
innovation for copper producers, with its
innovation increasingly linked to both
performance and sustainability.
To deliver high-performing and eco-conscious
solutions, Solvay is leveraging its Smart Mining
Chemistry portfolio and harnessing the power of
digital solutions to further assist copper
producers in improving productivity and
extracting more value from orebodies at an
unprecedented speed.
The company’s developments fit into a few key
areas, namely: improved selectivity, digital
developments, and safety/sustainability
improvements associated with extracting and
recovering copper.
In the first category, iron selectivity continues
to be viewed as a critical aspect in copper
purification, which must be addressed before
moving to EW. Solvay’s ACORGA® copper
extractants remain a reagent reference for copper
SX, the company says, offering higher
copper/iron selectivity and a reduction in the
amount of iron introduced into the tank house,
which benefits recoveries and energy use.
ACORGA, Solvay says, is a versatile product
family, which is continually adapted to meet
customer- and region-specific needs.
“For instance, ACORGA M5910 has been
adopted as the optimal reagent for most US
operating conditions and offers the highest Cu:Fe
selectivity in the industry,” the company said. “To
meet the needs of more challenging pregnant
leach solution (PLS) feeds, Solvay recently
supported a major US-based copper producer by
developing ACORGA M5490, which has become
the operation’s reference product due to its
outstanding selectivity and performance at a
lower pH.”
In other cases where the geological aspects of
the ore and the operation demand different
chemistries, such as in Africa, ACORGA OPT5540
is finding favour thanks to its optimised copper
net transfer and Cu:Fe selectivity compared with
other ketoxime formulations.
In Chile, ACORGA Nitration-Resistant (NR)
extractants enable the efficient hydro-processing
of caliche-type copper minerals, which can
generate high-nitrate PLS solutions. The ACORGA
COPPER PROCESSING.qxp_proof 02/03/2023 13:00 Page 7
Solvay Cube and SmartFloat can work in tandem
to dynamically adjust reagent chemistry in
response to the ore feed and operating
conditions at a specific plant at any point in time,
the company claims
NR series allows for nitration prevention while
maintaining the high selectivity of modified
aldoximes, according to Solvay.
“Making copper SX both more efficient and
more sustainable also requires mines to consider
the sustainability profile of their reagents,”
Solvay says. “In this respect, Solvay supports its
customers in reducing their carbon footprint
along the value chain. ACORGA products are
manufactured at Solvay’s Mount Pleasant,
Tennessee site, a facility now powered entirely by
renewable energy.”
Solvay is also leveraging digital developments
to make copper SX more efficient, in turn
reducing chemical consumption and water usage.
In 2019, the company introduced
SolvExtract™, a first-of-a-kind digital platform, to
continuously monitor key variables such as
COPPER PROCESSING
copper recovery and pH. This can identify
deviations from expected results and offer
improvement recommendations.
“For instance, SolvExtract monitors iron
transfer in the extraction phase to control
impurities,” Solvay says. “SolvExtract also
monitors wash efficiency, which contributes to
lower water consumption. The platform ensures
that low levels of nitrate, chloride, manganese
and iron are transferred to the tank house via
entrainment, thus optimising the wash stage.”
Following its initial launch at Codelco’s
Gabriela Mistral mine, in Chile, other Codelco
sites, including the Radomiro Tomic mine, have
adopted SolvExtract. And SolvExtract is now
gaining traction among other major copper
producers around the world, from the US to
Mexico, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and Kazakhstan.
Building its digital competencies, Solvay later
introduced the Solvay Cube and SmartFloat™,
which can work in tandem to dynamically adjust
reagent chemistry in response to the ore feed
and operating conditions at a specific plant at
any point in time, helping mines reduce
performance fluctuations and maximise recovery
in the process.
The data and insights gathered by SmartFloat,
together with the Cube’s formulation capabilities,
can be used to develop sophisticated multi-
reagent frameworks and automate reagent
injection into the flotation cell, according to the
company.
In a recent pilot using SmartFloat at a copper
mine in Spain, Solvay’s metallurgists and data
scientists designed the platform to classify
incoming feeds into ore families and, in
conjunction with process knowledge, provide
real-time recommendations for a reagent suite
suitable for implementation in the customer’s
process using the Solvay Cube for formulation.
Lastly on the copper front, Solvay is looking to
replace the use of sodium hydrosulphide (NaSH)
for copper-molybdenum mines using its AERO®
7260 HFP and AERO NR 7361 depressants.
Commonly used to separate molybdenum from
copper, NaSH’s use often comes with issues
linked to its smell, exposure risk to highly toxic
hydrogen sulphide gas, high treatment cost,
performance deficiencies when treating difficult
ores and logistical challenges in handling large
volumes.
Solvay’s NaSH replacement products can act
as a substitute for NaSH, Na2S and Nokes,
reducing their usage by 70-100%, improving a
plant’s health, safety and environmental profile
while achieving concentrate requirements, the
company claims.
These benefits were recently observed during
a plant trial at a large copper-molybdenum mine
in North America using AERO NR-7361 where the
product was incorporated into the mine’s rougher
system. In the process, it eliminated the copper
depressants previously employed, reducing
NaSH consumption by 80% and lowering
treatment costs by more than half. IM
MARCH 2023 | International Mining 21
SURFACE LOADING.qxp_proof 02/03/2023 13:12 Page 1
SURFACE LOADING
The fill factor
Paul Moore looks at the hot topics including
electrification and teleremote operation in hydraulic
shovels, high performance rope shovels, an impressive
new large wheel loader and the latest in GET innovation
hovel electrification and tele-remote
S operation of shovels remain the hot topics
in relation to hydraulic machines. IM
spoke at length to Komatsu’s mining shovel arm,
Komatsu Germany GmbH (KGM) about these
trends. Going electric has become much more
high profile in recent years with the push for
decarbonisation and where to find near term
‘wins.’ “It was no accident that we chose to have
an electric PC4000-11 at Bauma 2022 last
October, as that's the major focus for many
mining operations today,” says Thomas Jordan,
Head of Marketing & Sales Support of the Mining
Division of KGM.
He adds: “That said, it is by no means new for
us. At KGM we have a unique depth of experience
in electric shovels going back almost 40 years,
the first unit having been delivered in 1984. Since
then, we have delivered more than 250 electric
hydraulic shovels of the 300 t PC3000 class up to
the 800 t PC8000 and these machines have
accumulated more than 11 million operating
hours – more than all the other hydraulic mining
shovel OEMs combined. Tethered electric drive
shovels already today allow you to have loading
with zero emissions, assuming you are using
green energy sources.” Jordan says this is
already happening today at Boliden’s Aitik
copper mine in Sweden for example, which
operates electric PC5500 and PC7000 shovels
using renewable power.
A lot of these decades of electric loading
experience have been in coal, where you have
coal fired power plants right next to the mine, but
now interest has grown significantly in non-coal
markets. “We really want to spread the word
22 International Mining | MARCH 2023
about the technology – in North America and
Australia in particular a number of mining groups
are looking to alternatives beyond the traditional
diesel combustion engine. Even if they today
have a brown energy mix, ie some renewable and
some non-renewable energy, the gradual
transition towards renewable energy will directly
impact the operation and reduction of the carbon
footprint throughout the lifetime of these mining
excavators delivering a clear value compared to
staying with a traditional diesel drive.”
He also argues that for KGM’s classes of
shovel, in the medium term, tethered cable
connection is still the optimal solution as other
power options like battery and fuel cell are not
practical today or in the near future both in terms
of power requirements and extra weight on the
machine as well as the potential capex in initial
cost of the machine.
Jordan adds: “But of course looking ahead 10
years, KGM is keeping all options open. One
possibility is looking at a kind of power agnostic
drivetrain for shovels, similar to what Komatsu is
already advancing for its electric drive mining
trucks. Plus, there are also other solutions that
customers without access to a minesite grid or
green energy can look to – for a start many
customers are not yet using the most efficient
Tier 4 Final engines on their shovels. And there
are many potential alternative fuel options for
shovel engines, from biodiesels like HVO to so
called e-fuels like methane and methanol.”
The truck market looks to be evolving in
different ways for different customers and parts
of the world – shovels are likely to be similar –
with configurations based on varied market
Liebherr's new R 9300 mining excavator in action
requirements. But for customers with the
electrical infrastructure, switching to tethered is
a no brainer – because the costs in making the
switch in this case is relatively low and the opex
in terms of maintenance cost versus a diesel
machine is much lower.
What about cable management – is that not a
concern for those mines not used to handling
cables? “On our whole hydraulic shovel portfolio
we offer a cable drum option with automatic wind
up and down, vastly reducing the risk of running
over the cable and reducing complexity for
operators and maintenance crews. It is already a
proven technology but we are continuously
working on enhancing the drum functionalities,
especially for backhoe operation where the
working direction of the machine is backwards
compared to a face shovel with a forward facing
working direction.”
Jordan adds that despite its leading market
share in electric shovels, Komatsu continues to
make improvements including to the electric
motor and hydraulic circuit performance. “With
the -11 generation of machines, we have
introduced a completely new controller system –
the machine being completely controller-based
makes us much more able to monitor machine
data in real time and analyse how to optimise the
drives in different load situations, using energy
more efficiently.”
So where is the sales breakdown between
diesel and electric shovels today? “We have done
studies looking at the last 10, 12 or even 15 years
and the sales ratio has fluctuated but not
actually changed a huge amount. But when you
look at demand by mined commodity, electric-
driven shovel sales have moved from
predominantly coal to metals and minerals,
which has made up for any sales decline of
electric machines in coal.”
Jordan says region also plays a role. “In the
Nordic countries, even in brownfield operations,
if you are implementing an expansion with the
necessary permits, they come with certain
restrictions requiring the use of electric machines
with no diesel use anyway. In North America and
Australia for most projects, especially greenfield,
electrification is always today part of the
discussions so we definitely expect an uptrend
going forwards. But again it depends on the
region – Chile and South Africa look like
becoming green hydrogen hubs so these will
likely see the first commercial introductions of
fuel cell powered mining equipment including
shovels."
He also pointed out that Komatsu in Japan
already has small all-electric construction class
excavators such as the PC210E using lithium-ion
battery technology from US-based Proterra. This
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SURFACE LOADING

Finally, what of Komatsu’s teleremote shovel

Komatsu electric PC7000-11 E with cable drum
loading a 930E
machine is available. “Komatsu is a global leader
in construction and mining - so technology
advances are shared across the group – the
experience with the PC210E will be valuable
when looking at scaling up battery solutions to
larger excavator models when the power density
and technology makes it feasible." And it is
important to take the long term view – many of
KGM’s shovels have been working for 20 years or
more and in excess of 150,000 up to even
170,000 hours – so the switch or adjustment
when it comes has to be right one for that customer.
KGM currently makes all of the company’s
large hydraulic shovels from the PC3000
upwards, with the exception of the PC3400-11M0
which is made in Japan, primarily for the Asian
market, the first machine being delivered in 2020
to Philippines coal miner Semirara Mining and
Power Corporation (SMPC). It reduced by one the
loads required to fill key trucks used in the
region like the HD785 and HD1500. The model is
positioned between the PC3000 and PC4000.
What about retrofits of older diesel machines
to electric? “We have had some requests about
this and it’s possible to do it, but a lot depends
on the age of the unit. With older DEMAG
machines, this essentially is cost prohibitive as it
would require replacement of most of the parts
above the superstructure. For more recent
machines it is much more feasible from a capex
and practicality point of view. Generally, we are
offering retrofit solutions, but there are further
advancements in the next couple of years to
come from us to simplify the retrofit and promote
it further. It does make more sense from a carbon
footprint view versus delivering an entirely new
machine.”
Other carbon saving initiatives from KGM are
maintenance related – such as oversized
sprockets with a larger clearance between the
tooths on the drive pinion, meaning when a
customer has wear on their track chains instead
of having to replace them they can operate with
them for longer. Jordan says a lot of these small
solutions collectively can make a big difference.
program, which was shown off to the world via a
demo at MINExpo 2021? The prototype remote
control PC7000 face shovel continues to operate
at Komatsu’s Arizona Proving Grounds (AZPG) in
Tucson. Jordan says the interest is very high in
the technology, including advanced discussions
with several customers on potential trialling it in
a real operation. There is significant interest, for
example, in using it for FIFO operations. In terms
of the prototype, this year it will be converted to
backhoe configuration using a conversion kit but
also carrying out necessary sensor adjustments;
followed by testing of an electric tethered
version.
Is it achieving the same performance and cycle
times as the conventional shovel? "It’s a learning
curve and today there are some minor cycle-time
losses, but these are more than offset by our
semi-autonomous functionalities such as
AutoSwing and AutoDump. These functions rely
on the machine’s onboard sensors and
technologies developed by our sister companies
Modular Mining and Immersive Technologies. It
means the operator, who has the benefit of an
array of high resolution cameras, is purely
focused on digging the material efficiently, the
system automatically does the rest. We think of
these operator assist elements as part of an in-
pit ecosystem – supporting the operator and
letting them focus on their core competencies,
that is digging the right material and filling the
bucket optimally. Real time data also allows
operators to improve their technique and is also
used to improve simulator-based training."
Hitachi builds further on ZCORE
platform
Hitachi is also driving ahead with teleremote
technology on mining shovels with a view to
eventually offering autonomous machines, all

BuilderX expands scope & functionality

China’s remote control tech company BuilderX first came into the spotlight
in mining in 2020 when it delivered a major project with XCMG for a
remote control 95 t XE950DA excavator for Jiangxi Copper. It then worked
with leading Chinese electric rope shovel OEM TYHI at coal miner SPIC’s
Huolinhe operation and has also worked with Hitachi Construction
Machinery. The company told IM recently: “Our product categories have
expanded from excavators to wheel loaders, rope shovels and drilling rigs,
which have been put into use in open pit mines, underground mines, ports of perceived depth and limited field of view (FOV). The operator cannot
and other scenarios. With BuilderX’s remote-control system, those fully assess the undulation of the working surface, or the digging depth of
machines can continuously operate for 24 hours per day. In order to the bucket. Therefore, the bucket is sometimes not full when digging, and
improve production efficiency, intelligent functions such as anti-collision the position of the dump truck cannot be accurately ascertained when
and bucket tooth recognition have been added. Moreover, with intelligent unloading, which leads to efficiency loss. BuilderX applies AR and AI
functions, the remote-control efficiency per hour is closely equivalent to technology to monitor the position of the excavator's bucket in 3D space
that of an experienced operator.” in real time, and displays its vertical shadow point as a ‘green grid’ on the
The BuilderX platform has also had some practical AI features upgraded screen. This provides the accurate determination of the target position and
including the BDI (Bucket Depth Indicator) function. “Operating an enhances the sense of space of the working surface, which makes the
excavator using a standard 2D monitor can be challenging due to the lack work of an operator more convenient and boosts efficiency.”

24 International Mining | MARCH 2023

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SURFACE LOADING
part of its ZCORE platform that begin in
construction equipment and is now being refined
in its mining excavator line-up.
In May 2022, Hitachi Construction Machinery
conducted a demonstration where an operator
remotely piloted a 248 t EX2500-6 ultra-large
hydraulic excavator located at its Urahoro Test
Site in Hokkaido, Japan a straight line distance of
870 km from Chiba Prefecture, Japan. In addition
to remote control, information that would lead to
improved productivity, such as the load status
on the cylinders and bucket payload, was
displayed on a monitor in the remote control
seat.
This Urahoro test site is located on a 427-
hectare area owned by the company and is a
digging and travelling operations test site where
operations can be conducted day and night.
Mining machinery is tested in a variety of
environments, including at different times during
the day and in different weather conditions.
In fiscal year 2024, the company told IM that it
aims to launch a control and assist display
function to help the operator operate its EX-7
series ultra-large hydraulic excavators as an
optional feature. By 2030 it also aims to develop
a ultra-large hydraulic excavator with
autonomous operation capabilities.
Many customers are interested in the
technology to improve productivity and reduce
operator workload. The teleremote system
26 International Mining | MARCH 2023
includes some operator
assist technology. Firstly,
it automatically controls
the digging direction and
speed of the bucket toe
according to the
excavator’s digging load.
This function allows
customer to reduce the
load on the excavator’s
body and fuel
consumption.
Secondly, the loading
assist feature generates
a trajectory of the
loading operation and controls the excavator’s Remote operation of a Hitachi EX2500-6 ultra-
body to follow the trajectory according to the large hydraulic excavator
operator's lever operation. This function
contributes to reducing operator fatigue, refuel. In addition, the controlled noise also
levelling the loading operation, and avoiding makes it comfortable during operation. The only
collisions with the dump body. noise from the machine is when the bucket
Thirdly, the monitor displays information drives against the bench.”
useful for improving productivity. For example, HCM’s Kei Sato in the company’s Development
bucket loading capacity, cycle time, how Dept of the Mining Development & Production
unevenly the dump truck is loaded on the dump Mining Group stated in a recent video: “To
body, and a birds-eye view of the excavator’s extract minerals such as iron ore with maximum
body. efficiency, it is required to operate 24 hours a
On electrification, tethered versions are day, 365 days a year. At the mine, machine
already offered of its whole range up to the operators work long hours doing complex
EX8000-7E, all of which are equipped with operations while being shaken inside the
Hitachi AC motors. HCM spokesperson Sayori machine’s cab. Therefore reducing operator
Nagaoka told IM: workload has become a major issue in mining. By
“Hitachi's electric large enabling operators to operate their machines
excavators have given remotely instead of inside the cab, the safety and
our customers not only comfort of the operator is enhanced. We’ve set
product performance up an environment where an operator can
and environmental operate an ultra-large excavator from a remote
benefits, but a lower control room. We are now developing operator
operating cost too. The assistance functions such as monitor displays
low annual operating that make it easy for the operator to operate the
cost of the electric system from a remote control room and are
option is becoming very targeting autonomous operation in the future.
appealing over standard For example, we are researching assist functions
diesel models. Firstly, such as collision avoidance to prevent collisions
customers are not with dump trucks when loading minerals...we’re
reliant on, nor having to planning to conduct verification tests in an actual
pay for diesel fuel. mine in Australia...the challenge is how to
Secondly, engine-related successfully communicate actual information to
maintenance costs are remote areas. There are ways of conveying the
eliminated, and motor sounds and vibrations from the worksite. But I
maintenance costs are believe there are still lots of things that can be
cheaper and less done with visual information such as adding
frequent than those for auxiliary display functions. In the future we
engines. Thirdly, would like to contribute to the efficiency of the
standard diesel models entire mining process in conjunction with
take several hours to autonomous dump truck operation and the fleet
refuel, while electric management system at mines.”
excavators can operate
with a wired power Liebherr’s loading leverage
supply. There is no need Liebherr also offers electric versions of all its
to stop operation to main hydraulic shovels which in mining classes
SURFACE LOADING.qxp_proof 02/03/2023 13:41 Page 4

SURFACE LOADING

include the R 9100 up to the R 9800. An electric Liebherr R 9400 was last
year put into operation at the Vostochny coal mine of ERG in Kazakhstan for
waste stripping. The new excavator is equipped with a bucket size of 22 m3.
Other investments at the mine include eight new Caterpillar 789D haul
Visit us!
trucks. Liebherr has delivered over 60 electric shovels over a period of 30 SME, Denver, Colorado, USA
years in both face shovel and backhoe and also offers cable reeler February 26– March 01, 2023
solutions. In terms of other carbon reductions options all of its shovel line
up can also run on up to 100% HVO while it is also doing a lot of R&D into
the use of e-fuels like ammonia and methanol, hydrogen and battery power Visit us!
in both its trucks and shovels. Expomin
In its conventional diesel machines, the newest model is the R 9300. In Parque Fisa, Santiago, Chile
April 24– 27, 2023
January 2023, Karunia – a Liebherr Indonesia customer – signed an
Stand 9-B18
agreement for the purchase of four additional units of the R 9300 mining
excavator for Tabang coal mine, located in the Kutai Kartanegara Regency of
East Kalimantan, Indonesia. These four excavators will be delivered from
late 2023 to early 2024 and will join the R 9300 pre-series unit that has
been on site since September 2022.
PT Karunia Armada Indonesia (Karunia) has agreed to increase its
existing mining fleet with four of Liebherr Mining’s latest 250 t class
excavator: the R 9300 G8. Karunia received a pre-series unit of the R 9300 in
September 2022 as part of the development and validation process for the
mining excavator.
During the development and validation process, Karunia provided direct
and transparent feedback about its Liebherr fleet. This helped Liebherr to
better understand the role that its technology played in supporting
customers’ daily activities. After a few months in operation, the figures
provided to Liebherr by Karunia have proven that the R 9300 G8 matches
Karunia’s requirements during its operations.
Liebherr says Karunia has observed the high performance of the R 9300
since its arrival on site in September 2022, further solidifying its decision to
expand its R 9300 fleet. “The company has expressed that the performance
of the R 9300 G8 has been staggering and surpassed all expectations. The
excavator has helped Karunia to achieve its ever-increasing production
targets. Karunia has also articulated that the best things about the pre-
series unit they received were the comprehensive services and the quick
response times from Liebherr Indonesia.”

SOME THINK
Liebherr Mining and Karunia established their partnership in 2021, with
the delivery of an R 9100 mining excavator to the Tabang mine. Since that
time, Karunia’s fleet of Liebherr machines has increased and now includes
an R 9200, the pre-series R 9300, and two PR 776 mining dozers. The
steady growth of Karunia’s fleet of Liebherr equipment, including their THAT RAW
MATERIALS
purchase of four more R 9300 units, “represents Karunia’s faith in Liebherr’s
ability to deliver products that provide exceptional results.”
Karunia originally chose Liebherr Mining products for their competitive
availability and terms, offered during a time of uncertainty. Further,
Liebherr’s product support – directly backed by the OEM – is a unique TRANSPORT
structure in Indonesia. “Karunia chooses to continue to work with Liebherr
Indonesia due to the encompassing measures the company takes to
support Karunia’s growth after the sale of the equipment.”
REQUIRES
Karunia is a mining contractor headquartered in Balikpapan, East
Kalimantan. In 2011, Karunia expanded into surface mining when the TRUCKING.
company was offered a contract by PT Bayan Resources Tbk to haul coal
and overburden within the Tabang mine site. Since this contract was
established, it has been Karunia’s goal to increase coal production on site to
WE THINK
meet Bayan’s requirements. Liebherr’s R 9300 will play a crucial role in
increasing the efficiency of Karunia’s operation. DIFFERENT.
The R 9300 G8 – unveiled at the Bauma exhibition in Germany last year –
is the latest mining excavator to join Liebherr Mining’s portfolio. The new R
9300 is the second Generation 8 excavator launched within the portfolio
and is fitted with the most advanced Liebherr Mining technologies, building
on Liebherr’s decades of expertise designing excavators for the mining

beumer.com
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SURFACE LOADING
Electric Liebherr R 9400 at ERG Vostochny
industry. The R 9300 will replace the R 9250
within Liebherr’s portfolio once the new model
enters serial production in 2024.
Liebherr is also set to deliver 17 units of dozers
and excavators to Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi in
Mongolia as part of a recently signed agreement
with Monnis International, a large technology
and equipment supplier within the country’s
mining industry.
The deliveries to Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi, a long-
term customer of Monnis, are taking place
throughout 2023 and 2024. Liebherr and Monnis
signed the agreement during the Bauma 2022
trade fair in Munich, Germany. Monnis was
founded after signing a distributorship
agreement with Nissan Motors Co in 1998, but
the company quickly diversified from an
automotive dealer to cover a wide range of
industries – including the mining sector – and, in
2002, became an official Liebherr dealer.
This most recent supply contract is for a total
of 17 Liebherr mining machines, comprised of
eight excavators – three R 9250s, two R 9400s,
and three R 9600s – and nine PR 776 dozers.
These machines are to be delivered to the Tavan
Tolgoi coal mine.
To ensure the fast and reliable delivery of
after-sales services for Liebherr machinery,
Monnis opened its Gobi branch in 2011, located
approximately four kilometres from the Tavan
Tolgoi coal mine. With the opening of this branch,
those working with Liebherr equipment have
access to spare parts, highly trained technicians,
and a range of Liebherr mining products to meet
the needs of any scenario that may arise on site,
Liebherr says.
The new Liebherr excavators and dozers will
support the existing Liebherr machinery on site,
which includes two R 9200s and one R 9350.
Moving to Liebherr operator assist functions,
they include the Truck Loading Assistant which
notifies the operator of the pass loading strategy,
the loading tendency and indicates the actual
payload per pass before it is loaded into the
28 International Mining | MARCH 2023
truck. It assists the operator
to obtain target truck
payloads consistently with
confidence by measuring
the bucket payload
instantaneously, providing
real-time information to the
operator, strategising the
number of passes required
and visualising the loading
tendency alignment with
load strategy.
PT Liebherr Indonesia
Perkasa (Liebherr
Indonesia) also recently
commissioned a second R 9800 G6 mining
excavator for PT Amman Mineral Nusa Tenggara
(AMMAN) at the Batu Hijau copper-gold mine in
West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. On October 30,
2022, Liebherr Indonesia completed the
assembly and commissioning of the 800 t class
mining excavator for AMMAN. The ceremonial
handover of the machine later took place at the
Batu Hijau mine.
Representatives from AMMAN, including the
General Manager for Mining, Wayne Perry, and
the technicians were present at the handover of
the machine. Liebherr Indonesia’s General
Manager, Max Muench, and the Project Manager,
Laurent Fricker, presented an oversized R 9800
key to symbolise the completion of the delivery,
assembly, and commissioning process. Fricker
expressed his appreciation of the entire
assembly team for their exceptional efforts in
achieving an incredibly fast assembly time.
“Normally, it would take an average of 45 days to
assemble an R 9800, but our committed and
skilled technicians were able to complete it in
just 20 days,” he said.
AMMAN’s first R 9800 G6 was commissioned
in April 2021, and since then Liebherr Indonesia
has received positive feedback from the
customer. According to the mining company, the
first R 9800 has been an important asset in
helping AMMAN meet its production targets. The
arrival of the second R 9800 will boost overall
production even further.
Christian Bombenger, Managing Director of
Liebherr Indonesia, said: “Even for us at Liebherr,
excavators of this size are impressive. To see
them in action, operated by such an important
customer, in a mine with top-notch mining
practices, is a sheer delight.”
The R 9800 is the largest hydraulic excavator
in the Liebherr portfolio and the OEM says is the
ideal loading tool for ultra-class mining trucks
with a haul capacity upwards of 240 t. In its
standard configuration, the R 9800 comes with a
47.5 m3 bucket capacity, allowing operators to
move 76 t of material in each pass. "This 800 t
class excavator provides a cost-effective and
highly productive mining solution for large-scale
mining operations around the world."
AMMAN is Indonesia’s second-largest copper
and gold mining and processing company with
world-class operational capabilities. The
company operates Batu Hijau mine and other
copper and gold prospects which are located in
West Sumbawa, West Nusa Tenggara province.
Caterpillar’s next generation rollout
continues
As Caterpillar begins rolling out its next
generation Cat® Hydraulic Mining Shovels (HMS),
the manufacturer in a recent blog post is quick to
point out the many ways these machines will
deliver significant benefits in terms of operator
comfort and safety, productivity and efficiency,
maintenance and support, technology and
connectivity.
But the one thing these updates all have in
common is the philosophy behind their design.
“When we’re developing new features or
updating our current offerings, we want to make
sure those improvements are always focused on
increasing the value customers get from our
machines,” says Matt Jacobs, HMS Sales
Manager. “We know we’ve achieved that goal
when our customers can increase their annual
production and profit with our shovels versus the
competition. And we’re proud to say that our next
generation shovels are on track to do just that.”
Product experts across the HMS organisation
agree that reliability is a key contributor to
achieving that low-cost-per-ton performance.
With a theme of Reliability at the Core, the most
important outcome these shovels will deliver is
the uptime mines need today and in the future.
“Our customers buy hydraulic mining shovels
to move material. So, whenever they’re loading
trucks with the machine, it’s generating revenue
for them,” says Paul Taylor, HMS Value Stream
Manager. “The best thing we can do for them
with the next generation shovels is to make them
more reliable than the ones before.”
And so far, they’re delivering. The first model
of the next generation, the Cat 6060, made its
public debut with a full cab on display at
MINExpo 2021, and several of the new machines
have been working on mines around the world
since 2020.
“The overall next generation introduction is
absolutely on track with where we expect it to be,
and our Next Generation 6060s are improving our
customers’ experience as we speak,” says Taylor.
Next generation Cat shovels incorporate many
new functions and features designed to add
value and boost safety throughout the entire
loading operation. These updates fall into six
main categories, each including a number of new
features and benefits.
“The next generation shovels are designed by
 Committed
to the future
www.liebherr.com

Mining

Liebherr is a leader in proven low emission solutions, utilising grid

electrification. By 2030, fossil fuel free solutions will be established.
Liebherr strives for long-term sustainable solutions, providing different modular options centred on environmental
sustainability, safety, cost, flexibility, and maintainability including:

– 30 years experience in electric drive mining excavators with all machine models available ranging from 150 t to 800 t class
– Trolley Assist option available on all Liebherr mining trucks
– Liebherr combustion engine compliant with Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel
– Tier 4 Final certified engine available on trucks, excavators, and dozers
– Liebherr AC drive system on all truck models providing a modular platform for future powertrain technologies

Liebherr’s roadmap includes batteries, combustion engines using green fuels, and hybrids.

Liebherr-Mining Equipment SAS • 49 rue Frédéric Hartmann • 68025 Colmar Cedex • France • Phone: +33 369 49 20 00
info.lec@liebherr.com • www.liebherr.com

2036-510_002 MIN-LME_InternationalMiningMGZ_Ad_GB_04+++.indd 1 02.03.23 08:49

SURFACE LOADING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:27 Page 6

SURFACE LOADING

will seamlessly designed, manufactured, integrated and

The Cat 6060, first model of its next generation
hydraulic excavators
operators — for operators. The cab is quieter and
more comfortable and provides 40% greater
visibility than previous cabs for increased safety
and productivity. Mining safety best practices are
incorporated as part of the standard design,
which focuses on areas such as access, egress
and visibility. Next generation shovels also
incorporate features that allow operators to load
more and experience less fatigue over the course
of a shift.”
Next generation HMS take advantage of an
Optimized Electronic Architecture (OEA) that
supports productivity, safety and reliability
improvements today and provides a platform that
integrate future
technologies to meet
the needs of the site.
“This architecture
impacts nearly every
aspect of the next
generation shovel. The
integration of proven
and validated Cat
electronics delivers
additional performance
and reliability
advantages, helps
operators be more
productive, enables a proactive approach to
maintenance, and improves connectivity to
optional advanced technologies.”
The next generation shovels feature Hydraulic
Optimisation, which dynamically assigns
individual pumps or groups of pumps to deliver
the exact flow and pressure that each hydraulic
function requires. This approach reduces waste
and heat, prolongs component lives and
conserves energy.
Operator Assist – Enhanced Motion Control is
a technology solution that helps improve
operator performance while protecting the
machine from damage. Payload provides on-the-
go weighing of material to improve loading
efficiency and optimise truckloads.
Every next generation machine is 100% Cat
supported. Common designs and componentry
reduce the number of unique parts and
streamline maintenance. Parts are stocked
around the world for fast, efficient service.
Service literature is easy to read and understand
so technicians have the information they need to
perform maintenance and repairs as quickly as
possible.
While many next generation updates are
available today, a focus on the future is key. That
further emphasises the importance of the
electronic architecture that is designed for future
updates. Development follows an approach
focused on innovation and continuous
improvement. The OEM adds: “Recognising that
sustainability and carbon footprint are key focus
areas for miners today, next generation shovel
innovation is closely tied to mining companies’
energy transitions goals. In the future, next
generation shovels will be power agnostic, with
two different options for the power module:
diesel or electric drive. They will be almost the
same machine except for the power module,
which can even be swapped years down the
road.”
Caterpillar’s new 7495 technology
packages
From hydraulic excavators to electric rope
shovels, Caterpillar in October 2022 announced
two new optional technology solutions –

Loader operation training & optimisation

Immersive Technologies offers human performance solutions for all
makes models of surface mining loading equipment. The companies’
simulator technology and services are deployed in mines in 48 countries P
around the world. Immersive Technologies states: “Our products and

services are driven by customer requirements and it is the voice of
customer that has shaped our training solutions to deliver quantifiable
value in key areas such as mine safety, productivity, reliability, and
sustainability. Specific to surface loading, we are continually engaged
with customers to improve how operators and supervisors make
decisions to optimise the loading operation.”
Customer verified loader operation improvements cited in project
references include 15% improvement in shovel productivity; 21%
improvement in truck payload; 7% reduction in cost per tonne; and 6%
reduction in fuel use.
Immersive says familiarising new operators with machine controls and
standard operating practices is necessary, but it is just the tip of the
iceberg in terms of value that can be realised through training. “Most of
the long-term value resides in the optimisation of the operator behaviors
and supervisor decisions that impact the load and haul circuit.” It adds:
“We know every mine has unique needs, which is why we partner with
our customers and use data to pinpoint specific operational issues.Once
needs are identified, we help the customer make improvements to their
people, process or technology to ensure that training and development of
mine personnel yields the highest returns for the customer.”
Field supervisors are the eyes and ears on the ground to ensure that
the loading location is setup for optimum safety and productivity.
Immersive Technologies has recently partnered with several Tier 1 mining
O
F
Rope shovel operator training in Immersive Technologies PRO5 mining
simulator
operations to develop innovative tools and training products that improve
Field Supervisor decision-making.
It told IM: “For example, the company has developed an Operator
Performance Analytics (OPA) dashboard that enables Supervisors to see
near real-time metrics against their individual and crew performance. This
allows the supervisor and operator to provide meaningful, data driven
feedback. The company has also successfully delivered to mines a virtual
reality training product named Mine Standards Training (MST) that trains
field supervisors to make best practice decisions in line with the mine’s
operational expectations. For example, the tool tracks decision making in
complex situations for managing the loader position, payloads, digging
technique and more.” 

30 International Mining | MARCH 2023

SURFACE LOADING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:30 Page 7
Integrated Technology Package and Operator
Assist Technology Package – for the Cat® 7495
and 7495 HF Electric Rope Shovels. The new
packages eliminate the need for one-off
technology customsation, offer faster technology
installation and provide seamless integration of
future technologies into machine operation. They
offer improved health and productivity data
tracking that help to reduce the number of
unplanned machine outages, creating a more
predictable maintenance schedule while
extending component life.
The Integrated Technology Package fully
integrates Cat Electronics into the machine’s
design and provides the foundation to support
future technology expansion. The new package
features six standard technologies – ranging from
health monitoring to cycle segmentation – to
support improved uptime reliability, improved
operator efficiency and enhanced cyber security.
This upgrade also provides seamless integration
of Cat® MineStar™ Solutions’ comprehensive
suite of operational technologies that help track,
monitor and manage the shovel.
Building on the Integrated Technology
Package, the Operator Assist Technology Package
provides machine self-protection and control
enhancements that simplify 7495 and 7495 HF
operation. Without sacrificing productivity, this
upgrade minimises machine self-collisions and
safeguards against operator practices that cause
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SURFACE LOADING
damage. It allows less
experienced operators to
efficiently load trucks, while
reducing the effort required to
avoid poor digging practices
that can impact machine
availability and overall
productivity.
The new Operator Assist
Technology Package upgrade
simplifies how the shovel is
operated through machine self-
protection. It automatically
detects and avoids collisions between the dipper, New optional technology packages for Cat®
crawler, boom bumper and cable management Electric Rope Shovels focus on increased
efficiency, production and uptime
systems.
The technology’s LiDAR vision system scans
the front of the shovel and algorithms integrate Other features within the new Operator Assist
with operator commands to provide the least Technology Package include anti-swing in bank
intrusive avoidance path. If a collision is prevents damaging side-loading forces on the
unavoidable, the system will arrest machine dipper when the operator attempts to swing the
motion to prevent or mitigate the collision. It dipper through the bank. Hoist stall prevention
reduces unplanned downtime, extends component monitors forces and optimises crowd/retract
life and improves total cost of ownership. commands to avoid stalling the dipper and
The package features the second generation of prevent detrimental forces on the hoist gear-
Enhanced Motion Control, encompassing all the case. Hoist rope slack prevention automatically
improvements of the first generation. It also adjusts crowd and hoist references to maintain
offers a new feature to protect the rotating rope tension when slack is detected.
undercarriage by alerting the operator when the Boom jack minimisation automatically adjusts
turning angle exceeds 20 degrees, so corrective hoist and crowd to maintain proper rope tension
action can be taken. and improves cycle times. Rope crowd impact
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SMART
STRONG
SURFACE LOADING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:30 Page 8
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prevention measures the force on the crowd rope
and automatically adjusts motor output to avoid
shock loading. Rope crowd overspeed prevention
eliminates unnecessary wear on the crowd brake
by providing more braking power to avert
overspeed situations.
By providing the foundation for support
technology expansion and integration, the
Integrated Technology Package helps to provide
more robust and reliable reporting. New Cycle
Segmentation establishes operating key
performance indicators (KPIs) and identifies
dwell time when idle. It divides cycle time data
into digging, swinging to the truck, dumping and
swinging to the bank segments. This allows
miners to track machine performance across
different shifts and operators.
With this introduction, legacy reporting
technologies change to new Machine Health,
Vibration Monitoring, Payload Management and
Bearing Temperature Monitor technologies.
Machine Health delivers improved reporting
capabilities and provides remote real-time
machine monitoring. Using sensors to capture
data from the crowd, hoist, swing motors and
gearboxes, Vibration Monitoring examines
vibration signals for changes, allowing for
proactive maintenance to reduce unplanned
outage downtime. Payload Management provides
real-time feedback on material moved to avoid
truck over/underloading. Bearing Temperature
Monitor keeps track of hoist, swing and crowd
bearing temperatures and alerts the operator if
figures rise beyond established thresholds.
The optional Integrated Technology Package
will be available in standard and premium
subscription levels. Standard subscriptions
include all package technologies and push
notifications for software updates. Premium
subscriptions include all standard features plus
vibration data analysis, monthly report
generation from a Caterpillar engineer and in-
person consultation to review the report’s
findings and conclusions.
New Cat 7495 and 7495 HF shovel purchases
can be optionally equipped with the Integrated
Technology Package and Operator Assist
Technology Package as of 2023. Availability of
these technology packages as field retrofit kits is
scheduled for mid-2023.
Komatsu’s Track Shield 2
Repeated dipper-to-track strikes on electric rope
shovels can reduce crawler shoe life and cause
structural cracking and dipper damage, resulting
in unplanned downtime and increased repair
costs. Track Shield 2 is a new suite of control
functions from Komatsu Mining that helps the
operator decrease the number or severity of
impacts between the dipper and the tracks or
other parts of the shovel.
32 International Mining | MARCH 2023
This solution calculates the
position of the dipper and modifies
controls to mitigate collisions.
Komatsu says that Track Shield 2 is
ideal for a variety of mining
operations and applications
including but not limited to oil
sands with wide path tracks; TRC
dippers; wider dippers (76 cubic
yards or greater); plus
configurations where it is difficult
to see potential strikes.
Komatsu states: “Track Shield 2
has been engineered to
substantially reduce the number or
severity of costly collisions with the dipper on
your valuable shovel asset. It’s a sophisticated
technology upgrade that can help reduce
maintenance costs and increase machine
longevity from fewer incidents of damage or
fatigue to the shoes, front idler, dipper
components, cable reel and other components.”
It adds: “We’ve worked with our valued
customers to design a solution that minimises
the impact on operator motions during tuck to
maintain shovel productivity. Field tests have
shown statistically no reduction in productivity
while Track Shield 2 is in operation when
properly tuned. It can also assist operators by
guiding them to where they need to be with
respect to the shovel’s structure and digging face
while reinforcing best digging practices.”
Tuning is an initial process that configures
Track Shield 2 based on operational priorities
and objectives. “We’ll work with you to pinpoint
your optimal approach that aligns with your
unique operation. For instance, Track Shield 2
can be custom tuned to focus on mitigating risk –
avoid almost all collisions. Or it can be
performance-configured – optimise productivity
while reducing damage. It’s your choice. Komatsu
service personnel provide one-time tuning in
close collaboration with your mining operations
and fleet maintenance teams.”
Large wheel loaders – here comes the
Cat 995
Caterpillar’s 994 wheel loader has been a leader
in its size class since it was first introduced in
1990. Now the company is set to enhance its
offering with a step up to the all new Cat® 995
Wheel Loader which it says will deliver more
payload, more power and more performance
while using less fuel. First
shipments are expected in Q4
2023 with an
official launch
in the coming
months.
The 995
builds
Komatsu's Track Shield 2 is a suite of control
functions that helps the operator reduce the
number or severity of impacts between the
dipper and the tracks or other parts of the shovel
on the success of the 994K model with the goal
of achieving even higher efficiency and
production. Compared to the 994K, Cat says the
new 995 is up to 19% more efficient and up to
19% more productive, thanks to a higher rated
payload, increase in hydraulic force and up to
20% reduction in hourly fuel consumption in
Enhanced Eco Mode. Standard rated payload is
45.3 t for moderate to high digging resistance
and 54.4 t for low to moderate. It also has 6%
more hydraulic force than the 994K.
Using less fuel reduces engine emissions
and carbon footprint; it’s 3516E Tier 4 Final
engine reduces NOx and particulate matter. It
also has Engine Idle Shutdown, which saves
fuel by making it possible to avoid unnecessary
idling.
Efficiency focussed technology includes Tire
Slip Prevention, which reduces rimpull when
there is less downforce on the tyre and increases
rimpull when there is more downforce on the tyre
— providing maximum rimpull when you can use
it. Lift Stall Prevention automatically applies the
impeller clutch when necessary to prevent
hydraulic stall when lifting up through the face
— keeping the lift motion continuous, without
excessive use of the impeller clutch.
It also offers an improved operator
environment. Designed for visibility, it has a taller
windshield that provides a 25% increase in glass
surface area for a better view to the bucket,
standard rear-view camera, optional
Detect 270-degree
cameras, standard
Caterpillar’s new 995 large wheel loader
SURFACE LOADING.qxp_proof 02/03/2023 13:14 Page 9

SURFACE LOADING

LED lighting and six-mirror system. It also has

Weir ESCO® dipper equipped
improved access and egress, with integrated with a Nemisys® N90 lip
powered access system that can be raised and system for a Cat 7495
lowered from cab or ground.
Cat MineStar™ Terrain for loading provides
real-time feedback on payloads and design plan
progress to increases productivity and accuracy,
reduce rework, enhance ore control and improve
shift-to-shift operator performance.
These represent just a selection of the features
of the new 995. Numerous other attributes have
boosted its serviceability, operator assistance
and confidence, safety and productivity not to
mention the latest bucket and GET options and
designs.

Weir ESCO Nemisys lip for Cat 7495

Weir ESCO recently deliver a custom 59-yard
ESCO® ProductionMaster® dipper equipped with
a Nemisys® N90 lip system for a Cat 7495 cable
shovel. “Our client valued direct access to the
dedicated ESCO cable shovel engineering team
from design through delivery of their dipper. Our
experience in design, manufacture and
optimisation combined with our post-delivery
support ensures that our mining-class dippers
deliver lasting value and performance to our
customers.”
Extensive Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of the
dipper and door results in reduced weight
allowing up to 4% more payload than traditional
OEM designs. Long-lasting G.E.T. systems also
improve penetration for higher digging efficiency
which increases machine utilisation. Proprietary
lip alloy improves weldability and reduces
likelihood of fatigue cracks.
ESCO doors and bails provide superior
strength over OEM versions. The rear-taper door’s
short travel lowers truck impact during loading
and softer closing for reduced dipper and
snubber wear and tear. A 35% lower peak side-
loading stress results in better reliability and
longer service life.
Production Master’s innovative door and pivot
point results in lower impact truck loading and
reduced likelihood of truck cabin shock. The
short travel door provides an expanded target
dump zone in the truck body. This allows
operators to efficiently load the truck for faster
cycle times. The engineered dynamics of the
Production Master door provides softer closing to
reduce dipper and snubber wear and tear.
Austin Engineering adds Mainetec
Austin Engineering in October 2022 said it had
successfully completed the acquisition of
Australia-based mining equipment manufacturer,

Helping You
Make Progress

By securing mines and underground structures, safeguarding the well-being of

people and improving the efficiency of business, we help our customers achieve
their objectives – safely, sustainably and cost-effectively. dsiunderground.com

220601_IM_2022.indd
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The new lower wing shroud option 4MY7CLT-2

Austin Engineering has added Hulk mining
buckets to its offering with its Mainetec
acquisition
Mainetec Pty Ltd for an initial amount of A$19.6
million ($12.3 million). The acquisition, Austin
says, provides it with numerous operational
benefits, both immediately and in the long-term.
Mainetec’s premium range of “Hulk” buckets
will complement Austin’s JEC-HP high
performance and standard bucket ranges, as well
as bolster the company’s presence on the East
Coast of Australia by leveraging Mainetec’s
existing strong market share in the region, it
said. This is anticipated to have a cascading
benefit to Austin’s Austbore Mackay repair and
maintenance service business.
Beyond Australia, Mainetec’s electric rope
shovel dipper bucket is a high-value product that
Austin is already progressing plans to offer
across the US, Canada and Chile markets, which
are markets that have a high demand for large
dipper buckets and where Austin already has an
established presence, it says.
Additionally, Mainetec’s condition monitoring
software system, ‘Mainetrack’, will be used
across the Austin’s fleet to maximise productivity.
Austin CEO and Managing Director, David
Singleton, said: “It is very pleasing to finalise our
acquisition of Mainetec which will deliver
significant and tangible value to Austin. This
acquisition ticks all of the right boxes; it will
complement our core
with extended upper part covers the front part of
the cast lip’s welding seam. This has the benefit
of providing an additional protection to the
welding seam increasing the structural integrity
of the bucket while also decreasing the need for
maintenance. This applies especially to heavy
mining applications in highly abrasive terrains
such as iron ore and copper ore mines.
With the two lower wing shroud options,
customers have the choice to select depending
on their mining applications: while the existing
option 4MY7CLT ends directly at the cast lip’s
welding seam to offer a better visual control of
possible wear appearances, the new option
4MY7CLT-2 provides a better protection of the
welding seam against external influences such as
impacts and abrasion.
Both lower wing shrouds use the same
hammerless PROMET III locking, are compatible
with the GET DETECTION system and are even
interchangeable between each other. Only the
position of the upper wing shroud needs to be
considered as it varies due to the different
heights of the lower wing shroud.
CR coal bucket breakthrough
CR, now part of Epiroc, recently announced the
results of a collaborative development with Jaws
of a new bucket, lip, and GET combination for
800 t excavators at Maules Creek that has
resulted in a 2.6% increase in bucket payload.

MEI Conferences
product range, enhance CR is constantly on the lookout for
our market presence in opportunities to innovate with the world’s best
Australia and beyond, miners and suppliers to find the next
and is set to deliver breakthrough in mining productivity and they
COMMINUTION ‘23 enhanced earnings. believe they’ve found it.
April 17-20, 2023 | Cape Town, South Africa “I am looking forward Working with the world-renowned design,
Sponsored by: King’s Ceramics & Chemicals, Russell Mineral Equipment, to working with the engineering, and fabrication company Jaws, CR
Keramos, Starkey & Associates, Grinding Solutions, Glencore Technology, ME founders of Mainetec was able to integrate their expertise to find a
Elecmetal, Derrick Corp., ZEISS, Hudbay Minerals, Magotteaux, Metso Outotec,
Sino Grinding International, Dakot, Maelgwyn Mineral Services, Bradken, and their workforce as solution for a NSW coal mine, Whitehaven Coal at
Capstone Copper, Eracles - Ceramiche Tecniche, FLSmidth, Tega Industries, we collectively strive to Maules Creek.
Promet101, Minerals Engineering, International Mining, Coalition for Eco-
 
  achieve a phase of Whitehaven Coal found the excavator bucket

BIOMINING ‘23
prolonged growth.” for their 800 t class machines was not achieving
optimum productivity results. After careful, in-
June 5-6, 2023 | Falmouth, UK MTG’s new lower depth analysis of the bucket, lip, and GET
Sponsored by: International Mining, Minerals Engineering and the Critical
Minerals Association
wing shroud performance using CR’s Titan 3330 payload
MTG is introducing a management system, CR was able to collect
SUSTAINABLE MINERALS ‘23 new option of lower performance data and work with Jaws to design a
June 7-8, 2023 | Falmouth, UK wing shroud for its MTG bucket, lip, and GET combination that would offer
Sponsored by: Promet101, International Mining, Minerals Engineering, Coali- SYSTEMS/PROMET an improved bucket payload of up to 2.6%.
 
 
product family that CR’s newly designed SR7046 Stingray cast lip

FLOTATION ‘23 incorporates a 100 mm is part of their famous, high-production suite of

November 6-9, 2023 | Cape Town, South Africa longer upper part. The cast lips compatible with 500-1,000 t excavator
Sponsored by: Promet101, Gold Ore, ZEISS, Magotteaux, Eriez Flotation, new version is ready to machines. Stingray cast lips are designed to
FLSmidth, Solvay, Hudbay Minerals, Metso Outotec, Maelgwyn Mineral Services, be ordered and deliver a smoother material entrance and better
Festo, CiDRA Mineral Processing, Capstone Copper, Metcelerate, Clariant,
Nouryon, MetSoP, Kemtec Africa, Nesch Mintec, International Mining, Minerals equipped in TERRA cast penetration for an optimum payload which
Engineering, Global Mining Review, & the Critical Minerals Association lips size 7 that is greatly contributes to the uplift in productivity.
suitable for mining This project CR says has resulted in a new

www.min-eng.com/conferences/ excavators of 650 – bucket and lip standard for 800 t class machines
1,000 t. across the globe.

34 International Mining | MARCH 2023

SURFACE LOADING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:34 Page 11
CR collaborated with Jaws on a new bucket, lip
and GET combination for 800 t excavators at
Whitehaven Coal’s Maules Creek
General Manager of Maules Creek Mine, Jorge
Moraga, explains the challenge they faced, “Our
problem was we have a low fill factor, and for
that reason we are doing more than four passes
to load an ultra-class truck.”
CR was among multiple OEMs who were
approached with the challenge, but only CR and
Jaws were willing to work closely with
Whitehaven Coal, Maules Creek Mine to find a
collaborative solution.
After careful review, CR found that there
weren’t any existing products that would fix the
problem. CR’s GM of Product Management,
Quintin Nienaber, explained that “the current lips
in the market and the current buckets in the
market don’t allow for that optimisation to
happen. So, we worked with Jaws to come up
with a scale testing protocol using three or four
different bucket sizes combined with the
equivalent lips.”
CR used scale testing to simulate scaled-down,
real-world scenarios validating and testing
designs in a way that’s time and cost-efficient. CR
can get results quickly and confidently without
SURFACE LOADING
putting mine site operations at risk. The results
clearly identified the optimum bucket design and
lip design to suit this particular application with
the hope of mirroring the results in the field.
CR and Jaws’s hopes were realised when the
new bucket and lip combination was applied to
Maules Creek Mine’s EX8000 backhoe excavator,
immediately boosted productivity just by
switching the buckets.
IM spoke to Miguel Guimaraes, CR GM East
Australasia about the project and related
technology. He said following the success at
Maules Creek the new bucket has now been
rolled out to other 800 t class excavators across
multiple customers and minesites in coal.
He also commented on how the Titan 3330
system allows direct analysis of GET and lip
performance: "The Titan 3330 system uses
sensors installed on the excavator to calculate
digging and lifting forces, along with real-time
bucket payload. A key data point is dig energy,
which directly measures the resistance required
to engage the material presented to the
attachment."
As CR is a solutions-based business, he says
things are also well underway in developing new
and innovated solutions for the hard rock and
metals mining. Recent releases include the
RazerEdge RE2522 cast lip to suit 100 to 200 t
class excavators and DecaEdge DE1545 wheel
loader cast lip. IM
ORE SORTING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:11 Page 1
ORE SORTING
Going beyond the belt
Wherever they are positioned, sensor-based ore analysis
and sorting solutions are making a difference at mining
operations. Dan Gleeson examines the evidence
he concepts behind pre-concentration and
T ore sorting are not new; they have existed
for decades and been applied in various
guises – and with varying success rates – across
the commodity space.
The true capabilities of these technologies are
only now being understood though, as the
evolving digital ecosystem continues to break
down the silo mentality that has kept the pit
away from the plant, and the datasets coming off
these units point towards trends that can make a
difference up- and down-stream of where they
are installed.
The realisation of the technology’s capabilities
when embedded into sophisticated digital
platforms is spurring adoption and interest at a
relentless pace.
These same users are convinced the solutions
can not only reduce their operating costs and
boost output, but also allow them to continue
operating on a sustainable footing with reduced
energy and water consumption.
TOMRA investigates the fine print
Particle sorting companies have been refining ore
and waste streams for decades, leveraging
various sensors and physical separation methods
to generate new-found value.
Alongside this economic value generation,
they have also been able to optimise ore
processing – ensuring only ore is processed in
downstream parts of the plant – and reduce
energy and water use. In the case of TOMRA
Mining, its sensor-based sorting solutions can
reduce specific energy consumption by more
than 15%, as well as the amount of water used by
three to four cubic meters per tonne of ore,
according to the company.
36 International Mining | MARCH 2023
All these traits mean effective particle sorting
solutions are highly sought after.
TOMRA’s COM XRT 2.0 – the company’s largest
sorters – are able to operate at 3.5 m/s and
analyse particles as large as 125 mm. In one of
its largest installations in Saudi Arabia – a nine-
unit configuration at Ma’aden Phosphates’ Umm
Wu’Al project – this is facilitating an 1,850 t/h
sorter feed operation.
The company is now looking to further refine
its offering, answering the calls from many
industrial mineral miners to sort down to finer
particle sizes.
“We are working on some mechanical and
software advances focusing on smaller particle
sizes,” Jordan Rutledge, Area Sales Manager at
TOMRA Mining, told IM. “While industrial
minerals customers might have initially pushed
this, everyone is happy about it. Even the metal
producers have been asking for such a solution –
Galaxy Resources’ Mt Cattlin hard-rock lithium mine, in Western Australia, has installed two TOMRA
PRO Secondary Laser sorters to treat 1.2 Mt of ore Galaxy previously stockpiled due to basalt
contamination
IMA Engineering has recently reduced the
sensing interval of its FCA conveyor-based units
from 30 seconds to below 10 seconds with the
newest generation of technology
they are used to using dense media separation,
so have become accustomed to looking at
smaller and smaller particles sizes.”
Rutledge was not able to reveal much about
these developments when speaking to IM in
early February, but, in the industrial minerals
space, TOMRA is already sorting down to 4 mm
particles with the COM Tertiary XRT. In the
diamond space, meanwhile, it can go down to 2-
mm-size particles with the COM XRT 300 /FR.
“What I am able to say is that the mechanical
advances are the game changer here,” she said.
“On our software and processing packages, we
have been able to identify almost everything that
comes by on a belt or chute, regardless of size,
but the challenge has been on the mechanical
side for sorting purposes at speed.
“Many equipment suppliers can sort smaller
particle sizes if they are processing less than 1
t/h, but we will be the only company able to sort
at this size with the higher throughput tonnages
companies are used to.”
As mining companies await these new
advances, those in the gold space – especially in
quartz-associated orebodies – are benefitting
from TOMRA’s two-pronged approach to sensor-
based sorting.
Leveraging XRT- and Laser-based sorters,
TOMRA sorts the feed by sulphide and quartz
association.
This may require two sensing units, but the
results make it worthwhile, according to
Rutledge.
“While the XRT analysis helps ascertain those
particles containing sulphides from above the
belt, the Laser system – which is applied on a
chute – is able to image the particles from two
sides (above and below),” she explained.
“This has proven time and again to provide a
Circle Series MAR 23 PROOF.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2023 13:11 Page 1
ORE SORTING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:12 Page 2
ORE SORTING
more accurate sort than a combined XRT and
Laser-based system situated on conveyor belt. In
fact, we had one study with a Canadian junior
miner that pitted the two systems against each
other and showed 5% higher recoveries for our
solution over the conveyor-based alternative.”
Gold projects – whether sulphide-associated,
quartz-associated or both – continue to represent
a large proportion of test work the company
processes, according to Rutledge, who said three
projects were set to move from contract
agreement to installations this year.
And the companies TOMRA is working with are
looking at installing these units at various points
of the flowsheet.
“We have three main areas we tend to see
sorting implementation,” Rutledge said. “One
brownfield project this year is going to process
waste stockpiles to both upgrade those
stockpiles and create a pure waste stream that
could provide value as something like an
aggregate.
“We have also seen sorters installed on the
pebble mill rejects, which is similar to the setup
at Coeur’s Kensington project in Alaska.
“Then, finally, if they are implementing it
directly into the flowsheet – for greenfield
projects – they are looking at installing units
after secondary crushing.”
Outside of gold, Rutledge was keen to talk up
TOMRA’s solutions for the battery minerals space
and, in particular, the lithium sector.
“We have so many projects in lithium and a
clear sorting task that we can solve with ease,”
she said. “A lot of hard-rock projects out there
have issues removing basalt with dense medium
separation circuits, and that is a very easy sort
for us.”
Removing basalt reduces contamination issues
down the processing line, according to Rutledge,
who has plans to move to Perth, Australia, to
help make the most of this hard-rock lithium
demand.
This is the case at one of the company’s
project references at Galaxy Resources’ Mt
Cattlin hard-rock lithium mine in Western
Australia, where TOMRA has provided two PRO
Secondary Laser sorters to treat 1.2 Mt of ore
Galaxy previously stockpiled due to basalt
contamination.
Rutledge said the company’s sensor-based
sorter offering for the lithium space goes beyond
just the Laser option.
“What is different is we can potentially use all
of the technologies differently for this task in
lithium,” she said. “We use Colour, Laser, Near
Infrared (NIR) or XRT. Some of the technologies
we have sold use different technologies for
different stages of the process. They will use
colour and XRT, or Laser or NIR in series or along
the process, which is kind of unique.”
38 International Mining | MARCH 2023
This type of sensor fusion has been witnessed
by TOMRA across the sector – and not just with
its own solutions.
Rutledge noted that several customers are
using the company’s sensor-based products for
sorting purposes and prompt gamma neutron
activation analysis (PGNAA)-based sensors from
other vendors in the same operation for
verification purposes.
“In those cases, they generally sort with our
units and use the PGNAA to analyse the product
stream in place of something like a grab
sample,” she explained.
‘Test before you buy’
Steinert’s Business Development Manager for
Mining, Lütke von Ketelhodt, sees the rationale
in combining sensor solutions at mine sites,
mostly tied to bulk ore sorting at the front end
and particle sorting closer to the recovery circuit
at large mine sites.
In such a setup, this would see bulk sorters
separating high- and low-grade streams, and the
particle sorters treating low-grade streams to
remove the final waste fraction and a scavenged
product fraction.
In Steinert’s case, however, the company can
boast about a particle sorting platform that has
multiple sensors installed on it. Its KSS units can
be equipped with XRT, X-ray Fluorescence (XRF),
NIR, Laser and Colour sensors, opening the door
to use across a wide range of commodities.
The combination of two of these sensors – XRT
and Laser – was proven in recent test work with
ASX-listed Future Metals, which demonstrated
96.7% recovery of high-grade ore and rejection of
low-grade material and waste at its Panton
platinum group metal (PGM) project in Western
Australia using the KSS XT CLI Ore Sorter. This
recovery rate, Panton says, increased the PGM
grade of the potential mill feed by 10.7% and
reduced the throughput volume by 12.7%.
With the recent addition of new sorting lines
for mining and waste recycling at its new test and
development centre in Pulheim, Germany – all
aimed at better achieving the company’s
aspiration of “test before you buy” – more
companies like Future Metals are viewing the
In addition to regional test centres in Pulheim,
Germany; Perth, Australia; Kentucky, USA; and
Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Steinert has local testing
plants all over the globe
potential benefits of sorting via Steinert’s
solutions.
“In addition to the Pulheim facility, Steinert
also operates regional test centres in Perth,
Australia; Walton, Kentucky, USA; and Belo
Horizonte, Brazil,” von Ketelhodt said. “The
Steinert application engineers operating these
test facilities collaborate regularly to exchange
experiences on best sensor settings, or sensor
combinations for different ore sorting
applications. This collaborative process has
enabled Steinert to process more samples with
consistent high-quality results.”
And many of those samples are coming from
the gold space, according to von Ketelhodt.
The proposition for ore sorting – removing
waste to provide an upgraded mill-feed product,
while saving energy, water and costs associated
with the downstream process – remains the same
for yellow metal miners, but the complex and
costly logistics associated with many brownfield
gold operations means applying these solutions
can have above-average impacts.
“We have some clients looking to re-start
operations at old mines,” von Ketelhodt said.
“They usually process the ore at a modern mill
and process facility, which is some distance away
from the mine. Ore sorting at the mine site
reduces the haulage mass considerably, which is
a huge cost saver for the operation.”
Obviously reducing the amount of material
hauled from the mine to the process plant has a
tangible impact on not only cost, but also the
energy intensity associated with processing that
ore. Such considerations are becoming more
prominent in the conversations Steinert is having
with the mining community, according to von
Ketelhodt.
“Indeed, climate change goals, such as
reducing energy consumption and reducing the
carbon footprint, are very important topics in the
mining industry, and Steinert is gaining more
attention for the way its ore sorters can
ORE SORTING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:12 Page 3

ORE SORTING

HPY Technology’s Circle Series ore sorting technology has been used to
great effect at Tajik-China Mining (left) and Shandong Xinhui Construction
Materials’ (right) operations

significantly contribute to achieving those depth bore decrepitation process” in preparation concentration costs. To improve productivity of
goals,” he said. for an anticipated expansion. This processing the grinding and flotation processes, the waste
method has improved efficiency, however, it has rock must be removed from the raw ore. To
Out for more of the ore sorting Pi also led to an increase in the ore depletion rate, achieve this, Tajik-China Mining decided to use
China-based HPY Technology Co Ltd specialises resulting in a decrease in ore grade and a rise in HPY Technology’s Circle Series to pre-concentrate
in the development and implementation of
intelligent ore sorting technology using XRT-
based equipment.
Since its establishment in 2015, HPY
Technology has dedicated itself to bringing
innovation and technological advancements to
the mining industry, achieving success with over
30 ore types, including tungsten, tin, antimony,
lead, zinc, copper, molybdenum, gold and
phosphates. In 2021, HPY Technology introduced
a series of what it refers to as “revolutionary ore
sorting machines”, which included the Insight
Series, Golden Coal Series and the Circle Series.
The Circle Series is the first and currently only
ring-shaped ore sorting machine available in the
market, according to HPY Technology. “Its unique
design is based on the principles of calculating
the area of a circle using the value of π,” Shuhao
Zhou, Vice President of HPY Technology,
explained. “This shape enhances its processing
capacity by 3.14 times the amount achieved by
traditional intelligent ore sorting machines.
Additionally, the unique shape allows ores to
freely fall into the machine, eliminating
interference with detection technologies during
feeding and, thus, increasing overall accuracy
and efficiency.”
Zhou added: “The Circle Series offers
significant economic benefits and can save
mining companies up to $4.5 million/y. With a
processing grain size of 5-90 mm, the machine
can process up to 300 t/h. This means a single
machine can meet the requirements of a mineral
processing plant with a production capacity of
3,000-4,000 t/d. Combined with the Wenshu
Algorithm, an algorithm designed specifically for
sorting ores, the Circle Series can process 10,000
pieces of ore every second. The research and
development that went into the machines has
created many benefits for the mining companies
leveraging them in their processes.”
Tajik-China Mining has modified its mining
process and gradually adopted the “medium

MARCH 2023 | International Mining 39

ORE SORTING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:12 Page 4
ORE SORTING
its lead-zinc ore. The company has been able to
sort lead-zinc ore with a raw ore grade of less
than 4-6% and a processing capacity of 140 t/h,
with sorting grain sizes of 10-90 mm. The Circle
Series has achieved a recovery rate of over 95%
and a rejection rate of more than 30%, enriching
the raw ore grade by 1.4 times, according to
Zhou.
In Shandong Province, China, Shandong Xinhui
Construction Materials was looking to recover
economically valuable gold from its waste
rockpiles, reaching out to HPY Technology to sort
ores that contained this valuable gold using the
Circle Series. The Circle Series enriched the gold
by 9.73 times and increased the raw ore grade
from 0.11 g/t Au to 1.10 g/t Au by concentrating
these waste rockpiles, Zhou told IM. The grain
size range the company sorted was 5-28 mm,
displaying the Circle Series’ ability to sort even
small grain sizes.
Zhou says HPY Technology has cooperated
with Zijin Mining, China National Gold, Chinalco,
China Minmetals, Zhongjin Lingnan Nonfemet,
China Tungsten and Hightech Materials, and over
70 other well-known mining enterprises in China
and internationally. By the end of 2022, it had
sold over 400 intelligent ore sorting machines,
with its products used in over 100 mines.
“With innovations like the Circle Series, HPY
Technology looks to continue changing the
mining industry for the better,” Zhou concluded.
Offering a performance step change
Like TOMRA and Steinert, Scantech is benefitting
from an uptick in demand for – and interest in –
ore analysis and sorting solutions from the gold
sector.
The company released its GEOSCAN GOLD
premium elemental analyser back in 2021, and
the enquiries and interest for this solution, since
launch, have been consistent.
The analyser, which builds on Scantech’s
GEOSCAN-M high-performance elemental
analyser and leverages PGNAA conveyor-
mounted sensors, provides previously
unattainable levels of risk-free, real-time
measurement performance to the resources
sector to help digitalise and control ore quality,
according to the company.
Able to measure elements in primary crushed
rock in conveyed flows at <100 t/h to >10,000 t/h
irrespective of belt speed, particle size,
mineralogy, dust, moisture, or
segregation/layering, GEOSCAN GOLD can
register gold directly over 5-10-minute
increments and other elements, including proxies
for gold, with high precisions over each 30
seconds of flow, according to the company.
Henry Kurth, Chief Marketing Officer at
Scantech, says the company has recently been
consolidating its experience in direct gold
40 International Mining | MARCH 2023
measurement and how it can be applied for
optimising process performance in recent years,
with initial work having proven effective. This was
displayed in a recent paper co-authored by
Scantech and Newcrest Telfer, which was
presented at the IMPC Asia-Pacific 2022
conference in Melbourne, Australia.
Kurth continued: “Further sales occurred to
gold companies planning to use the gold
measurement to develop an understanding of the
ore variability and opportunities to benefit from
the measurement.”
Scantech anticipates further interest in both
direct gold measurement and measurement of
proxies for gold, where applicable, in conveyed
ore-feeding process plants, he said.
And the company expects representative,
direct gold measurement to be carried out in
under 5-10 minutes eventually, followed by
potential bulk ore sorting applications on shorter
conveyor belts.
Outside of gold, one of the largest copper-zinc
mines in the world – Antamina – has recently
installed and calibrated a Scantech PGNAA-based
analyser for bulk ore sorting conveyor flows of
ore at target throughput rates of 4,000-8,000 t/h.
Antamina, co-owned by Glencore, BHP, Teck
Resources and Mitsubishi, is part of a growing
list of mining companies investing time and
money in improving their understanding of ore
sorting across the process flowsheet, according
to Kurth.
He explained: “Various technologies are being
evaluated at different stages in the flowsheet
with less precise, qualitative, surface
measurement techniques (XRF, hyperspectral,
laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, etc)
applied closer to the mine face and on blasted
rock, and more representative techniques
involving penetrative, quantitative analysis on
conveyed flows (eg PGNAA/Pulsed Fast Thermal
Neutron Activation (PFTNA) and magnetic
resonance (MR)).”
“We have also seen more interest from
Scantech’s GEOSCAN GOLD premium elemental
analyser builds on its GEOSCAN-M high-
performance elemental analyser (an installation
pictured), which leverages PGNAA conveyor-
mounted sensors
engineering companies, such as SRK, DRA
Global, Worley, ABH and others, as they continue
to seek the best techno-economic outcomes for
their mining clients.”
While these companies are asking the right
questions when it comes to realistic sensing
technology and likely implementation
performance, evaluating “bulk sortability” is not
purely a theoretical exercise, Kurth warned.
“Each mine’s orebody, mining method,
blasting, crushing, materials handling and
economics are unique in some way so that is why
the approach has been to install sensors first to
gather data (digitise mined flows, typically on
conveyors after primary crushing) to develop a
practical understanding of mined material
variability magnitude and frequency as this will
eventually determine the suitability of bulk
sorting,” he said.
Testing customer samples is something
Scantech provides the industry for free.
Once measurement performance is effectively
guaranteed, operations purchase the units for
conveyed flows knowing they can absolutely
trust the data, and they can then observe quality
variation (rather than trying to find ways of
predicting it with mixed results) and get used to
the data being generated for the small
increments of material, Scantech says.
This can form the basis for a bulk sorting
strategy if it stacks up both operationally and
economically. It is also part of an education
process Scantech is going through with the wider
industry to ensure all sorting projects mining
companies and engineering firms engage in
provide value to the operation in question.
Kurth explained: “In particle sorting, the
sensor is selected for the ability to determine
characteristics that indicate a potential value of a
particle, hence a point solution. Bulk sensing is a
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ORE SORTING
digitalisation tool that generates data that can be
used simultaneously for multiple applications
and these include: feedback to mining
operations, ore blending, ore reconciliation, bulk
sorting (waste removal but also to create
stockpiles of different quality materials for
blending), diversion to by-pass, feed-forward
control to process operators, metal accounting
and various other applications. This is the value
for bulk sensing on conveyors.
“Any of these individually could potentially
provide a short equipment payback but,
combined, they can produce a step change in
operational performance.”
Speeding up time-to-mine
IMA Engineering has been around since 1994,
but it is only in the last few years that its
messaging and warnings have found a widely
receptive audience.
The mining industry – as has been well
documented – is renowned for its conservativism,
typically looking to refine existing processes as
opposed to disrupt the status quo.
IMA, through its various sensor-based
solutions, has been showing mining companies
there is another way to improve productivity,
reduce energy and water use and – increasingly
important of late – compress the timelines
associated with getting a mine into production.
Jukka Raatikainen, CEO, and Ilpo Auranen,
Chairman, explained: “Our approach includes:
faster exploration utilising our Scanmobile drill
core scanning and real-time reporting systems,
and related bulk ore sorting integrated
conceptual mining studies. This is followed by
stacking of the ore at an early stage of mining
before the concentrator is built by using dry bulk
ore sorting methods, which reduces the
concentrator commissioning time as the exact
quality of ore being fed through to it is known in
advance.
“Further sorting ore from existing waste rock
and tailings sites is a source of metals for the
‘green shift’ with high potential. And new IMA
solutions can help mining companies bridge
technological and philosophical ‘silos’ from
exploration to processing with new data from
sensors.”
These solutions are aided by a relentless focus
on automating the sampling and analysis that
underwrite and verify these processes, to remove
human error and measure important ore
characteristics throughout the flowsheet.
The company is keeping all this in mind when
deploying its bulk ore sorting solutions, which
are tied to its IMA Fast Conveyor Analyzer (FCA)
platform.
IMA has recently reduced the sensing interval
of its FCA units from 30 seconds to below 10
seconds with the newest generation of
42 International Mining | MARCH 2023
technology. This new-found ability to sort at an
accelerated rate – providing potential for higher
throughput analysis and sorting – has led to the
company winning more projects across the globe,
including in South America and Asia.
On projects specifically, Auranen mentioned
IMA had secured FCA deployments at three
mines owned by a major mining company in
recent years, with the potential to add to this in
the near term.
To this point, XRF has been IMA’s sensor of
choice for its FCA solutions, but the company has
recently signed agreements with a partner that
could see the incorporation of a new laser-based
system able to provide particle size distribution
(PSD) analysis on a conveyor belt.
“This is applicable, for example, when looking
to optimise mill throughput in AG/SAG mills,”
Auranen said. “Throughput is an important
metric in the mill, and waste rock is often harder
than ore. If waste rock is fed into the mill, not
only does the mill process ‘waste’ and reduce the
concentrate value/production, it also stays in the
grinding mill for extended periods of time,
reducing the overall processing capacity.”
Another potential application where XRF-based
sorting and PSD analysis could be of help is in
heap leaching where the agglomerate size, grade
and quality has a big impact on the liquid flow,
aeration and wider leaching performance,
according to Auranen.
“In the future, we can look to measure other
characteristics beyond ore grade and PSD,” he
added.
One of the other projects IMA has lined up will
see the company spend more time in the
underground mining environment.
IMA is already familiar with this setup as it is
providing sampling solutions for drills with
AutoSampler Underground, but it is looking to
transfer some of its on-belt FCA learnings to
overhead XRF-based systems for LHD payload
analysis.
Auranen explained the concept and the
rationale for entering such a market: “The driver
for that is the move to large-scale block caving of
mining operations. This is an increasing trend for
the future – big mines that are big on the surface
will be big underground too.
“Many of the existing block cave mines have
autonomous fleets, so we feel we can provide a
grade-based recognition system for these fleets
as well as automate the sampling and analysis
processes that come with these operations,
which, as they are large scale, have higher ore
heterogeneity than smaller operations.
IMA is looking to use this heterogeneity by
carrying out the sorting underground, ensuring
the ‘waste’ does not have to be carried to
surface.
“That is both more environmentally friendly
and economical,” Auranen said.
He added: “We believe this will be very big in
the future and something we can talk about in
more detail.”
Outside of ore sorting, the company is also
working on more automated sampling and
analysis solutions for a wider range of machines
– continuous miners, for instance – as well as
creating solutions that minimise the maintenance
surrounding automated slurry analysis.
More widely, IMA is advocating for joining all
the dots within the flowsheet to enable
optimised processes throughout the operation.
Raatikainen said: “One solution for this is
measuring the ore grade on conveyor belt every
15 seconds, on average, and, thereafter,
analysing the same ore a few hours later in
mineral slurries (online analysis of spot samples
every 15 minutes). The combination of these
makes the whole system more accurate and
responsive by knowing the quality of ore in
advance for adjusting the chemical dosage in
flotation and verifying the results with on-stream
analysis.
“Further, we have complemented our system
by integrating RFID tags that are placed in blast
holes and muckpiles. The tags then move with
the ore from mine-to-mill and are read at the on-
belt analysis points after the primary crusher and
on the mill-feed conveyor, combining the source
location at the mine with the analysis results and
recovery performance information at the
concentrator. The tags also help measure the ore
retention time in intermediate stockpiles.
“This also acts as a quality assurance/quality
control (QA/QC) system and helps in mine-to-mill
reconciliation when comparing the results from
each sampling and analysis point with each other.”
The environmental benefits of this type of
analysis are set to be displayed in a “handprint”
calculation IMA is working on with experts from
universities in Finland.
A carbon footprint calculates the negative
impacts on the environment, whereas the
handprint reflects on the positive impact of a
product, processes, or actions on the
environment.
Sensor fusion in China
HOT (Chengdu) Industries Co., Ltd (formerly HOT
Mining) says it provides cutting-edge innovations
for the minerals processing industry that also
satisfy “planet-friendly ambitions” by carrying
out ore pre-concentration and grade control. It
does this using XRT-based sorting, CCD
Optical/Colour sorting, AI-backed MR sorting and
real-time elemental analysis with the likes of
Laser-Induced Plasma Spectroscopy (LIPS) and
XRF technology.
The Matrix® CCD Ore Colour Sorter and
SorterX® Intelligent XRT Ore Sorter are the
ORE SORTING.qxp_proof 02/03/2023 13:18 Page 6
HOT Industries says it is one of the few players
to have successfully applied its intelligent CRT
sensor-based ore sorter across non-ferrous
metals, ferrous metals, non-metals and coal
mines
company’s “revolutionary innovations” to enable
intelligent and effective mineral separation, it
says, representing a fusion of photoelectric
sorting technology.
The former combines XRT and image
recognition technology with AI algorithms to
conduct precise detection and ejection
processes, especially in smaller particle sizes. In
real-world applications, it has shown separation
performance with an up to 99% metal recovery
rate, 90% reject rate and 40-380 t/h capacity.
“It has made great strides in pre-concentration
to reduce the cost for subsequent processes and
prolong the mine service life in an
environmentally friendly manner,” the company
said.
The CCD sorter, meanwhile, uses photoelectric
detection technology to automatically sort the
heterochromatic particles in the granular
material according to the difference in the optical
properties of the material. After colour
separation, the ore has high purity and uniform
colour, which greatly improves the utilisation of
the ore and doubles its value, according to HOT
Industries.
The sorter can achieve the accuracy of 99% in
a one-time sorting application, according to
company data.
HOT Industries is one of the few players to
have successfully applied its intelligent XRT
sensor-based ore sorter across non-ferrous
ORE SORTING
metals, ferrous metals, non-metals and coal
mines. More specifically, it has been put into
operation in tungsten, tin, antimony, gold,
copper, lead-zinc, coal and others, the company
says.
The company is also exploring a combination
of both the colour sorter and the XRT sorter
combination for lithium sorting and recovery.
HOT Industries said: “As a witness and
participant in mineral processing, HOT Industries
not only brings creativity to small-capacity
separation but also to bulk sorting. AI-based MR
sorting is a high-efficiency solution to improve
the grade and output for bulk sorting minerals
such as iron. It uses MR sensors and ore sorting
technology to improve the ore grade and output,
which enables a large sorting capacity of circa-
3,000-10,000 t/h.”
In such an application, the MR sensor can
continuously detect the grade of iron, identify
low-grade ore and eject it through the actuator.
The MR sorter will continuously discard the low-
grade ore to avoid it entering the subsequent
separation process, reducing the operating cost
and improving production efficiency.
“Compared with XRT technology, AI-backed
MR sorting a ‘pre-discard’ application can further
improve the plant processing capacity,” the
company said.
To support and enhance ore sorting, HOT
Industries has also developed LIPS online
www.tomra.com/mining
ORE SORTING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:15 Page 7
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elemental analysers, X-ray coal ash moisture
analysers and XRF online ore pulp grade
analysers to measure and report the critical
elements in the mineral separation process,
feeding this data back to a PLC or intelligent
control system in the processing plant.
HOT Industries concluded: “With the above
minerals quality/elements measuring and
reporting technologies, the whole minerals
sorting system will be more reliable and
intelligent to avoid the hysteresis of manual
measurement.”
NextOre shifts MR gears
The last few years have been significant for
Australia-based NextOre and its MR technology.
It has surpassed previous throughput highs
using its on-conveyor belt solutions, accelerated
the decision-making process associated with
material sorting viability with its mobile bulk
sorter and made strides to branch out into the in-
pit sorting space via the development of open
geometry sensors.
NextOre’s MR technology is the culmination of
decades of research and development by the
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
Organisation (CSIRO), with the division spun out
from the organisation in 2017. Since then,
NextOre has gone on to demonstrate the
technology’s viability across the globe.
NextOre’s MR analysers were first fitted on
conveyor belts, yet interest in solutions for in-pit
equipment predates the company’s inception.
“A significant portion of the time when CSIRO
would show people the technology they were
working on for fitting on a conveyor belt, many
would ask: ‘could you possibly put it around a
truck somehow?’,” Chris Beal, CEO of NextOre,
told IM.
After workshopping many ideas and
developing increasingly large prototypes –
commencing at the start with an antenna made
up from a copper loop and a couple of capacitors
– two in-pit solutions leveraging CSIRO’s open-
geometry sensor have come to the fore.
The first – a 3-m-wide sensor – underwent
static and dynamic tests using chalcopyrite
copper ore grade samples in a material feeder
setup in 2022, in Australia.
This test work, observed by several major
mining companies, laid the groundwork for a
bigger installation – a 7-m-wide ruggedised
antenna that weighs about 5 t. This can be
positioned over a haul truck and manoeuvred
using a crane supplied by Eilbeck and guidance
systems developed for NextOre by CSIRO and the
University of Technology Sydney.
The advantage of MR in a truck load scanning
scenario, just as with a conveyor, is the ability to
make accurate, whole-of-sample grade
measurements at high speeds. Yet, to operate
44 International Mining | MARCH 2023
effectively, this system requires significant
amounts of power.
“The truck system we are building is between
120 kW and 200 kW,” Beal said. “For people in
the radio frequency space, power of that
magnitude is hard to comprehend; they’re used
to dealing with solutions to power mobile
phones.”
For reference, a NextOre on-conveyor system
rated up to 5,000 t/h has around 30 kW of
installed power. And conveyor systems above
5,000 t/h have 60 kW of installed power.
The idea is that this new MR truck sensor
station would be positioned at an ex-pit scanning
station to the side of the main haul road at a site
and trucks will be directed to ore or waste as a
result. The test rig constructed in NextOre’s
facility has been built to suit the truck class of
the initial customer, which is a major copper
mine using 180-t-class and 140-t-class haul
trucks.
The first prototype has now been built and, at
the time of going to press, was awaiting
shipment to the mine where a one-year trial is
set to commence.
The scale has also recently increased with
NextOre’s conveyor-based installations.
Around 10 months ago, IM reported on a 2,800
t/h MR ore sorting installation at First Quantum
Minerals’ Kansanshi copper mine in Zambia,
which had just shifted from sensing to sorting
with the commissioning of diversion hardware.
Now the company has an ore sensing
installation up and running in Chile that has a
capacity of 6,500 t/h – a little over 50% higher
than the highest sensing rate (4,300 t/h)
previously demonstrated by the company at
Newcrest’s Cadia East mine in New South Wales,
Australia.
Beal said the unit has been up and running
since December, with the copper-focused client
very happy with the results.
For those companies looking to test the waters
of ore sorting and sensing, arguably the biggest
The truck sensor test rig constructed in
NextOre’s facility has been built to suit the
truck class of the initial customer, which is a
major copper mine using 180-t-class and 140-t-
class haul trucks
development coming out of NextOre in recent
years has been the construction of a mobile bulk
sorter.
Able to sort 100-400 t/h of material on a 900-
mm-width conveyor belt while running at 0.3-1
m/s, these units – one of which has been
operated in Australia – is able to compress the
timeline normally associated with making a
business case for ore sorting.
“As people can now hire such a machine, they
are finding it either resolves a gap in proving out
the technology or it can be used to solve urgent
issues by providing an alternative source of
process feed from historical dumps,” Beal said.
“They want to bring a unit to site and, after an
initial configuration period, get immediate results
at what is a significant scale.”
Such testing has already taken place at Aeris
Resources’ Tritton copper operations in New
South Wales, where the unit took material on the
first surface stockpile taken from an underground
mine.
While this initial trial did not deliver the
rejection rate anticipated by Aeris – due largely
to rehandling of the material and, therefore, a
reduction in ore heterogeneity ahead of feeding
the conveyor – Aeris remains enthusiastic about
the technology and Beal is expecting this unit to
be redeployed shortly.
“We now know thanks to results from
Kansanshi, Carmen Copper Corp/CD Processing,
this new Chilean site and Cozamin (owned by
Capstone Copper) that this in-situ grade
variability can be preserved, and that mixing
impacts directly on sorting performance,” Beal
said. “Even so, we have seen really good
heterogeneity persist in spite of the unavoidable
levels of mixing inherent in mining.”
He concluded: “People want this type of
ORE SORTING.qxp_proof 02/03/2023 13:22 Page 8
equipment not in a year’s time, but next month.
Capitalising the business to put more mobile
units out in the world is a priority.”
True material characterisation
Ore sorting might be the term most associated
with MineSense, but the company has been
trying to show the market that its solutions
encompass much more than the standard fare
usually aligned with the sector.
“The term ore sorting is most often applied to
the activity of sorting further downstream on a
conveyor belt and, of course, our main product,
ShovelSense, provides information much earlier
at the mine face,” Jeff More, President and CEO
of MineSense, told IM.
He continued: “Once you are sorting material
on a conveyor belt, your only option is to take
waste out of the stream, but the much more
valuable component is to recover the ore before
it goes to the waste dump.”
More and his growing MineSense team are
convinced the only place to do that is at the mine
face with the ShovelSense system, providing
real-time ore characterisation.
“About 80% of the profit improvement we
create is recovering ore from waste, not taking
waste out of the ore,” he said.
In fact, the company – in its commercial
deployments to date – is finding it can increase
metal production from between 5% and 20% by
using the XRF-backed ShovelSense solution to
recover ore from material previously classified as
waste. The average to this point has been a 12%
production boost in copper terms, which is
complemented by an all-important circa-10%
reduction in carbon intensity, More explained.
The second reason MineSense is looking
beyond the term ore sorting when marketing its
solutions is the datasets it is creating for clients.
Each ShovelSense unit comes equipped with a
human machine interface and proprietary
algorithms that measure and report ore
grade/characteristics. When combined with the
BeltSense solution, mines can “truly characterise
the material” being sensed and analysed from
extraction to mineral processing for complete
mine-to-mill optimisation, according to More.
“This data can be used to, for example,
optimise upstream drilling or downstream
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ORE SORTING
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processing,” he said.
At some operations, this has seen the mining
team create numerous stockpile feeds based on
grade or other material classifications to refine
and improve the consistency of the plant feed
and downstream recoveries.
And the company and its data scientists have
been reconciling data up- and down-stream of
ShovelSense and BeltSense installations to
improve recoveries in, for example, the flotation
circuit to help optimise reagent use.
In the last 12 months, MineSense has
continued to refine its hardware, software and AI-
backed algorithms, but the biggest ‘leaps’ it has
made are in this mine-to-mill concept, according
to More.
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“We are now providing actionable data for not
just the mine engineer, but also the metallurgist
and the plant operators,” he said. “Our reach has
drastically expanded as we have devised more
operation-specific datasets that can affect
performance.”
Many readers from last year will be wondering
where the company has been expanding its
presence since IM last reported on the
company’s developments.
In addition to the already known ShovelSense
units at Collahuasi, Carmen de Andacollo, Antamina,
Highland Valley Copper and Copper Mountain
(which also has two BeltSense units), the
company has added Constancia (owned by Hudbay
Minerals), Antapaccay (owned by Glencore),
Chino (owned by Freeport), Gibraltar (owned by
Taseko Mines) and Red Chris (owned by Newcrest
Mining) to the ‘gone commercial’ list.
It has just as many trials lined up for 2023 or
already taking place, according to More, who
reeled off a ShovelSense installation at Vale’s
Salobo copper mine in Brazil, trials at Lundin
Mining’s Zinkgruvan zinc operation in Sweden
and Candelaria mine in Chile, work at Terrafame’s
nickel mine in Finland, a planned installation at
Vedanta’s Gamsberg zinc mine, another Teck
Resources installation at QB2 in Chile, two
planned ShovelSense applications at Antofagasta
operations (also in Chile) and one at Marcobre’s
Mina Justa mine (Peru). These additional nine
installations in the first half of 2023 will ensure
the continued acceleration of the market’s
adoption of ShovelSense, the company says.
And, having trialled the first iteration of its
ShovelSense Underground system at New Gold’s
New Afton mine in 2021, MineSense is now ready
to install a second-generation solution at the
mine for further trials
Another second-generation unit is also
heading to Indonesia and the PT-FI-owned
Grasberg block cave operation in Papua Province
as part of a long-term development agreement
MineSense has signed with Freeport-McMoRan
covering the technology.
This will take the learnings from the initial
deployment on a Cat R1600G LHD at New Afton,
while incorporating a lower profile and the ability
for its XRF-based system to carry out accurate
readings in the wetter conditions found in many
underground operations.
Both units are due to start trials in the June
quarter.
Also moving on is the company’s plans to
expand into the spectral sensing space.
MineSense previously declared it was looking
into applying both multi-spectral imaging (MSI)
and hyper-spectral imaging (HSI) sensors on its
BeltSense and ShovelSense solutions, and More
said the company is now further advanced in this
pursuit.
46 International Mining | MARCH 2023
“Both of those technologies will be installed
on our BeltSense units at Copper Mountain this
year – MSI first, followed by HSI,” he said. “We
are also well advanced on a ShovelSense option
using these technologies.”
MSI’s main application would be
differentiating between oxides and sulphides,
whereas HSI analysis could target material
classification elements related to hardness and
mill efficiency, More added.
It is these new sensor developments, on top of
digital advances, that will continue to allow
MineSense to enter new commodity markets and
expand its reach throughout the flowsheet.
Game-changing energy intensity
reductions
With an extensive footprint from the rock face all
the way through to tailings, it was only a matter
of time before the Weir Group decided to enter
the ore sorting game.
Having recently incorporated Weir Motion
Metrics into the mix – now within the Weir ESCO
division – it is embarking on a project that could
have positive ramifications throughout the
group’s wider offering.
Weir Motion Metrics is a developer of AI and
3D rugged machine vision technology. Its smart,
rugged cameras monitor and provide data on
equipment performance, faults, payloads and
rock fragmentation (read: PSD). This data is then
analysed using embedded and cloud-based AI to
provide real-time feedback to the mining
operation.
Initially developed for ground engaging tool
applications, these technologies have recently
been extended into a suite of products and
solutions that can be applied from drill and blast
through to primary processing. Weir Motion
Metrics has, in the process, built up an
impressive customer base and income stream.
Weir has outlined a £500 million-plus ($604
million-plus) emerging digital market opportunity
for the entity, with much of this hinged on rugged
machine vision technology, its sophisticated
digital platform and the ability to add ore sensing
to its offering.
This became clear at the company’s recent
Capital Markets Day during a presentation from
Chris Carpenter, VP of Technology for Weir ESCO.
At this event, Carpenter said the company was
combining Weir Motion Metrics’ PSD capability
with ore characterisation technology to explore
high-value opportunities for its clients.
“Ore characterisation technology, which is
underpinned by sophisticated sensing systems,
captures critical data on properties and
composition of rock, including rock hardness and
mineral and moisture content,” he said. “When
coupled with Weir Motion Metrics fragmentation
analysis technology, it has the potential to be a
The Weir Motion Metrics AI and 3D rugged
machine vision technology platform could
expand into the spectral space if the latest
copper mine trial tied to material classification
is a success
game changer, giving miners a full picture of the
size and characteristics of rocks.”
Carpenter said the AI capability and digital
infrastructure that came with the acquisition of
Weir Motion Metrics – developed based on its
rugged vision systems in both mobile and fixed
applications – is proving incredibly important in
furthering its ore characterisation work
“Being able to pick up the data is one thing
but being able to transport that data to the right
people in a secure, accurate and timely manner is
something different altogether,” he told IM.
With a portfolio that includes LoaderMetrics™,
BeltMetrics™, TruckMetrics™ and
CrusherMetrics™, Weir Motion Metrics and the
Weir ESCO R&D team had several potential
applications to start its ore characterisation
journey with.
The company has settled on a BeltMetrics
installation for its first trial at a copper mine, with
Carpenter confirming the sensing solution under
the microscope is currently positioned above a
conveyor situated directly after the crusher in the
flowsheet.
Weir Motion Metrics has also chosen to
incorporate HSI into its PSD mix for this project.
Carpenter explained: “When you think about
ore characterisation, we are just moving from a
visual spectrum base with Weir Motion Metrics
vision-based systems to the expanded light
spectrum for gathering data and making
decisions. This is all being built on the
established digital platform the company has.”
Safety, scalability and flexibility were three
factors taken into account with the HSI decision,
but Carpenter is also aware of the potential
limitations in using such technology.
Mines will need to be willing to make some
changes and invest in alternative infrastructure to
leverage the full value of the solution the
company is putting forward, with Carpenter
ORE SORTING.qxp_proof 02/03/2023 13:25 Page 10

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saying collaboration will prove essential. “The driver for this has really been to gold, to platinum group metals, to copper.
The initial collaboration with the trial mine site sustainability and energy reduction. It is all The majority of these are in the cement sector,
on this ore analysis project looks to be extensive, about reducing the energy intensity associated but Jonathan Dutton, Sales Specialist for the
stretching from the back end of December 2022 with processing ore.” company, believes there are plenty of
throughout 2023. opportunities to deploy the conveyor belt-based
“Throughout the year, we will have the The power of NIR solution across the mining space.
opportunity to make enhancements; starting out SpectraFlow Analytics, a company with links to The Crossbelt Analyzer hardware the company
with an initial system that is upgraded,” ABB, is looking to leverage NIR sensor-based has at its disposal sees eight, 50 W halogen
Carpenter said of the trial. “By the end of the technology to make a difference in the mining lamps emit energy onto the conveyor belt, with
year, we should have high confidence of having sector. an FTIR (fourier transform infrared)-based
something ready to commercialise. It could also SpectraFlow was incorporated as an spectrometer absorbing the energy channelled
be that we have other trials running concurrently independent company back in 2013 following a back from the material to create spectra for
with this one to extend the learnings.” management buyout of the NIR Online analyser material analysis.
The two primary key performance indicators technology from ABB. ABB started development To this point, NIR hasn’t typically been
for the trial surround accuracy and speed, with of an NIR Crossbelt Analyzer all the way back in associated with bulk sorting – instead being
Carpenter saying the company is targeting to at 2006 as an alternative to PGNAA-based solutions leveraged in particle sorting applications – but
least meet the metrics competing material in the cement sector. Dutton is certain this will soon change.
classification technologies have been promoting The company now has more than 75 orders “We are a surface-based technique, but as
over recent years. under its belt, ranging from cement, to iron ore, long as the elements can absorb energy and are
“In both cases, we are well equipped to
measure both and – in the initial phase – we are
performing well,” Carpenter said.
A sensor above a conveyor belt able to provide
ore characterisation data is step one. Step two
will most likely involve leveraging this data to
provide insights as well as initiate downstream
actions.
Then, there is the potential to equip these
sensors for the pit on an excavator or wheel
loader – which introduces many additional
challenges both Weir Motion Metrics and ESCO
are aware of.
“What is exciting for us is that – as may be
obvious – the further upstream you can make
some good decisions, the more energy you can
save downstream,” Carpenter said. “As you get
into some of the other processing elements in
the plant, there are sustainability benefits to be
had – a more efficient use of reagents to liberate
the elements, a more efficient grinding setup The Crossbelt Analyzer hardware SpectraFlow Analytics has at its disposal sees eight, 50 W halogen
based on ore characteristics, a reduction in water lamps emit energy onto the conveyor belt, with an FTIR-based spectrometer absorbing the energy
use, etc. channelled back from the material to create spectra for material analysis

MARCH 2023 | International Mining 47

ORE SORTING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:16 Page 11
ORE SORTING
well represented at this surface level, we can
measure what is coming back at great speed and
with great accuracy,” he told IM.
Most bulk sorting exercises start with an
assessment of grade-based information coming
off the sensor or sensors being applied to the
material in question. Following this analysis, an
assessment of whether the material is deemed
ore or waste is made.
SpectraFlow is looking to take a different
route.
“We have found the most power in NIR is its
ability to measure waste minerals,” Dutton said.
“This is where we differ from all the other
solutions on the market.
“By measuring both your waste minerals and
your ore-containing minerals through lithological
analysis, you have a full suite of minerals. This
allows you to not only identify and characterise
rock type with the analyser, but also make an
assessment of the grade of that material based
on the ratio of ore-containing rock types and
waste-containing rock types.”
Dutton has convinced two operations – one in
copper and one in the PGM space – to carry out
analysis based on this strategy.
“In the platinum environment, we are sorting
based on a suite of minerals they use for
modelling flotation,” he explained. “You have
various minerals that are key for that flotation
process, and we can provide the data to place
values on that graph to allow a decision to be
made based on where it falls on the X/Y axis.
“The operation can then take a view on how it
may perform in flotation based on the
characteristics and its in-house grade recovery
model.”
SpectraFlow is arguably ahead of some of its
rivals in taking such a ‘whole of flowsheet’ and
lithological approach to ore sorting, yet it is of
similar thinking to others in the bulk sorting
space when it comes to where the analysis
should happen.
“You want to sort material early in a bulk
sorting application,” Dutton said. “This should
be as close to the primary crusher as possible.”
The company is also working on projects
where its system could be used on mobile
conveyors situated in the pit, where
heterogeneity could be even higher. An overhead
gantry-type system is another in-pit option, too,
while SpectraFlow has previously installed a unit
on an MMD surge loader in a “waterfall-type”
application, according to Dutton.
“All you need for our solution to work is a steel
frame and some kind of cover for the analyser to
protect it from stray light,” he said. “We don’t
require a lot of energy – we are only powering
halogen lamps – so there are plenty of options
here.”
Dutton is excited by developments within the
48 International Mining | MARCH 2023
bulk ore sorting space and applying NIR on more
projects in the future, knowing its success could
change the supply dynamic in many
commodities.
“If bulk ore sorting is taken into account for
the exploration and discovery of new deposits
that would be significant,” he said. “Should
infrastructure and mines be built around such
analysis, you could start opening up a whole
range of orebodies that weren’t previously viable.
“This requires a massive mentality shift and
some risk taking, but now – with commodity
demand rising – is the right time to make this
move.”
Rados promotes the best of both
Rados says it is the only pre-concentration
technology company able to provide the full suite
of sorting solutions, including bulk sorting,
particle sorting and integrated sorting.
All of the company’s sorting solutions
incorporate Rados XRF+, a highly differentiated
and enhanced proprietary XRF technology that
integrates sophisticated software and
algorithms, advance AI and machine-learning
functionality, together with proprietary hardware,
“enabling delivery of strong sorting value
propositions for clients”, it says.
In the bulk sorting field, Rados is collaborating
with MMD Group, a supplier of proprietary
materials handling equipment to the mining
industry, for the provision of bulk sorting
solutions.
Rados is also collaborating with Stark
Resources for the provision of what it says is
unique particle sorting solutions. Stark is a
leader in sensor-based sorting and integrating
the technology into upstream and downstream
beneficiation processes.
“These collaborations have an international
footprint, with the capability and capacity to
facilitate accelerated market penetration for
Rados XRF+ sorting solutions, on a worldwide
Example of an MMD Rados Bulk Sorting Plant
basis,” the company said, adding that provision
of these solutions is underpinned by
performance and cost warranties to mitigate
client risk.
At the very start of the mining process, Rados
can help mining companies with their plans to
factor ore sorting into the equation.
Leveraging the Rados XRF+ drill core analyser
(DCA), Rados says it can fast-track the evaluation
of the amenability of the client’s orebody to
sorting. At the same time, it can provide the
associated sorting value proposition, helping
mitigate the risks in decision making and
ultimate implementation of the XRF+ sorting
solution.
The DCA is a small and highly mobile unit, and
undertakes on-site, direct (no handling or
manipulation of the drill core), non-destructive
analysis of drill cores in existing trays. It provides
real time, accurate elemental grade data from a
highly representative ore sample to facilitate the
aforementioned sorting amenability and value
proposition evaluation.
The DCA unit utilises a low energy X-ray
generator, and is simple and safe to operate,
according to the company.
The MMD Rados collaboration in bulk sorting
enables the provision of strongly differentiated
bulk sorting solutions to clients on a worldwide
basis, according to Rados. It has two components
for brownfield operations, being the Rados XRF+
conveyor analyser and housing, and the MMD
actuation system, both installed on the feed
conveyor. For greenfield operations, the MMD
Sizer and Feeder module can also be provided.
“The unique ability of the Rados XRF+ analyser
to accurately measure ore grade in less than 10
second intervals, complemented by the unique
ability of the MMD actuation system to actuate in
less than 10 second intervals, ensures the
outcome of optimal sorting value propositions for
ORE SORTING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:16 Page 12
clients,” Rados says.
The MMD actuation system, premised on the
MMD high speed, multi-product diverter, can
separate the ore stream into multiple products,
enabling production of high-grade, low-grade
and near-grade material to facilitate integrated
sorting options.
The MMD Rados bulk sorter has the ability to
process a wide PSD range of feed ore and
different ore types, requiring only an algorithm
change that can be conducted remotely and
instantaneously. In addition, the automated
analyser calibration process can be carried out
without stopping production.
Chris Pearson, Business Development Director
for MMD, said: “The MMD Rados bulk sorting
system not only complements our materials
handling portfolio and green mining solutions
ethos, but will also offer new and existing clients
a streamlined process that cuts waste and
improves mining sustainability and productivity.”
In particle sorting, the Stark Rados
collaboration focuses on the provision of XRF+
particle sorting solutions where the particular
sorting application is unique to the functionality
of the Rados XRF+ particle sorter, Rados says.
“The complementary Stark project
management and integration offering enables
the provision of these unique particle sorting
solutions in a turnkey project package, including
feed material preparation, thereby mitigating the
client project execution risk profile,” Rados
explains.
The Rados XRF+ particle sorter, Rados says,
provides an accurate and consistent particle-by-
particle sort, due to:
n The unique manner in which the Rados XRF+
analyser conducts direct primary analysis of
metals or markers;
n Low detection limits (eg Ca to Fe more than
1,000 parts per million (ppm), Co to Sn more
than 100 ppm, and Sb to U more than 80
ppm); and
n A mechanical actuation system that facilitates
the particle-by-particle sort for a wide PSD
range (20-150 mm).
Geoffrey Madderson, CEO of Stark Resources,
says the Rados XRF+ sorting applications the
collaboration will initially focus on include:
n Separation of Mn and Fe, with Mn/Fe ratio
control, at a coarse particle size up to 150
mm. This offering cannot be achieved by
other technologies at a coarse size, due to
the limited heterogeneity in the sensor
responses, according to Madderson;
n Separation of precious metals (PGMs, Au, Ag)
which have low-grade metal proxies (ie Cu,
Pb, As, Zr and Sb grades that are less than
500 ppm);
n Separation of different rock types where the
proxy metals exist but are too low grade to
provide significant density or NIR variation
(eg separation of spodumene from hiddenite
and kunzite, and separation of copper oxides
and sulphides);
n Specific targeting of copper and cobalt
(Central Africa), and copper and molybdenum
(South America) to maximise upgrade and
recovery;
n Polymetallic ores such as silver, copper, lead
and zinc found in Mexico, South America,
Canada, Australia, Europe and the Middle
East, for rejection of low-grade base metals
and high-density waste, along with barren
waste;
n Sorting of rare earth elements (La, Ce and
Nd) with low detection limits of more than
100 ppm, for rejection of barren waste and
ore that is below the cut-off grade for the
concentrator;
n Client requirement for a high upgrade
scenario to facilitate delivery of a product for
offtake without the need for further
downstream beneficiation. Copper and
lead/zinc ores are particularly amenable to
this approach, according to Madderson; and
n Exploitation of uneconomic stockpiles
containing near-grade material, and bulk ore
sorting discard dumps which contain
significant grade variation on a particle scale.
The Rados integrated sorting solution
combines the MMD Rados bulk sorting solution
and the Stark Rados particle sorting solution to
facilitate optimisation of throughput, upgrade
and recoveries, as well as the best value
proposition for clients, Rados says.
“Use of the same XRF+ sorting technology for
the bulk and particle sorting solutions enables
seamless integration of the two solutions,
leveraging the high throughput capacity of bulk
sorting (rougher sort) with the superior accuracy
and recovery of particle sorting (scavenger or
cleaner sort), significantly reducing the cost per
tonne of ore processed, while delivering
improved overall efficiencies,” it concluded.
ORE SORTING
Magnetic minerals separated on a laboratory-
scale WHIMS
Consulting on WHIMS
Preconcentration or ore sorting via magnetic
separation means has been part and parcel of
the mining industry for decades, with Bunting
being one provider of Wet High Intensity
Magnetic Separators (WHIMS) to the mining
sector
A leading global consultancy for mining and
mineral processing recently acquired a
laboratory-scale WHIMS from Bunting, looking to
apply it in its material test facility located in
Cornwall, United Kingdom.
The laboratory-scale WHIMS is part of
Bunting’s range of small-scale high-intensity
magnetic separators.
Bunting, which has two manufacturing
facilities in the UK, is a leading designer and
manufacturer of industrial and high-intensity
magnetic separators, electrostatic separators
and metal detectors for the mining and mineral
processing industry.
“Controlled material tests on laboratory-scale
high-intensity magnetic separators provide vital
data on the mineralogy of an ore or deposit,” the
company explained. “The electromagnetic
laboratory-scale WHIMS removes fine magnetics
and para-magnetics from mineral slurries.
Handling minerals in a slurry or suspension is
preferable for many processors, especially when
beneficiation involves wet processing.
“Additionally, a wet process often produces a
better separation for very fine materials.”
The laboratory-scale WHIMS features two
electromagnetic copper coils mounted either side
of a canister housing a matrix, which captures
magnetically susceptible particles.
The electromagnetic coils project a manually
controlled magnetic field of between 0-20,000
gauss into the open gap of the canister housing
the matrix. The level of magnetic field strength in
the open gap is set in accordance with the
MARCH 2023 | International Mining 49
ORE SORTING.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:16 Page 13
ORE SORTING
separation objective and magnetic susceptibility
of the minerals being processed.
The magnetic field is intensified on the points
of the matrix and there are various designs of
matrix to suit different minerals applications and
particle size ranges (down to <2 μ).
In operation, an initial evaluation of the test
material determines the type of matrix and the
level of magnetic field required to meet the
customers objectives. The magnetic field of the
laboratory WHIMS is calibrated using the
calibration graph (provided with each laboratory
WHIMS). The graph shows the relative magnetic
field (in gauss) at different current levels (in
amps) with and without the matrix. The requisite
level of amps to project the required magnetic
field is set on the control panel. As the magnetic
field rises, the increased magnetic field strength
and gradient enables the capture of weaker and
para magnetic minerals.
Once the matrix and magnetic field test
parameters are set, the laboratory WHIMS is
activated with material gravity fed in a 15-20%
w/w suspension through the central matrix. Any
residual material in the feed container is washed
out into the matrix using a known volume of
wash water.
The non-magnetic minerals and the water flow
through the matrix are collected in a receptacle
underneath. Magnetic particles are held in the
matrix by the magnetic field. To remove a small
proportion of non-magnetics potentially
entrapped in the matrix, water is flushed through
with the magnetic field still on.
The non-magnetic receptacle is then replaced
for collection of the magnetics fraction. The
magnetic field is turned off, which releases the
magnetically trapped particles. The matrix is
once again flushed through several times with
water to ensure the matrix is empty. Commonly,
both samples are then dried before being
analysed.
The laboratory-scale WHIMS is an extremely
versatile high intensity magnetic separator used
globally in mineral processing.
Neil Rowson, Bunting’s Laboratory Manager,
said: “The need to process increasingly difficult
deposits and recycle materials previously classed
as ‘waste’ is driving a demand for high-intensity
magnetic separation. Bunting already conducts
extensive test work for the consultancy at our
Customer Experience Centre in Redditch, but with
an increasing number of projects the consultant
wanted to expand their own test capabilities.”
Quantifying value in each blast
design
In recent years, Orica has branched out of its
explosives and blasting niche and created an
Orebody Intelligence business that covers major
parts of the mining flowsheet.
50 International Mining | MARCH 2023
Just this year, it made inroads into the material
classification space through the development of
its OREPro™ 3D Predict modelling software.
In announcing the launch, Orica said it was
opening the door to “iterative designs and the
quantification of value in each blast design”.
Over 30 years of research and development,
coupled with significant cloud-based computing
power, have led to the creation of OREPro 3D
Predict software, which is at its heart a blast
movement simulator and grade control polygon
optimiser. The solution leverages the power of
Orica’s original OREPro 3D modelling expertise
with the addition of the enhanced predictive
SmartVector™ technology.
Using readily available mine data as inputs,
including blast designs and in-situ block models,
physics-based algorithms predict movement
dynamics throughout the entire blast volume to
create a “swelled post-blast grade control block
model”. The polygon optimisation tools will then
suggest delineations that can help achieve the
highest value possible, according to Orica.
Orica Vice President Digital Solutions,
Rajkumar Mathiravedu, said: “With OREPro 3D
Predict, our customers can now predict blast
results, allowing blast designers to rapidly create
blasts that increase value in near real time
instead of waiting until the blast is excavated to
understand the impacts.”
Understanding where the rock mass has
moved during the blast is critical to separating
ore and waste effectively and creating
downstream efficiencies in the mining process,
as many of the ore sorting vendors contacted for
this article know. OREPro 3D Predict takes this a
step further by simulating post-blast topography
when it cannot be surveyed safely, handling
complex boundary conditions with ease and
providing enhanced transparency by animating
the entire predicted movement, Orica said.
OREPro 3D Predict, the company says, further
enhances Orica’s Digital Solutions offering by
Understanding where the rock mass has moved
during the blast is critical to separating ore and
waste effectively and creating downstream
efficiencies in the mining process, and that is
where Orica’s OrePro 3D Predict can help
allowing customers to plan effectively and track
material through complex interactions with the
surrounding geology.
This product is a cornerstone of iterative
optimisation and complements the reactive
software OREPro 3D, creating value for
customers through a complete grade control
workflow offering, it added.
Mathiravedu told IM that OREPro 3D Predict
includes many QA/QC checks to ensure the data
entered into the software is valid, while the
future integration of Orica’s BlastIQ™ platform –
and products like SHOTPlus™ and FRAGTrack –
with the OREPro suite of software provides a
seamless link between the data gathered and
data entered. This could see blast designs
created in SHOTPlus and simulated in OREPro 3D
Predict.
Mathiravedu explained: “FRAGTrack collects
post-blast data that informs users of the blast’s
performance, allowing them to better understand
the blast impact. BlastIQ then stores the blast
information in the cloud, enabling digital
management of the overall drill and blast
operations.”
Orica works with its customers to increase the
accuracy of the models and inputs, thereby
increasing the accuracy of the outputs without
the need for hardware or walking on muckpiles.
Mathiravedu said: “Additionally, advice is
sometimes provided on ways to better use the in-
situ orebody – from value-based routing and
decision tree logic to mining directions and
methods. Upstream, Orica Digital Solutions has
invested heavily in orebody intelligence, which
helps mines to better define the in-situ
properties of their rock mass, leading to higher-
quality block models.” IM
UTILITY VEHICLES.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:47 Page 1
Utility and useability
From the latest battery driven machines to the
latest in diverse machine types for specific
applications, Paul Moore reviews new innovations
in the utility sector
attery electric is forging ahead in utility
B
machines as well as in primary load and
haul plus drilling equipment. In a first-of-
its-kind initiative in the Indian mining sector,
Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL), a Vedanta group
company, recently introduced a Normet Agitator
SmartDrive® EV, into its underground mining
operations. The company will soon expand its
BEV fleet with Normet’s Explosive Charger
(CHARMEC MC 605 V SD) and Concrete Sprayer
(SPRAYMEC MF 050 VC SD).
Hindustan Zinc is the first company among its
peers to join the EV revolution, steadily switching
to electric vehicles for its underground
operations. The company has set a target of
replacing or converting all diesel-run 900-odd
mining vehicles into battery operated ones over
the next five years and has earmarked an
investment of over $1 billion for the same period.
Hindustan Zinc, together with Finnish
technology company Normet Group Oy, has
introduced battery-powered service equipment
and utility vehicles into underground mining to
help decarbonise and improve environmental
sustainability in the mining industry. Each of the
Normet SmartDrive EVs are based on a modular
Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) architecture that is
designed to optimise energy consumption and
performance in underground mining, including
tunnelling applications.
The SmartDrive EVs enable higher productivity,
lower operating costs, and, most importantly,
zero emissions. The BEVs have been inducted at
the company’s Sindesar Khurd (SK) mine which is
a world class silver-rich zinc mine in Rajasthan
with state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities and
best-in-class mechanisation.
Commenting on the induction of the EVs, Arun
Misra, CEO, Hindustan Zinc, said: “Our aim at
Hindustan Zinc is to revolutionise underground
mining, boost productivity, raise underground
safety standards, and provide sustainable
operations solutions. Thanks to our unwavering
commitment to environmentally sustainable
business and net zero emissions, we’ve always
focused on innovative and environmentally
friendly solutions. I believe the introduction of
battery-electric vehicles in Hindustan Zinc’s
underground mining operations will revolutionise
the sector and mark a great step forward for
India in terms of responsible mining.”
Speaking on the occasion, Subhasis Mohanty,
Managing Director, Normet India, said: “We are
pleased to partner with Hindustan Zinc to solidify
our ESG commitment, by bringing into reality the
first of our fleet of Normet SmartDrive BEVs in
HZL underground mines. Our association has
been valuable to drive common goals on
sustainability and decarbonisation in the Indian
mining sector, driving transformation in the
underground space and building long-term value
for all our stakeholders.”
Hindustan Zinc says it will gain considerable
benefits from the adoption of Normet SmartDrive
EVs, including significant HSD savings and
vehicle maintenance. These SmartDrive electric
vehicles are powered by 90 kWh lithium-ion
batteries and come equipped with myriad
advanced technologies such as energy
recuperation technology, hydraulic dual-circuit
oil-immersed brakes to provide additional
braking power, etc. The vehicles also have the
advantage of zero-emission in the operating
environments, considerable noise and vibration
reduction associated with equipment. In addition
to that, BEVs comes with high-efficiency driveline
and consumes less kWh/km compared to diesel
ones.
Hindustan Zinc says it is a pioneer in the
sector, continually deploying transformational
UTILITY VEHICLES
Normet SmartDrive unit at HZL's Sindesar Khurd
– a BEV first for India
and sustainable technologies in pursuit of
sustainable mining. The introduction of the EVs
serves as yet another decisive step for its
sustainable and smart operations goals.
Hindustan Zinc’s abiding commitment to
sustainability and environmental-friendly
solutions, then, puts it on the path to achieve its
Sustainable Development Goal (SGD) of
achieving a 0.5 Mt CO2e reduction by 2025.
Aaro Cantell, Chairman of Normet Group and
Ed Santamaria, President & CEO along with
Normet India MD Subhasis Mohanty also recently
inaugurated a new Normet Centre of Excellence
in Jaipur, Rajasthan in India on January 25, 2023.
The Centre of Excellence (CoE) is a Global
Technology & Production Hub, and will be home
to an equipment production facility, service and
rebuild centre, paint shops, R&D centre, proto
shop, test track and technology training centre
for operations and maintenance serving markets
& customers across the world.
The facility covers around 10 acres including a
150,000 sq ft factory and amenities area and a
23,000 sq ft office area. It is located in Mahindra
World City in the Domestic Tariff Area Phase II.
The CoE is the largest greenfield project of its
kind for Normet and now represents its second
largest global manufacturing footprint, after the
home production hub at Iisalmi in Finland, with
the intent to cater to both domestic & global
markets.
GHH’s utility excellence worldwide
GHH Group has a wide range of utility vehicles as
part of their offering due to its strong
partnerships with companies like Titan, in Turkey,
and UVB, in Botswana.
MARCH 2023 | International Mining 51
UTILITY VEHICLES.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:47 Page 2
UTILITY VEHICLES
Utility vehicles are critical in any mining
operation and GHH told IM it is able to support
everything from low profile to narrow vein to mid
seam mass mining with various types of utility
equipment from light duty vehicles to general
transporters, scissor lifts, ANFO chargers,
personnel carriers, shotcrete and concrete
mixers, fuel and lube bowsers, light duty vehicles
and many more.
When it comes to low profile machines, UVB in
Botswana, in partnership with GHH, has recently
launched the UV60D, a 6 t payload, cassette
carrier utility vehicle. “Following on from the
success of the UV40D and UV80D, the mid-size
utility vehicle has a low height of 1,405 mm with
good ground clearance of 310 mm, making it a
great support vehicle for low profile mining
operations.”
The UV60D has excellent manoeuvrability with
an ergonomic ROPS, FOPS safety canopy with
good visibility, camera systems and safety
interlocks with an optional enclosed cabin with
heating and air conditioning. It also has various
cassette options available including general
purpose, ANFO explosives, diesel, lube, multi-
purpose, maintenance, scissor lift, bowser,
engine oil and hydraulic oil as well as
customisable cassettes. “With southern Africa
being the global hub for low profile mining, the
location of UVB and GHHMM puts us at the
forefront of being able to develop the most fit-
for-purpose utility vehicles by partnering with
customers and developing products tailored for
specific operations.”
Another innovative UVB product is the Road
Preparation Vehicle (RPV), which can be used as
a mechanical scaler, rock breaker and road
preparation vehicle. “Customers are finding this
especially interesting since it can be a
completely new vehicle or a previously, no longer
utilised LHD, can be used as a base vehicle for a
conversion with the relevant boom. The end user
can buy a complete new unit or make use of their
‘end of life’ loaders that can be adapted to accept
the boom and related mechanisms. This unit is
fitted with a powerful and adjustable Montabert
hydraulic hammer, a scaling GET tool included as
standard and with a robust grader type pusher
52 International Mining | MARCH 2023
Left: The MUV5 light duty service support and supervisor vehicle from GHH partner
Titan. Below: The Titan BKT scaler
blade that can be
adjusted hydraulically
from the operators’ cabin to assist with preparing
roadways.”
An additional development by the UVB team
from Botswana, in partnership with the GHHMM
team in RSA, is a low profile personnel carrier
designed and manufactured for the low profile
PGM and chrome mines in southern Africa. The
MV-UT19P is a rigid frame personnel carrier that
can carry up to 19 passengers including the
driver. The vehicle has a well proven drive train
based on the MV-U40D range of utility vehicles.
“The vehicle is equipped with folding seats
which can be removed, allowing this vehicle to
perform in multiple roles other than just
transporting personnel. The newer busses are
now fitted with an Electromagnetic Driveline
Retarder, controlled by the driver and uses a
lever switch on the dashboard to select the rate
of retardation. This innovation will dramatically
increase safety and reduce Service Brake wear
on those vehicles that often need to negotiate
steep declines with heavy payloads.”
From an ergonomic perspective the Minebus
has t-back seats, with individual lap straps or
optional 3 point seat belts, allowing for
passengers to sit without having to remove their
rescue packs or cap lamp battery. There is also
vehicle suspension allowing for a comfortable
ride as well as an integrated silencer to ensure
maximum noise reduction for the passengers.
The fitted cameras allow for increased visibility
for the operator.
A recent development, from GHH’s partner in
Turkey, Titan Ltd, is the MUV5, a light duty
service support and supervisor vehicle. A number
of them are already successfully running in
countries around the world. The MUV5
underground multipurpose machine can be
equipped with auxiliary equipment necessary for
underground operations like a compressor driven
from the diesel engine, welding plant, electric
winch, and manipulation crane with load capacity
up to 1,000 kg, high pressure washer, boxes for
hand instruments as well as a scissor lift
platform.
“The cabin of MUV5 was developed and
certified according to standards ROPS/FOPS
level 2. Additional safety systems can also be
fitted according to
customer
requirements like
underrun protection
system, system for control
of gas (mine atmosphere) video registration
system etc. Additionally, the machine is
equipment for data collection and can support
digital analytics solutions. The MUV also has a
number of variants like personnel carriers and
scissor lift platforms. These variants offer the
functionality of their respective full-size
counterparts in our fleet in a more compact form,
for operations requiring a faster response time or
don’t require the full capacity of our 24-person
personnel carrier or the BMP 2X3 is more cost
effective.”
Another recent development from Titan is a
scaler, the BKT, suitable for underground use.
“This scaler will speed up the rock clearing
operations with top level safety, where loose or
fractred rock formations pose operational and
safety risks. The BKT Scaler will also be used in
refining and flattening the blast face in
underground mines, decreasing the downtime
between sequential blasts while keeping the
operator safe within its Level 2 ROPS/FOPS
certified cabin.”
In the constant drive to keep products up to
date with the latest customer requirements,
standards and regulations and safety standards
GHH says it is constantly working on improving
designs. For example the design of the cable
pusher attachment for the ANFO charger
machines has recently been improved and it now
provides better ground clearance and takes up
less space.
The large design team, supporting the utility
vehicle product development it says allows the
products to be able to satisfy exact customer
needs with technical efficiency, and allows it to
offer the machines and such solutions at
relatively low cost, thanks to operational
efficiency. “The utility vehicle machines also have
very competitive lead times, now that Titan Ltd
have invested in new manufacturing tools and
machinery, such as automated welding robots,
cutting down crucial production time significantly
and allowing for far better quality control and
delivery throughput.”
Considering the start-up investments in utility
vehicles, GHH argues that its units are very
competitive, “but where we pride ourselves on
differentiating from the rest is the excellent
JH Fletcher(REV)_Mar2023 PROOF.qxp_Layout 1 23/02/2023 14:48 Page 1

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UTILITY VEHICLES.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:48 Page 3
UTILITY VEHICLES
aftersales support. When a GHH utility vehicle is
sold, a customer can be sure that spare parts and
technical support will be available for the lifetime
of the machine. Utility vehicles from both our
UVB and Titan partners come with the
opportunity to have mini- or complete rebuilds
allowing them to have extended life for minimal
capital investment.”
Paus and the latest on Scale Sense
An innovation project between RWTH Aachen
University’s Institute for Advanced Mining
Technologies (AMT) and mining machine
manufacturer Hermann Paus Maschinenfabrik
GmbH known as ScaleSense was recently
completed, which was focused on in-situ
detection of loose rock during the scaling
process. The approach was successfully tested in
the Clara underground fluorspar and barytes
mine of Sachtleben Bergbau GmbH & Co KG and
the project results presented at Bauma 2022 in
Munich in October, where IM met with Alexandra
Radl, AMT Research Assistant & Franz-Josef Paus,
Hermann Paus Maschinenfabrik GmbH President
& Owner, to discuss the project.
Radl stated: “Scaling is vital both as part of
the drill and blast cycle but also for drift
maintenance, to remove loose rock in a
controlled manner to help create a safer working
environment. But to remove it you first have to
detect it. For a miner that is quite difficult – he or
she looks for cracks and weak points to identify
an area where the rock is potentially loose – they
are using their best judgement but it is highly
subjective. If they are very experienced in using
mechanised scaling then they can still be effective
but it remains difficult and still generally results
in either too much or too little scaling.”
The idea behind ScaleSense Radl says was to
develop an operator support system to detect
loose rock. It uses two sensor technologies –
Long Wave Infrared Thermography (LWIR) and
Acoustic Emission Technology (AE). Using two
technologies makes for a more robust sensor
solution in case of failure of one system, with
higher reliability and a more complete detection
of loose rock. LWIR is a technique to detect
thermal radiation – if there is loose rock, the heat
flow within the rockmass is interrupted. The
piece of rock is therefore more sensitive to the air
temperature than the solid rock and can be
detected. AE looks at transient elastic waves
generated in materials due to rapid release of
strain energy for example due to impacts. Loose
rock can therefore be detected indirectly based
on the behaviour of the scaler.
The LWIR sensor results are enhanced in near
real time using image processing and presented
to the operator as highlighted areas which they
can then begin scaling. In the case of AE a traffic
light system is used to indicate if they should
54 International Mining | MARCH 2023
Paus scaler equipped with ScaleSense
technology at Bauma 2022 in Munich
continue to scale that area or if they should move
on to a new area.
At the Clara mine, two underground tests were
carried out. “These have shown that the system
works well and was successful as a proof of
concept. They also showed that there are a lot of
factors that have an impact on the sensor
detection – for AE it might be the rockmass or the
behaviour of the machine itself; for LWIR there is
an effect from the environmental conditions. So
overall we were able to get real mine experience
to make the system more effective and help us
when considering the future commercialisation
roadmap.”
The next step is a follow up real mine test
program and a key attribute is that it is a
retrofittable technology. FJ-Paus commented:
“We know it is working now, and we are now
talking to potential trial customers. The system
can be retrofitted to existing scalers we have
operating so actioning this will be relatively easy.
We just have to choose the right customer and
application to maximise the value of the data we
will be getting from it. So it also needs to be a
customer that is willing to share the data with us.
The more experience and real mine data the
system gets, the more accurate it will become
using machine learning.”
Ultimately the aim Radl and Paus said was for
it to be available as a commercial option on Paus
scalers in 2023/2024. FJ-Paus: “Of course our
scalers will still function as before but there will
be this option to enhance that with this operator
assist technology, giving the operator more
guidance on where they should scale
but also more feedback as they
progress the scaling task. We are also
looking eventually to be able to
produce a final scaling map for a
particular area that has been scaled
to show that it has been done
successfully.”
There is also a sustainability
element to ScaleSense. Operators
will now only scale areas that need
scaling therefore you are not wasting
fuel and power and time in
unnecessary scaling work. Also it
avoids any potential damage to the
roof from overscaling. ScaleSense can
also be seen as a small but significant
first step in the automation of
mechanised scaling.
Elphinstone’s robust WR810
platform
Burnie, Tasmania-based Elphinstone
introduced the highly configurable
WR810 (10 t) underground base platform to the
mining sector in 2019. This unit is engineered to
withstand the rigours of the harsh underground
hard-rock environment. One of the biggest
challenges with any new product is seeding it
into a mine to enable the customer to evaluate
the benefits gained by their operation. But
Elphinstone told IM that it took things to another
level with the WR810, offering the machines to
customers in Australia to trial and test the results
for themselves. This approach proved successful,
resulting in machine sales and a marked increase
in Elphinstone’s global machine footprint.
Each machine is integrated with a proven
Caterpillar powertrain and reinforced structurally
with a larger, more robust chassis. “If you were
to compare our machines to others in the market,
our larger, more robust chassis provides greater
structural reliability. Combine this with a highly
configurable platform with component
commonality means simplified maintenance, less
parts stocking and a lower cost of ownership."
Elphinstone Global Sales and Marketing Manager
Tim Mitchell said.
Component commonality across all platforms
and applications provides a high level of
reliability and durability. When combined with
exceptional parts availability through the
worldwide Caterpillar dealer network, it all adds
up to contribute to a reduction in the total cost of
ownership. “Each machine is designed and
manufactured to be safe, reliable, productive,
ergonomic, and easy to service, maintain and re-
build,” Mitchell said.
Integrated into the WR810 operator station is a
ROPS/FOPS – a roll-over protective structure and
falling object protective structure for greater
UTILITY VEHICLES.qxp_proof 02/03/2023 13:27 Page 4
Elphinstone's WR810 platform has moved up a
level with options and innovations - battery
electric versions are next on the horizon
protection. The operator cabin comfortably seats
three people, allowing an entire crew to travel
together rather than deploying an additional light
vehicle for personnel transport.
For top braking performance on grade, the
WR810 also features an electromagnetic retarder
with electronic speed control. The innovative
electronic design significantly reduces the
retarder’s energy consumption, preserving
electric circuits. The retarder is controlled via an
integrated multi-function joystick controller
located on the operator’s right-side armrest.
The WR810 Water Cannon, a dual-application
machine that washes down ore fines, blasts
material hang-ups, and fights fires. In addition,
the side and rear water sprays suppress haul-
road dust and wash down internal surfaces of
tunnels.
Offering a flexible transport solution, the
WR810 Delivery provides lift-on or lift-off
capability, ideal for moving parts, components,
UTILITY VEHICLES
equipment, and maintenance personnel safely
and securely throughout the mine site.
The WR810 Scissor Lift has a purpose-built
underground elevated platform, ideal for safe
transportation and installation of components
and services into the mine ceiling. Specialising in
transporting smaller batches of concrete to
backfill voids, the WR810 Agitator 6 m3 has
excellent speed on grade, improving improving
cycle times and increasing production. The
WR810 Fuel and Lube provides in-situ top-up
servicing of production machines and equipment
within the mine, reducing servicing time and
traffic on haul routes.
Featuring a large flat deck, the WR810 Flat
Deck has proven itself to be a popular alternative
to the delivery truck (with crane), providing
optimal space for the transport of parts,
components, and equipment. Boasting a
maximum payload of 15,000 kg, the flat deck can
easily accommodate eight standard-size pallets.
Elphinstone is also releasing a new WR810
underground support vehicle at the 2023
Underground Operator’s Conference (UGOP23) in
Brisbane from March 27-29. Offering both Tier 3
and Tier 4 engine arrangements, the new
configuration will be a strong addition to the
existing suite of vehicles, maintaining component
commonality and parts availability across all
applications, adding value to the customer’s
operations.
UTILITY VEHICLES.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 07:49 Page 5

UTILITY VEHICLES

Finally, in January 2022, Elphinstone

announced its intention to develop a suite of
battery-electric vehicles for underground hard-
rock mining to address the increasing
decarbonisation efforts and expectations of its
global customer base. Elphinstone has formed a
development team with a vision to provide a
battery-electric vehicles solution at the forefront
of technology while maintaining its reputation for
high quality, premium and reliable products, well-
positioned and recognised globally in the
underground hard rock mining industry.
The project scope encompasses an end-to-end
research, design, development, testing,
validation, manufacturing and market
commercialisation of an industry-leading battery
electric powertrain integrated into the existing
range of Elphinstone underground support used only for transporting materials. In order to 2021. Together with the delivery of the battery
vehicles. unify the equipment, each manoeuvering monorail, employees from Becker-Warkop
monorail can be modernised by equipping it with conducted training for the mine personnel in the
Volter - a battery monorail evolution operator cabins. Realising the huge potential in field of operation of the delivered machine and,
Becker Mining Systems with its Polish subsidiary battery systems, Becker-Warkop undertook together with the mineworkers, the monorail was
Becker-Warkop has been constantly developing large-scale activities aimed at promoting these installed and put into operation. Since then, the
battery transport systems since 2014. The first type of machines outside Poland. In the first Volter Battery Monorail System has been working
battery locomotives implemented in Polish mines place, one Ukrainian mine became interested in at the mine for over a year and during this time it
were the manoeuvering monorails with a pulling these means of mining transport. In 2021, has completed all the transport tasks set before it.
force of 40 kN and a battery capacity of 190 Ah. representatives of the Ukrainian mine together Becker-Warkop says mine employees
Today, the latest generation battery monorails with employees of Becker-Warkop visited the appreciated the monorail “due to its transport
come with a pulling force of 100 kN and a battery mine in Poland, where the Volter Battery capabilities, and most importantly the absence of
capacity of 277 Ah. Over the course of several Locomotive was presented in operation. exhaust fumes caused by diesel engines. The use
years, Becker-Warkop has also changed the After visiting the mine, the visitors took part in of batteries as a source of energy also reduces
technology of the battery cells used from lead tests of the monorail on the test track at the the negative impact on the working environment
acid to lithium. The company told IM that this headquarters of Becker-Warkop. During the tests, by significantly lowering heat and noise
solution brought significant benefits, consisting the transport capabilities of the machine were generation.” An additional advantage of the
of an increased capacity of the battery without presented - material similar to that used in the battery monorails offered by Becker-Warkop is
increasing its weight. mine (weight and dimensions) was transported the energy recovery system used - “thanks to
Currently, there are 38 battery monorails and the range of the monorail on a single charge this, we can extend the operation time of the
operating in hard coal mines in Poland alone. was also checked. The result of these activities machine, reducing the amount of charging
They are used both for transporting people and was the delivery of the first battery monorail to intervals.”
materials, including manoeuvering monorails the mine located in eastern Ukraine in December In addition there are financial benefits to

Getman’s underground mining tailored telehanders

Getman Corporation’s Telehandlers are now part of the company’s
comprehensive fleet of utility equipment. It states: “With a broad range of
reach and lift capabilities, telehandlers meet the underground mining
sector’s ongoing need for material transport. Telehandlers are flexible,
powerful, and agile, with good visibility and an extendable telescopic
boom. The telehandler series delivers the quality, durability, and utility
expected with the Getman brand, and is backed by a wide-reaching
support and service network that is critical to sustaining productive
underground mining operations.”
It adds that with appropriate engine options and enhancements to
improve operator comfort and efficiency, the telehandler is an appealing
complement to Getman’s fleet of utility and purpose driven products.
There are two main products – the Series 9 and Series 10. The Series 9
has a maximum lift height of 13.5 m and a load capacity of 4,082 kg. It’s boom down of 272 cm and a width also 259 cm. Both machines are
length to the fork frame is 671 cm and the machine height is 251 cm boom equipped with a Tier IV 87 kW (117 hp) Cummins turbo diesel engine with
down with a width of 259 cm. The Series 10 has a maximum lift height of the option of a MSHA/CANMET approved Tier 3 89 kW (120 HP) Deutz
14.2 m, a load capacity of 4,536 kg, length to fork frame of 699 cm; height engine.

56 International Mining | MARCH 2023

UTILITY VEHICLES.qxp_proof 02/03/2023 13:28 Page 6

UTILITY VEHICLES

Scharf's new LEV battery with multi-layered safety

Electric conversions of Toyota Land Cruisers are currently in vogue. Not
least because this base has proven to be very reliable and extremely
robust. But the safety of the installed electrical components is crucial. For
its new Scharf LEV, SMT Scharf GmbH has decided to take a particularly
safe route. Stefan Meyer, Scharf Regional Manager for China/Australia/
Oceania told IM: “After all, the electric Land Cruisers are used primarily in
underground mines. And there – just like in airplanes – the safety of
lithium batteries is of particular concern. Our Scharf engineers have come
up with something very special and put it into practice.” According to

internal investigations by SMT Scharf, it believes there is no battery with

a higher power density and better safety features available on the world
market. The solution is characterised in particular by the fact that it has
seven safety shells, which help to prevent the worst case scenario,
namely a fire underground. The key safety device of SMT's new battery is
the immersion-cooled inside of the battery. All of the battery cells are
constantly immersed in a di-electric fluid and all battery cells are secured
by a vent cap ensuring that this inner pressure of a single battery cell can
go up to a critical level. The Scharf LEV has a 220 km range according to
the NEDC cycle, an optional range extender and two hour, three phase
charging time.

operating machines powered by electricity. After
the start of hostilities in February 2022, the mine
had serious problems with the supply of diesel
intended to power diesel monorails. During this
period the Volter Battery Locomotive took over a
significant number of transport tasks previously
performed by diesel powered machines. “For
Becker-Warkop, battery transport is a
development perspective. Offered over almost 10
years, battery monorails are constantly being
improved. Our machines work in many mines in
various environments. Thanks to their technical
parameters, they prove their transport
capabilities and our employees are always in
constant contact with users.” IM

UTILITY VEHICLES FOR ALL YOUR MINING NEEDS ...

ROBUST.
VERSATILE. +267 241 9922, +27 11 896 0600

RELIABLE.
gm@uvb.co.bw, info@ghhmm.co.za
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 IM
Insight Series
VIDEO INTERVIEWS
Conducted in numerous global locations by Editor Dan Gleeson
and Editorial Director Paul Moore, these interviews are unique collaborations
by IM and the world’s leading mining technology suppliers, getting the
lowdown from the key people involved in development and design

FLSMIDTH AT MINEXPO 2021 KOMATSU AT MINEXPO 2021

International Mining brings you insights from key International Mining brings you insights from key
FLSmidth personnel at MINExpo 2021 in Las Vegas Komatsu personnel at MINExpo 2021 in Las Vegas

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THE NEXT GENERATION – LIEBHERR’S R 9600 BEST-IN-CLASS SLURRY PUMPING SOLUTIONS

An interview with Liebherr Mining’s Michel Runser,
Head of Product Management Excavator; Otmar
Wehrle, Sales Director; and George Barturen, Senior
Product Manager Excavator
Weblink: https://im-mining.com/interviews/liebherr-
minexpo-2021/
An interview with Leo Perry, Engineering, Lead Product
Manager, KSB Mining and Jonathan Samuel, Vice President,
Sales & Marketing, KSB Mining/President, GIW Industries Inc
Weblink: https://im-mining.com/interviews/best-in-class-
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THE P&H 77XR – COMBINING DRILL
POWER WITH FLEXIBILITY
An interview with Sergio Li, Product Manager –
Rotary Drills, Komatsu Mining
Weblink: https://im-mining.com/interviews/
ph-77xr-combining-drill-power-flexibility/
POWERING A SUSTAINABLE MINING FUTURE
An interview with Sean Lynas, Director Mining OEM
Business, Cummins, and Robert Schaefer, Director
Growth & Innovation, Cummins
Weblink: https://im-mining.com/interviews/powering-
sustainable-mining-future/
A NEW DIMENSION TO MINERAL ANALYSIS
An interview with Eddy Hill, – Natural Resources and
Metals, ZEISS Microscopy
Weblink: https://im-mining.com/interviews/a-new-
dimension-to-mineral-analysis/
FORWARD THINKING –
THE MISSIONZERO MINE
An interview with Wayne Douglas, VP,
Head of Mining R&D and Innovation, FLSmidth
Weblink: https://im-mining.com/interviews/forward-
thinking-the-missionzero-mine/
PUMPING UP MINERAL PROCESSING
FLOWSHEETS
An interview with Diwakar Aduri, Product Manager,
Global Mill Discharge & Dredge Pumps, Metso
Outotec & Tiago Oliveira, VP, Pumps Services,
Metso Outotec
Weblink: https://im-mining.com/interviews/pumping-
up-mineral-processing-flowsheets/
IM
Insight Series
VIDEO INTERVIEWS
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an IM Insight Series video interview please
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WATER MANAGEMENT.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 10:56 Page 1
WATER MANAGEMENT
Flow rates
From the latest on water treatment to greater use of
process water, more efficient tailings processes and
more rigorous water reporting, Paul Moore reviews the
latest in mine water management
n the context of generally rising commodity
I prices over the long term, development of
brownfield and greenfield mining projects is
ramping up all over the world. Yet directions
taken by the mining industry also obey other
fundamentals. Significant environmental
challenges, notably concerning water issues,
have to be faced by mining companies.
Veolia Water Technologies told IM: “Costs and
risks are increasing, as competition intensifies
for use of the finite amount of water available,
making it essential to use and treat water more
efficiently. There are many risks inherent in
mining, and companies aiming for stability are
striving to assess, anticipate and minimise risks
associated with water management.”
It adds: “The regulatory framework is
changing, with new regulations being introduced
in response to the scarcity of freshwater
resources and the toxicity of wastewater. There is
a pressing need to find ways to meet the mining
industry’s demands for water, which are rising as
increasing reliance on processing low grade ores
means more water is required per tonne of
refined product.”
As a pioneer of water resource management
and a trusted partner for many mining companies
around the globe, Veolia Water Technologies says
it has extensive experience in helping mining
companies to secure sufficient water of adequate
quality, as well as managing water quality
impacts so that mining operations obtain
regulatory and stakeholder approval.
Veolia offers efficient treatment of mine
effluents for discharge to the environment as well
as treatment of tailings so that water becomes fit
for reuse in mining operations or even off-site.
58 International Mining | MARCH 2023
“With its wealth of experience of the mining
industry, Veolia supports mining companies in
implementing strategies to reduce their
environmental impacts and avoid potential
conflicts with competing users, or restrictions
limiting production. Backed by extensive
expertise in easing potential problems arising
from water variability, Veolia is committed to
working with mining companies facing significant
operational risks.”
Worldwide, mining companies are tending to
apply stricter standards regarding water
resources. Veolia says this is partly as licensing
criteria are becoming increasingly stringent, with
waste discharge licenses including requirements
that sometimes depend upon the way beneficial
use of the water will be planned. “They are also
performing more life cycle analyses, planning
water management throughout the life of a
mine.”
Countries are every day more sophisticated in
their enforcement of environmental regulations.
Australia, for example, introduced a National
Water Initiative aiming to: “achieve a nationally
compatible market, regulatory and planning
based system of managing surface water and
groundwater resources for rural and urban use
that optimises economic, social and
environmental outcomes.”
Good water management helps make a mining
company attractive to investors and is a boon in
obtaining access to water resources. Employees
prefer mining companies that pay attention to
issues such as water quality control, making it
easier to recruit and retain staff. Similarly, a
company practicing strong water management is
viewed positively by the local community –
Regardless of the source of the intake water,
Veolia's mine water treatment technologies 
ensure there is a consistent supply of water to
the facility
enjoying the so-called social license to operate.
“Risks related to inadequate water management
in mining are not limited to operational risks;
they also have strategic implications for mining
companies, such as loss of investment
attractiveness and damage to a company’s social
license to operate. Modern, advanced facilities to
reclaim and reuse water are rapidly being
developed and widely implemented for better
resource management and water conservation.
Success stories around the globe are testimony
to Veolia's innovative strategies in water
management and environmental sustainability.”
The major challenges of sustainable
development in the minerals industry over the
next decade will focus on access to land and
security of renewable resources, particularly
water.
Veolia points out that mining is a water-
intensive industry, and lower grades of ore result
in increasing volumes of water being needed to
process minerals. Securing a suitable water
supply and optimising overall water management
are among key success factors for a sustainable
and profitable mining project. Technologies
enabling beneficial reuse of process water are
being increasingly adopted. Veolia has the
expertise and proven track record to optimise
mine water balance management.
“Operational practices in the mining industry
must swiftly evolve in response to increasingly
stringent regulations that require mining
companies to carefully address specific issues
such as tailings management, AMD, prevention
and treatment of water contamination, and
contaminants removal/neutralisation before
effluent discharge. Different mining wastewater
streams have different chemistries; some are
complex and need specific treatments.”
In this highly demanding context, Veolia says it
has developed extensive knowledge of its
customers’ concerns. “Veolia is committed to
offering advanced solutions through secure, cost-
effective and lasting water treatment solutions to
meet its clients’ expectations and adapt to the
ways their production evolves. As a pioneer of
water resource management and a trusted
partner for mining companies around the globe,
Veolia leverages its technology integration
expertise, its operational know-how and its
experience of the mining industry, spearheading
industrial water cycle management to contribute
to business growth for the mining industry. Long-
term partnerships and numerous design-and-
build projects with mining leaders showcase the
commitment and capability of Veolia in
optimising water processes, as well as providing
WATER MANAGEMENT.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 10:56 Page 2

WATER MANAGEMENT

reliable, adaptable and high-quality industrial
water services to support partners’ businesses.”
In coping with the ever-growing challenges of
water management and demand, Veolia adds
that the mining industry relies increasingly on
cutting-edge and innovative technologies,
improved management systems for water
efficiency, and more sustainable water
management. Advanced modern facilities to
reclaim and reuse water are rapidly being
developed and widely implemented for better
resource management and water conservation.
“The economic and environmental benefits of
using reclaimed water are tangible, as both raw
water consumption and the discharge of
contaminated wastewater can be significantly
reduced. This can also increase overall water
availability – a major step towards greater water
self-sufficiency, ensuring a stable and continuous
water supply for expanding operations.
Numerous references from satisfied clients are
testimony to Veolia's innovative strategies in
water management and environmental
sustainability.”
AECI Water is focused on taking the mining
industry off the potable water grid
with water, they can apply new water
management principles and technologies more
readily and reap the benefits more quickly.”
These can include recycling and re-using
water; engineering closed loop systems; finding
alternative sources of sustainable water supply;
improving discharged water quality; maximising
the use of abundant and legacy water sources;
plus applying appropriate water qualities for
specific applications that are fit-for-purpose – not
using potable for everything.
AECI Water says it is the leading provider of
process and water treatment chemicals,
equipment and services to the mining and
minerals processing industry in Africa. “The
business develops integrated solutions for asset
integrity, continuous improvement, process
efficiency, product quality, reduced risk and
regulatory compliance with a strong focus on
minimising water usage and waste while
achieving Zero Harm.”
The business can also help mines give back to
the community by repurposing groundwater for

AECI focuses on saving African

mining water
Inspired by UN Sustainable Development Goal 6,
which is to ensure availability and sustainable
management of water and sanitation for all, AECI
Water says it is focused on taking the mining
industry off the potable grid. This directly linked
to this year’s Mining Indaba theme of ‘Stability,
Security and Supply.’
“2.2 billion litres of water are being saved by
two mines and we’re just getting started,” says
Dean Mulqueeny, the AECI Executive responsible
for AECI Water. “There are approximately 200
mines in South Africa. If every mine saved one
billion litres of water, 200 billion litres of water
will be saved. This is enough to fill 88,000
Olympic-size swimming pools or supply 2.5
million South Africans with 237 litres of water a
day for a year.”
At a platinum mine in North West, AECI Water
is treating and reusing fissure water through
desalination processes. At a deep-level gold
mine in the North West, they are treating and
reusing process water through proprietary
chemical technology. This treated process water
is being used in high temperature cooling
systems while safeguarding the asset integrity. A
range of similar work is happening in Africa and
will be publicised in due course.
According to the CSIR, mining consumes
between 2% and 5% of South Africa’s available
water. “There’s always water on mines,” explains
Mulqueeny. “Mines are either removing water or
using water to reduce dust, move slurry or
tailings, or control fires. Pumps and wells are
commonplace. Since mines know how to work

MARCH 2023 | International Mining 59

WATER MANAGEMENT.qxp_proof 02/03/2023 13:32 Page 3
WATER MANAGEMENT
agricultural purposes or treating it to potable
specifications for social responsibility
programmes.
AECI Water technologies on display at the
recent Mining Indaba event in Cape Town
included ‘smart’ ultrafiltration for process water
treatment and recovery (improves performance of
reverse osmosis (RO) units, limits investment and
operating costs, and reduces energy and water
consumption due to low backwashing);
Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) pilot
plants for activated sludge process
intensification and denitrification (mitigates
greenhouse gases and reduces energy
consumption); thickener management;
solidification of aqueous waste; and
decentralised surface and borehole water
treatment skids.
acQuire ups the ante again with
latest EnviroSys version
Environmental data management, including for
water use and monitoring by mining operations,
acQuire says is now even easier with the release
of EnviroSys 9.1. The company states: “Our latest
software release enables environmental
professionals to monitor, assess and report
compliance more efficiently, using environmental
data they can trust. Viewing, editing and adding
samples and/or results is now even easier from a
single location. Improvements to data entry
forms allow non-numeric data to be captured and
displayed in a more structured and consistent
order to match both your company’s internal
standards and wider industry standards.”
Performance improvement and enhancements
it says are front and centre in the new release,
providing greater usability and functionality for
environmental professionals working with a raft
of environmental data. Improvements to data
entry, data views, sample management and the
Activities, Obligations and Compliance (AOC)
module make EnviroSys easier to learn, use and
manage.
“Retrieve and analyse your environmental data
faster with enhanced Data Views. If you’re
working with large sets of data, EnviroSys 9.1
makes it easier and more efficient to instantly
gain an overview of the status of your results and
samples; sort and search your results and
samples and clearly detect any invalid samples;
view extra information included with a sample,
such as attachments, notes or important
metadata; and accurately correct textual and
numeric data in bulk updates. Environmental
professionals will notice enhancements to
EnviroSys’ Sample Management functionality,
making it easier to work with Chain of Custody
(CoC) when managing samples and sampling
activities.”
It adds: “You can now efficiently batch and
60 International Mining | MARCH 2023
generate multiple CoCs for current and upcoming
sampling schedules with minimal effort. The
addition of a bulk download feature means you
no longer need to access individual sample
schedules one by one. Simply download multiple
CoCs across schedules and groups in one go.”
acQuire also says that if you’re using
EnviroSys’ AOC module, you’ll experience
improvements giving you a clearer understanding
of your compliance assessments by:
n Improving how your overall compliance status
is displayed based on your most recent
compliance assessment
n Catering for schedule lags from third parties,
reducing false non-compliances being
reported in your automatic assessments.
n Adding an option for incomplete assessments
to allow for obligations that can’t be recorded
in some situations.
“Environmental data compliance has been the
sole focus of EnviroSys for nearly 20 years. It’s an
environmental data management system that
provides a trusted, single source of truth for your
environmental drivers, rules and data, which can
be accessed and used with confidence. Because
EnviroSys stores all your environmental
information and rules in one spot, you can
instantly assess if you’re compliant. You don’t
need to become a software expert to use
EnviroSys. With excellent dashboards and data
visualisations, you can easily tell if you’re
compliant.”
Weir Minerals says it is transforming
tailings
In an average copper mine, 99% of mine rock
ends up in the tailings stream. With typical
mineral concentrates and ore bodies below 1%,
one tonne of rock needs to be processed to
produce 10kgs of copper. The miner is then left
with 990 kg of waste material, which goes to the
tailings. The mining industry produces a
staggering 19 billion cubic metres of tailings each
year – the biggest waste stream on the planet.
John McNulty, Vice President, Global
Engineering & Technology at Weir Minerals
Weir Minerals’ proprietary TerraFlowing™
technology, which is based on this thickened
tailings methodology, it says strikes the perfect
balance between water stability and emissions
points out that tailings storage ponds remain the
most widespread method of storing tailings
today. Weir Minerals’ Warman® and GEHO®
pumps, coupled with its Cavex® hydrocyclones,
can ensure the safe and efficient transportation
and classification of tailings in this application.
McNulty adds: “However, with decreasing ore
grades, miners are having to deal with higher
volumes of tailings and larger TSFs. In some
instances, it isn’t possible to expand the mine’s
footprint, which is one of the reasons many
operators are exploring alternatives to traditional
ponds or seeking ways to increase the capacity
of existing ponds. Moreover, operating costs are
also increasing on the back of rising water and
energy costs, fundamentally altering the total
cost of ownership equation.”
This was the impetus behind the development
of Weir Minerals' proprietary TerraFlowing™
technology, which is a dewatering process that
transforms tailings into a resource.
When choosing a tailings approach the
challenge for miners is to optimise water
preservation and sustainable long-term stability
with the lowest possible energy use and, hence,
emissions. “Filtered tailings produce a relatively
dry waste and reusable water stream that can
then be conveyed or transported using trucks.
However, this solution is extremely energy
intensive; once the filter press has produced the
cake, it then needs to be hauled, spread and
compacted. The fact remains there is no one-
size-fits-all solution; each operation has to
contend with unique climatic, topological and
geological conditions, as well as the metal being
processed, all of which influence the nature of
the tailings and the possible solutions.”
He says Weir Minerals’ Integrated Solution for
thickened tailings management and
transportation – where the waste stream is
dewatered to remove up to around 85% of the
water, which is then recycled back to the process
WATER MANAGEMENT.qxp_proof 02/03/2023 13:32 Page 4
– creates a stable tailings stream that can be
moved with positive displacement pumps. “Weir
Minerals’ technology strikes the perfect balance
between water stability and emissions.
Compared with filtered tailings, it produces two
to four time less CO2 emissions, providing a
lower total cost of ownership and providing an
end result very close to filtration.”
With its GEHO® range of pumps, Weir Minerals
can effectively pump these dense pastes over
very long distances if required, allowing miners
to store their tailings a significant distance from
the mine without having to use trucks for
transportation. More generally, the paste
produced is relatively stable and requires
substantially reduced storage volumes, thereby
extending the life of existing tailings storage
facilities.
“Weir Minerals takes a holistic approach to
address its customers challenges and help them
solve their problems.”
An iron ore customer in Latin America needed
a tailings solution to help them meet their future
production targets without the need for a new
tailings storage facility. Working closely with the
miner, Weir Minerals’ engineers developed an
innovative Integrated Solution, which combined
Weir Minerals’ Cavex® DE hydrocyclones,
Warman® pumps and Enduron® screens.
This integrated tailings solution will replace
the mine’s existing thickener plant and is
expected to increase water recovery by 35%,
providing more water that could then be recycled
back into the process and resulting in a
significant reduction in wet tailings.
Moreover, Weir Minerals utilised the tailings to
raise the TSF dam wall, thereby turning what’s
usually a waste product into a usable, valuable
product. Ensuring the structural integrity of the
wall is obviously paramount, which means that
the sand must have relatively free-draining
characteristics – or, in other words, sand that’s
15% passing minus 200 mesh (75μm).
This requirement helps prevent liquefaction,
the process by which water-saturated,
unconsolidated sediments are transformed into a
substance that acts like a liquid. Typically,
tailings would have to pass through several
stages of hydro-cycloning to achieve this sand
quality; however, with the Cavex® DE
hydrocyclone, it can be achieved in a single
stage.
With a conventional hydrocyclone, 35-40% of
mass is usually sent to the underflow, but, with
the Cavex® DE hydrocyclone, it is around 45-55%
– making it 10-15% more efficient than any other
hydrocyclone on the market.
McNulty concludes: “The innovative
engineering that underpins TerraFlowing™
technology and Cavex® and GEHO® equipment
has become a hallmark of Weir Minerals’
WATER MANAGEMENT
commitment to providing its customers with
Integrated Solutions that help them mine more
efficiently, while also reducing their carbon
footprint.”
SRK: mines need credible standards
for water reporting
As a vital aspect of environmental, social and
governance (ESG) risk, water management was
an important feature on the agenda at the recent
Mining Indaba in Cape Town; SRK Consulting has
highlighted that the mining sector will
increasingly need to report its water-related
performance in terms of credible global
standards. According to SRK Consulting principal
Consultant Fiona Sutton, one of the company’s
delegates at the Mining Indaba, water
stewardship is coming to the fore in ESG
reporting – with ESG itself also still evolving a
consistent framework that is broadly recognised
by the investment community.
“In the most recent EY Global Institutional
Investor Survey, for instance, it is argued that the
reporting of ESG performance needs to be
measured against a set of globally consistent
standards – which could become a mandatory
requirement,” said Sutton. “With water
management ranked by EY as the number one
ESG risk in mining, and with ESG itself being the
top risk for the second year running, there is
some urgency for mining companies to assess
water risk in terms of a credible framework.”
She pointed out that water stewardship and
biodiversity (the latter ranked eighth in EY’s 2023
risks) were fast becoming urgent priorities.
Factors putting pressure on water resources
included population growth, shifts toward more
meat-based diets, climate change and other
challenges. The world’s water is increasingly
becoming degraded in quality, she explained,
increasing the cost of treatment, and also
threatening human and ecosystem health.
Furthermore, the physical availability of
freshwater resources does not guarantee that a
safe, affordable water supply is available to all.
“The growing significance of water
management within ESG strategy means that
more rigorous reporting will be demanded by
mining company stakeholders,” she said. “Better
water reporting will also be necessary to access
capital and to secure a license to operate.”
More detailed water management reporting
will in turn require more trustworthy and useful
ESG data, including information related to
relevant financial and social impact risks.
“An effective response to these risks can be
rooted in the concept of water stewardship,
which provides a process for companies to work
collaboratively with other partners to manage
shared water resources,” she said. “In this way,
water stewardship can be an important
component to mitigating corporate water risk and
facilitating business growth.”
SRK Consulting Managing Director Andrew van
Zyl, who was also at the event, affirmed the
critical importance of water risk on the mining
agenda – and the importance of global best
practice tools like the International Water
Stewardship Standard from the Alliance for Water
Stewardship (AWS).
“Assurance is a key facet in increasing trust in
the quality and accuracy of sustainability
information,” said van Zyl. “The AWS Standard
offers a credible and globally applicable
framework for major water users to understand
their own water use and impacts with practical
guidance on how to effectively manage these
impacts.”
SRK Associate Partner and Principal
Environmental Geologist Lindsay Shand, another
SRK delegate at the event, highlighted the
practical value of the AWS standard. “The
principles of water stewardship are drawn from
high level environmental imperatives,” said
Shand, “However, they also give water users a
more practical framework from which to tackle
their issues of water quantity and quality.”
Applying the International Water Stewardship
Standard, explained Sutton, means a more
effective evaluation of water use. It guides
companies in disclosing aspects such as water
governance, metrics, site risks, catchment risks,
quality targets, strategies and performance.
“Another way that the AWS standard
reinforces – rather than duplicates – existing
systems and processes in mining companies, is
that it aligns with other reporting frameworks
that they might use,” she pointed out. “For
example, on issues such as compliance,
disclosure, stakeholder consultation, safety and
health, this standard overlaps well with
guidelines and standards from the International
Council on Mining and Metals, the World Gold
Council, the Global Reporting Initiative, the
Global Industry Standard on Tailings
Management and the Sustainability Accounting
Standards Board – to name a few.”
Several SRK water professionals are AWS
credentialed specialists, with specialised training
to help clients towards improve corporate water
sustainability systems and achieve AWS
certification, should they wish to become AWS
certified.
From slurry to human consumption:
water management in Latin American
mining
Water is vital in the Latin American mining
industry’s operational processes and a
substantial amount is used every day for reasons
ranging from mineral processing, separation and
extraction to the movement of ores across long
MARCH 2023 | International Mining 61
WATER MANAGEMENT.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 10:56 Page 5

WATER MANAGEMENT

DXB Pump & Power - improving uptime in mine water management is

management
Designing new energy efficient pumpsets around engine availability is
becoming the norm for DXB Pump & Power, a leading supplier of mine
dewatering pumpsets based in the UK. With traditional engine
manufacturers offering delivery sometimes with over 50 weeks of delays,
pump manufacturers have had to redesign their pumpsets for slurry and
dewatering to include engines from manufacturers not normally seen in
worldwide mining markets and DXB told IM that it has been very
successful in doing this.
With more mines now using on-road trucks for hauling minerals and
ores either on site or away from the mine, the use of engines from Scania
and Volvo by DXB has led to a good aftersales support functionality 'in
country' offering immediate supply of spares and skilled service
engineers when required to ensure water supplies to process plants
remains reliably online.
Many rigid 44 t Scania trucks for example are being supplied with the
inline 6-cylinder 13 litre or 16 litre V8 engines used on DXB Pumps with
over 300 kW of available power in either Stage II-III for mines in lesser
regulated regions like Africa and the Middle East, or Stage V or Tier 4
Final engines for use in more emissions regulation compliant markets
such as Europe and the USA.
Simon Ruffles, DXB Pump & Power Founder & Managing Director says
these engines have proved to be both highly reliable and very fuel
efficient in pumping applications due to being extremely rugged and
durable with 5,000 hours of operation before anything greater than
regular services are needed to be done.
More importantly to both the OEMs and the mines themselves, the
delivery times for these high performance engines are far shorter than
the engine deliveries seen from more traditional suppliers (primarily
because of the additional 2-3 months time savings delivering those
engines from the US) which allows more nimble OEMs like DXB Pump to
work with mines in time for the critical wet season where water
absolutely critical.
Ruffles adds:
“Historically it has been
almost automatic for the
mines to specify
pumpsets with engines
that had similar service
parts and consumables
to those on other mining
equipment units such as
DXB Pump & Power now offers a complete
shovels and dozers on range of Scania powered mine dewatering
sites, but this led to pumpsets
increased costs of pump
ownership and delays in deliveries of equipment like our pumpsets.
Today this is different because the major European engine manufacturers
have excellent service networks and support in country to support the
same engines that are on our pumps reducing pumping costs and
increasing uptime on site in many smaller mines.”
An example of the change in the market is the acceptance of the
Scania DC16 V8 engine on dewatering pumpsets where 15 litre mining
equipment engines had only previously been seen as acceptable. Costs
and availability of spares for these engines were slower to those of the
Scania, but also the delays in getting hold of these 15 litre engines drove
OEMs to look elsewhere and just like in the oilfield sector, mining
markets have seen the benefit of using Scania engines now on their
pumpsets for critical water management applications where downtime is
unacceptable and costly.
DXB Pump & Power says it now offers a complete range of Scania
powered mine dewatering pumpsets for use in non-emission regulated
regions complete with crash frames, four-point lifting frames all of which
slide inside standard shipping containers ensuring swift delivery
including if required, by air anywhere in the world.

distances in slurry pipelines. Many of the mines
are in dry and remote locations too, so water is a
crucial resource not only for operations, but for
use and consumption by staff at the mining
companies.
Chile’s copper mines produce approximately a
quarter of the planet’s copper supply, with the
majority of its production coming from one of the
world’s driest places. While it’s important to
ensure there is access to water in these
locations, it’s also worth noting that the amount
of water the Chilean mining industry consumes
annually could be used to sustain 75% of the
Chilean population’s needs.
Similarly, Brazil is estimated to use 1.6% of its
total water supply for mining which could sustain
the entire rural population of Brazil with water.
Just as water is vital to effective mining pipeline
operations, it’s essential for the survival of people
in residential areas too. Data from the Pastoral
Land Commission indicates that 124 out of the 197
recorded conflicts about water in Brazil occurred in
areas where mining ore extraction is common.
A recent article by Angela Maya, Sales &
Support Engineer at Atmos International, states
that following pressure from external sources
about their water usage, many Latin American
mining pipeline operators are now looking at
their water management and how they can make
best use of the water resource. For example,
Chilean mining pipeline companies have turned
to desalination plants following the introduction
of a ban on the use of fresh water in mining to
preserve water supply during their drought.
Many other mining companies are following suit
when it comes to desalinated water too.
“Desalination is the process of removing
mineral salts (or saline) from water. With fresh
water being in short supply in the Middle East,
desalination is a widely used process to supply
drinking water to residential areas. The Water
Conversion Corporation (WCC), which has an
extensive pipeline network including tank farms
that take desalinated water from the coast to the
desert, has previously used Atmos Simulation
(SIM) Suite’s optimiser module to recommend its
pumping schedules.”
Due to the mining industry requiring
uncontaminated water, desalination is often used
to support mining pipeline operations and can
involve many approaches. The most common
desalination process is reverse osmosis, which
involves using high pressure to pass seawater
over a membrane which filters out the minerals
and other contaminants, creating desalinated
water. The resource is then distributed to where
it’s required. Remaining desalinated water can be
lost through evaporation, reused or returned to
the environment.
Water usage in the Latin America mining
industry occurs alongside widespread water
shortages in residential areas, which has only
been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, so
efforts are being made to optimise water usage
and reduce wastage.
“As previously mentioned, Atmos SIM’s
optimiser module can help plan pipeline
operational requirements in advance, but
simulation software can also provide look-ahead
modules. For example, Atmos SIM’s nominations
look-ahead avoids overruns in a pipeline
operation by mapping out pressures on the
pipeline based on loads and nominations. For a
pipeline in a mining and slurry network
transporting desalinated water to the
concentrator plant, solutions like look-aheads
and optimisers can ensure bookable capacity is
never underestimated or overestimated so there

62 International Mining | MARCH 2023

WATER MANAGEMENT.qxp_proof 01/03/2023 10:56 Page 6

WATER MANAGEMENT

is less risk of water being wasted.”
However, the ways in which Latin American
pipeline companies deal with wastewater (not to
be confused with wastage) is what will have the
most repercussions on the surrounding
population. “After water has reached the
concentrator plant for use in mining and slurry,
wastewater can be either transported off site by
a third party, which is usually an expensive
process, or it can be deposited in a retention
pond. It’s worth noting that it can become an
increasingly arduous task handling wastewater
using a retention pond as sediment builds up
inside the pond.”
The generally accepted best approach for
wastewater management in the mining industry
is through wastewater treatment on site using
biological, chemical and physical treatment
methods. This process is typically less costly
than outsourcing or using a retention pond and
presents benefits for reusing the water once it’s
been treated and a reduced impact on the
environment by keeping the water retained
within the pipeline network. While wastewater
treatment ensures maximum utilisation of water
resources, it also presents risks to the social
responsibilities of the Latin American mining
industry.
“Many ores extracted during the mining
process contain high traces of pollutants that can
seep into wastewater, with arsenic being a
common example, which can impact internal
organs if it comes into direct contact with the
human population. For this reason, it’s vital that
water treatment in the mining and slurry
industries have effective leak detection to avoid
contaminants like arsenic wastewater coming
into contact with surrounding ecosystems and
human communities.”
The company adds: “Leak detection solutions
like Atmos Pipe were the first of their kind to
provide statistical volume balance support to
function as part of a wider leak detection system
that can detect onset as well as existing leaks.
For Latin American mining operations operating a
wastewater treatment facility, there is always a
risk of pollutants escaping into the environment,
so leak detection solutions can provide support
that reduces the impacts of leaks with a fast and
reliable alarm.”
Some risks are unavoidable to a mining and
slurry pipeline network’s water management. In
Latin America especially, many pipelines run
through high consequence areas and are
exposed to a range of natural and environmental
threats that can affect pipeline integrity, such as
landslides, riverbed scour and underground
corrosion, severe flooding and volcanic eruptions.
“If we consider the impacts of a landslide on a
mining and slurry pipeline operation without leak
detection as an example, a leak or rupture
caused by the landslide could be hard to
pinpoint due to the pipeline being buried under
soil and debris. Meanwhile, the leaked
wastewater would have the potential to
contaminate the soil and surrounding natural
water sources, causing danger to human life if
residential areas nearby came into direct contact
with the contaminant, not to mention the
financial and reputational damage caused to the
mining company.”
In addition to the previously mentioned Atmos
Pipe, leak detection solutions like Atmos Wave
Flow use volume balance and negative pressure
wave methods for fast leak detection, accurate
leak location, high sensitivity and with a low
false alarm rate, reducing the impacts of a leak
on the surrounding population in the event of
external factors like environmental and natural
threats outside a mining company’s control.
“Metering hardware can provide added
support as part of a multi-method approach to
leak detection too. For example, Atmos Eclipse is
an example of non-intrusive hardware that
improves leak detection performance and can
continue to function and collect data during
periods of downtime in the event of a natural or
environmental threat. While there is a clear social
responsibility in the mining and slurry industries
on their water usage, from how they source it to
their wastewater treatment, there exist many
other risks to a mining company’s pipeline
operation that need to be considered.” IM

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International Mining’s editorial team of

Paul Moore and Daniel Gleeson have
made it their business to stay abreast of
industry developments and visit as
many operations as possible for article
research. In the last five years alone,
they have gone to:
Agnico Eagle – Kittila (gold)
Anglo American – Quellaveco (copper)
Boliden – Kevitsa (nickel)
Dragon Mining – Jokisivu (gold)
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Kazzinc – Dolinny (zinc)
KGHM – Lublin (base metals)
First Quantum – Las Cruces (copper)
MATSA – Magdalena (base metals)
Metalloinvest – Lebedinsky GOK (iron ore)
Otso Gold – Otso (gold)
Polymetal – Kyzyl (gold)
Sotkamo Silver – Silver mine (silver)
Terrafame – Sotkamo (nickel)
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