A Measure of Control

Outetec’s PSI particle size analyzers employ laser diffraction technology to measure ore after the grinding circuit.

When commodity prices were strong and rising, mining companies could afford minor inefficiencies in their plants. That is rarely the case in these days of lower-grade deposits, lower metal prices and economic pressure from every direction. “We have to do better with lower costs,” said Philip Thwaites, manager of process control for XPS Consulting & Testwork Services and a long-time champion for improved process control. “If we’re not efficient, we’re not going to be around. And our industry can be a lot more efficient.” 

 

Part of the problem is that the mining industry has historically lagged behind other sectors, such as the oil industry, in implementing automation and measuring instrumentation – a big mistake. According to Thwaites, measurement is the cornerstone of control and efficiency. “If you have a poor measurement, or no measurement, you can’t do good control,” he explained. 

 

But this is changing. More and more mining companies are conscious of improved measurements and endorsing control, automation and next-generation technologies. What is more, there has been significant progress in automated instruments recently. These measure crucial parameters in the processing circuit and equipment to allow operators to monitor and adjust process control as needed. In particular, measurements relating to particle size in the grinding circuit, flotation variables and thickener bed mass have come a long way.

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