International Mining

Is AI mining's next frontier? Last week at MINExpo, Weir Minerals launched its new digital offering, NEXT™ Intelligent Solutions, which, it says, extends and expands Weir's current capabilities and transforms its process optimisation services into real-time digital solutions. Built by experts who have a proven record in delivering innovative technology into the toughest mining applications, NEXT is all based on Weir's unmatched experience in supporting customers. Weir knows its market-leading products better than anyone, and when this expertise is combined with the latest in AI capability and the modelling of its proprietary data, it is able to make a real difference to customers. The company has packages available for all of its market-leading solutions – pumps, cyclones, HPGR, screens and hoses and spools. These are built around key customer needs: Insight – Actionable visibility of system health and performance; Uptime – Extend availability using predictive condition monitoring; and Production – Maximise process efficiency with AI-powered optimisation. All of these packages are fully supported by its unmatched service centre network – bringing customers closer than ever to its experts. Find out more in this in-depth interview with Ole Knudsen, Director – Minerals Digital, Weir; Martin Rugfelt, Director – Intelligent Operations, Weir; and Bjorn Dierx, Global Product Manager – HPGR, Weir. #Digitalmine #NEXTIntelligentSolutions #MINExpo2024

Gekko reports major landmark for ILR with 200th production scale unit The Gekko Systems team has announced a major landmark with the sale of its 200th production scale InLine #LeachReactor (ILR) to #MarmatoMine in Colombia, operated by Aris Mining Colombia. The InLine Leach Reactor was invented in 1997 by Gekko’s Technical Director and Co-Founder Sandy Gray one year after the start-up of Gekko in 1996. The concept of chemically treating #gravitygold concentrates rather than using physical recovery on a shaking table was driven by the poor recoveries (50-60%) and low security associated with shaking table devices which were standard uses. Typically, gold plants would experience a spike in cyclone overflow and high tailings grades when gravity concentrates were being treated by tables in the gold room and before intensive cyanidation became standard in gold operations. Key people like Nick Mooney and Nick Katsikaros made significant contributions to the concept and efficacy of the operation. The ILR was the first commercialised intensive leach technology and Gekko says it remains the global technical and market leader in the gold industry worldwide. Gekko adds: “Sandy and Gekko’s award-winning technical and design team continue to constantly review and improve ease of operation and recoveries from the unit which typically run around 98-99%. Whilst developed in Australia, the concept really took off in Africa first with AngloGold Ashanti installing units in many of their operations in the late 1990s and is now installed worldwide.” Fully optimised to mining operations, the ILR boasts consistent free #goldrecoveries of over 98% as well as superior recoveries of #gold from complex ##sulphide ores. Leaching coarse (>300 micron) gravity concentrates and recycling leach solutions delivers low energy and operating costs. #Rapidleach kinetics and an automated system provide fast #mineralrecoveries. In place of open shaking tables that are prone to theft, the enclosed ILR has lockable access points to protect against theft losses and reduce manual handling. The ILR can be easily retrofitted to any #grindingcircuit. The modular, small footprint design requires minimal space for integration. The ILR’s chemical handling is automated and important leach parameters are electronically controlled, making operations faster and safer. #Tailings generated are smaller and can be coupled with the detoxification of cyanide, which protects the environment. #futureofmining #goldprocessing

BGRIMM on flotation technology for reprocessing tailings With increasing demand for minerals, #reprocessing of #tailings is becoming significant and in fact essential to improve the comprehensive utilisation of mineral resources. China’s mineral processing major Beijing General Research Institute of Mining & Metallurgy told International Mining that it has been devoted to improving the recovery of minerals from mine tailings for several years now by using critical technology innovation and in particular utilisation of #flotationcells. Specifically, a new generation forced-air flotation cell (HIF®), with five kinetic zone structures, has been developed by BGRIMM-Mat. “Since the rotor locates in the middle zone of the tank, the upwards transportation distance of the bubble-particle aggregate is decreased significantly in the cell. Thus, coarse particles and poorly liberated mineral particles disaattachment probability is decreased, and the mineral recovery rate is improved.” According to the research conducted by BGRIMM, the loss of minerals in taillings is mainly as ultrafine, coarse and poorly liberated mineral particles. Meanwhile, the mineral grade in tailings is very low and difficult to recover. Complex flotation circuits and a larger number of conventional flotation cells will lead to high capital investment and operation cost. The solution is proposed by BGRIMM-Mat is that a large size and tailored flotation cell can be used as an individual reprocessing bank following the conventional flotation banks to recover minerals from tailings. For reprocessing tailings, the froth is very thin and does not overflow the launder efficiently due to the low mass pull of the concentrate, hence the shape of tank and froth launder (BGRIMM Spider Froth Launder) is also designed specially to enhance the movement of froth. The tailing of conventional flotation is directly discharged into the last large flotation cell for re-processing. The coarse and poorly-liberated mineral particles can be recovered in the froth. The froth is then classified by #hydrocyclone, and the fine mineral particles are returned to conventional flotation, while the coarse mineral particles are send to the regrinding circuit to achieve better liberation and hence better recovery. Such an economical solution to recover minerals from tailings BGRIMM-Mat says is applicable for most flotation plants. As an example, the first HIF-500 flotation cell has been used at Serbia Zijin Copper DOO Bor’s #Majdanpek (MS) Copper Mine (capacity 20,000 t/d) in Serbia to recover copper from flotation tailings, and the overall copper recovery has been increased by 1-3%. A HIF-680 flotation cell has been applied in a flotation line in #Pulang #Copper Mine (capacity of 40,000 t/d, two lines) in China to recover copper from flotation tailings, and the overall recovery was increased by about 1.5%. #mineralflotation #futureofmining #tailingsreprocessing

'Connecting the dots’ to create the mine of the future Ahead of Epiroc’s Capital Markets Day (CMD) and MINExpo 2024 at a hotel just outside of Las Vegas, IM's Daniel Gleeson met with Helena Hedblom, Epiroc President and CEO, to talk through the mining sector's big three: automation, digitalisation and electrification. Hedblom, like the heads of her fellow OEMs, has big ambitions for these three technology pillars, but the way Epiroc is looking to meet these ambitions is different. The company’s “agnostic” philosophy has been a key differentiator for the past years, and even as more OEMs start to open up their architecture and platforms to the wider vendor marketplace, it is this attitude that is likely to help it lead from the front on automation, digitalisation and electrification. While the company is making headway of all three of these, Hedblom is convinced a digital backbone will become more important with the increasing uptake of automation and electrification. “Today, a lot of the different tools mining companies are using – for the mine plan, for maintenance, etc – are still not connected,” she explained. “You don’t use all data at the same time for the best type of decision. “A lost hour of productivity is a lost hour of productivity; we are seeking to avoid this through increased digitalisation.” Read the full Q&A in the story below... #mineautomation #mineelectrification #digitalmine #MINExpo2024

Austmine and International Mining take a step closer with MoU Austmine is Australia’s leading industry association for the Australian Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (#METS) sector, driving the success of members by providing opportunities to build relationships, understand industry needs, boost their industry profile and access domestic and international supply chains. International Mining has long had a close relationship with #Austmine, both editorially with Austmine itself and its members, but also in relation to events and conferences on both sides. Last week during MINExpo INTERNATIONAL 2024 in Las Vegas, we formalised this cooperation with the signing of an MoU during Austmine’s Welcome Reception event on September 23 by International Mining Editorial Director Paul Moore and Austmine CEO Chris Gibbs Stewart, with International Mining Editor Daniel Gleeson and Austmine Director – International Business, Dr Robert Trzebski also present. The primary goal of this #collaboration is to foster growth and innovation in the global #miningtechnology ecosystem through joint initiatives, cross-promotion, and the sharing of expertise. The objectives include further developing global networks, collaboration in mining innovation, and cross-promotion of key events. Austmine will provide opportunities for International Mining to speak, moderate, or chair sessions at #GRX25 and #CoppertotheWorld 2025 while International Mining will promote these events through advertising. Both parties will actively participate in each other’s events, including International Mining’s The Electric Mine, enhancing visibility and fostering collaboration within the METS and mining sectors. Austmine and International Mining will also contribute to each other’s media platforms to promote industry advancements and thought leadership. This includes the publication of joint articles and features, cross-promotion of events, and participation in each other’s editorial content. By working together, both organisations will amplify the global profile of the Australian METS sector and promote key technological innovations. Austmine and International Mining will also collaborate on thought leadership initiatives, sharing insights and expertise on industry trends and innovations. This will include joint presentations, panel discussions, and publications aimed at driving innovation in the global mining sector. Austmine will bring its knowledge of the Australian METS sector, while International Mining will provide global industry coverage and insights. Finally, both organisations are committed to advancing #sustainability and #ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) practices within the mining industry. Austmine will work alongside International Mining to promote events and initiatives like The Electric Mine conference, which focus on decarbonisation and the electrification of mining operations. #futureofmining #theelectricmine #mineofthefuture #miningevents

IM October 2024 issue live! After a busy week at MINExpo 2024, the International Mining team is back at HQ, churning out news stories, interviews and our monthly publication. The October 2024 issue that has just gone live includes: #MINExp2024 news in our World Prospects section; An Aussie #METS focus ahead of #IMARC2024 this month; An in-depth article on #filtration and #thickening; Our annual deep-dive on #screening; A look at the #minerescue and #minesafety sector; and All the biggest news from the #flotation space Be sure to check it out below 👇 #mineralprocessing #miningequipment #mininginnovation #miningtechnology

SPONSORED MESSAGE: Finding the sustainable edge through innovation With mining and mineral processing operations facing up to the realities of what it takes to be sustainable in a world needing more minerals to electrify industry, many sites are looking at their operations and asking themselves: where do we start? In this online profile, Metso goes some way to answering this question, outlining a number of innovative solutions in the mineral processing space that can realise substantial improvements in sustainability, productivity and profitability. Read the profile below to find out more... #mineralprocessing #wearparts #miningequipment #PlanetPositive

ERG books Epiroc fleet for key mine expansion at Donskoy GOK in Kazakhstan At MINExpo INTERNATIONAL 2024 in Las Vegas last week, global miner Eurasian Resources Group signed a contract with Epiroc worth more than €32.4 million for the supply of underground mining equipment for the construction of the second stage of the 10th Anniversary of Independence Mine, part of #Donskoy GOK in #Kazakhstan, which itself is owned by ERG Kazakhstan’s #chromite mining company TNC #Kazchrome JSC. Kazchrome is the world’s largest high-carbon #ferrochrome producer. ⠀ Within the framework of the cooperation, Epiroc will supply a new generation of underground equipment to help Kazchrome gradually achieving the mine’s design capacity of up to 7.5 Mt of #chrome ore per year. In particular, a face drilling rig, a production drilling rig, ground support rigs, loaders (LHDs) and dump trucks will be supplied. ⠀ The procurement was handled by the ERG Commercial Center, which carries out centralised procurement of goods and services for ERG companies. “It is important for our company that our partners are not only reliable, but also share our goals in terms of improving production processes. And Epiroc has proven itself from the best side over 19 years of cooperation, helping us solve problems in terms of production time, logistics and financing terms,” says Ruslan Mulyukbayev, General Director of ERG Commercial Center LLP. ⠀ The new equipment will be used by Donskoy GOK in #Khromtau at the project for the construction of the second stage of the 10th Anniversary of Independence Mine. ERG will invest more than 877.6 billion tenge in the construction which equates to over US$1.8 billion. The second stage is focused on advanced sub-level caving, as well as drift and fill mining. This new phase will not only allow Donskoy GOK to replace diminishing chromite output from Phase 1 of development and from the Molodezhnaya mine, but will enable it to increase output of ore and, by extension, production at its main ferroalloy plants in #Aksu and #Aktobe. #futureofmining #Kazakhstanmining

Metso moves on Swiss Tower Mills The race for SAG mill alternatives in the comminution space is heating up! Metso has today signed an agreement to acquire the outstanding shares of its long-term partner Swiss Tower Mills Minerals AG (STM). Previously, Metso had a 15% minority ownership in the company, with Metso deciding to exercise its right of first refusal following the divestment decision of STM’s other shareholders. As a result of the transaction, Metso’s ownership will increase to 100%. Swiss Tower Mills Minerals, based in Baden, Switzerland, specialises in vertical grinding mill solutions. It is best known for the HIGmill grinding mill, which has been exclusively sold and serviced by Metso. This technology is crucial in modern grinding circuits and integral to the development of energy-efficient comminution processes, for example, in combination with Metso HRCe high-pressure grinding rolls, Metso says. Over the years of cooperation, the use of vertical grinding mill technology has seen significant growth, and the trend is expected to continue, Metso says. In 2022, the Weir Group announced an alliance with STM in which Weir would market STM’s vertical stirred grinding mills for coarse grinding applications worldwide. This has since seen Weir complete STM vertical stirred mill commissioning at the Weir Technology Hub in the Netherlands. Read the full story below... #grinding #verticalgrinding #comminution #mineralprocessing

Zoomlion rolls out 300 t class hybrid mining truck in Changsha On September 27, the #ZTE520, claimed as the “world’s largest” #hybrid #miningtruck, rolled off the Zoomlion assembly line in #Changsha, Hunan. The Chinese OEM described it as “another historic breakthrough in domestic mining equipment, marking the further advance of China’s mining equipment into the high-end field of the global industry.” The other contender to this largest hybrid mining truck title is SANY Group’s SET320S, also with a 300 t payload, unveiled in July 2024. Huang Qun, Vice President of Zoomlion, Yuan Ye, Assistant President of #Zoomlion, Wang Peng, Director and Deputy Secretary of CRRC ZHUZHOU ELECTRIC CO., LTD. (CRRCZE), Zhuang Jun, Deputy General Manager of CRRC Qishuyan Research Institute Co Ltd, and Tan Guirong Senior Vice President of Guangxi Yuchai Machinery Co Ltd were all in attendance at the ceremony. Zoomlion says it has “fully responded to the call of national green mine construction and equipment technology localisation” with the ZTE520 with the truck integrating key domestically produced components for the entire machine. The ZTE520 has a total weight of 520 t and rated load of 300 t. Zoomlion says it features a new generation super hybrid drive system and high torque electric wheel drive system, both developed together with CRRC, along with efficient liquid cooling heat dissipation technology, and is equipped with a large domestic hybrid diesel engine (16-cylinder, 52-litre diesel engine with 2,100 hp) from Guangxi Yuchai, along with it says the industry’s largest ternary #lithium power #battery. The truck is over 9 m in width and 7 m in height. It has a total power of 3,200 hp, to achieve greater power performance, energy management and economic performance. Compared with the traditional diesel engine only mining truck of the same class the product’s overall performance it says increased by 16%, with transportation efficiency increased by 10%, together with a comprehensive energy saving of 15%. Its rated lifespan is 60,000 hours. Localising all the key core components in the research and development process Zoomlion says has ensured the safety and stability of the supply chain, but also greatly reduced the costs for users. Zoomlion “will continue to innovate, provide customers with more high-end mining equipment, and contribute more powerful Zoomlion force to the high-quality and sustainable development of China’s advanced equipment manufacturing industry,” Yuan Ye said. The truck was unveiled at the same time as a new large Zoomlion hydraulic excavator, the #ZE4000G, which is 8.1 m tall and weighs more than 400 t, intended as a good match for the new ZTE520 truck. #Chinamining #theelectricmine #futureofmining