Increased mill productivity through a mine-to-mill study

Integrated optimization of drilling, blasting, and comminution processes

  • Customer : Lundin Mining |
  • Pain point : Increase productivity | Mine to mill optimization |
  • Market segment : Open-Pit |
  • Solution : Mine-to-Mill Technical Consulting |
  • Location : Brazil |
Situation

Optimization to increase production capacity

Located in Goiás, Brazil, the Chapada mine is an open-pit copper and gold mining operation run by Lundin Mining. Since its commissioning in 2007, the Chapada mine has maintained a steady production, adopting strategies over time to increase the plant’s production capacity. However, as extractions went deeper, the proportion of more competent ore increased, impacting production. That is why, in 2019, a team of experts from Lundin Mining, Enaex, and Hatch initiated a mine-to-mill optimization project with the aim of maximizing plant efficiency, fully utilizing installed capacity, and maintaining the product size of the comminution process.

Challenge

To integrate drilling, blasting, and comminution operations with the goal of maximizing the plant’s production rate, maintaining the grinding product size, and fully utilizing the existing installed capacity with no additional capital investments.

Customer Testimonial

The development and implementation of the M2M project at Chapada Mine have provided us with a valuable learning experience and better knowledge of the mineral deposit. It allowed us to advance in drilling & blasting techniques and optimize the production flow at the Mine-Plant, with process improvements leading to greater operational efficiency and, as a result, lower production costs. A highly important project that is yielding positive results for the company!

Igor Souza,
Mine Operations Manager – Lundin Mining

Solution

Technical-operational analysis to improve production

Initially, fragmentation domains were created based on rock hardness and fracture condition. This was followed by a drilling and blasting audit, and site-specific fragmentation models for blasting and comminution were developed. Therefore, a specific fragmentation model was created to allow for simulations and the development of blasting plans to generate material with a particle size distribution that would increase plant productivity.

The simulations took into account equipment specifications, circuit configurations, and optimized ROM (Run of Mine) fragmentation to define optimal operational strategies for maximizing production for different ore types. They also assessed the impact of different operating conditions and potential changes in circuit configuration on plant production rate, product size, and energy consumption.

Key features
Results

Increased productivity at low cost

Chapada successfully began the implementation of the new integrated operational strategies at the mine and plant, achieving results similar to those obtained through simulations. Despite the high variability in ore observed, the results have proven to be reliable both in the short term and in the medium to long term.

Based on the model proposed by the Enaex and Hatch team of experts, an increase in productivity between 13% and 28% is expected. As of now, Lundin Mining has reported a 5% increase in plant productivity after partially implementing the recommendations. The results were achieved exclusively through the implementation of the new methodology and low-cost actions, with no need to acquire new equipment.

Stronger bonds

The mine-to-mill project is a perfect example of how the Enaex Mining Technical Solutions (EMTS) team deepened their understanding of Lundin Mining’s needs in collaboration with Hatch, to create customized solutions, strengthen partnerships, and deliver effective and low-cost results.