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The Coalition for Eco-Efficient Comminution Update May 2012
“CEEC is an excellent technical initiative aimed at helping to deliver resources from our great mining industry with disciplined energy efficiency.”
Owen Hegarty, Patron; Executive Vice-Chairman, G-Resources Group; Executive Vice Chairman CST Mining Group
www.ceecthefuture.org
With the generous support of Gekko Systems Ltd and JK Tech Pty Ltd, CEEC presented its first workshop on Eco-Efficient Comminution prior to Procemin 2011, in Santiago, Chile. Held on November 30th, 2011 this one day workshop was presented in English and Spanish. Ms Suzy Lynch-Watson, the Principal Comminution Specialist at JK Tech was the program director, supported by Nigel Grigg, General Manager for Gekko Systems in South America.
The workshop was very successful with 21 attendees. Many of the major mining companies were represented – Teck, Vale, BHP Chile, Southern Peru Copper Corp, Codelco (both Codelco Norte and Andina), Hatch Chile, Anglo American Chile, and Moly-Cop amongst others. Feedback from the attendees clearly showed the real strength of the workshop was the great level of interaction and participation from those attending.
EXPERIENCE
Many of the topics generated numerous questions and discussion, with participants willing to contribute their own experiences and advice. Practical
Eco-Efficient Comminution workshop draws outstanding response
Above: Ms Lynch-Watson, JKTech Pty Ltd, presenting the EEC Workshop in Santiago. Below: Delegates at the EEC Workshop, some using the headsets for translation.
challenges such as low-grade ores, water shortages and more were included in the course material. Post workshop feedback applauded the course for addressing the real challenges faced in the field.
A significant advantage of a workshop experience is the opportunity to learn about advances in case studies in other sites. Attendees openly shared their current workplace experiences. Papers may be presented on the outcomes of these current trials in the future; those fortunate enough to attend the workshop are already aware of these developments.
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CEEC’S MISSION BROUGHT TO JO’BURG SAIMM
L-R: Russell Heins, ELG and Ian Ashmole, Vice Chairman, Jhb Branch SAIMM
The Johannesburg Branch of the SAIMM was recently privileged to host a presentation by Ms Elizabeth Lewis-Gray on the subject of the Coalition for Eco-Efficient Comminution (CEEC), a not-for-profit organisation founded by Ms Lewis-Gray in collaboration with several academic luminaries in the field of particle size reduction.
CEEC aims to accelerate the transfer of knowledge in the field of eco-efficient comminution, by building awareness of the benefits of eco-efficient comminution, such as improved earnings and greater processing throughput to name a few, and to encourage change in the industry.
Ms Lewis-Gray began her talk by sharing the vision and primary activities of the CEEC since its inception in mid-2011. The list of sponsors the Coalition has already attracted is extremely impressive from a South African perspective including Goldfields and Xstrata, whilst internationally AMIRA, Newcrest and Metso to name but a few have sponsored the initiative.
CONSUMPTION
Ms Lewis-Gray shocked the room into a stunned silence when she presented a slide which indicated that a massive 4% of total world electrical energy and 30-40% of mine electrical energy globally is consumed by comminution processes. She went on to reveal that only 5% of the energy input into ball milling actually goes into particle size reduction!
Ms Lewis-Gray then went on to discuss some very impressive industry specific data, primarily from Barrick, who are actively pursuing energy efficiency, and have to date reduced comminution energy on 3 mine sites by a total of 5.3%, which equates to an annual saving of $5.2M. The areas on which Barrick have focused include liner profiles, drive methods and mechanisms, and feed size optimisations in crushing and grinding circuits. Barrick has set a strategic goal to achieve an overall 8% reduction in mine energy consumption for 2012.
INVESTIGATION
CEEC is advocating industry investigation and adoption of new technologies to improve comminution energy efficiencies.
These include:
• The use of crushing to reduce particle size further than has been the historic norm, utilising the mineralogical matrix of the material to liberate valuable minerals. Equipment such as High Pressure Grinding Rolls and Vertical Shaft Impact Crusher technologies have been known for many years but are only now starting to find mining industry acceptance.
• Gangue rejection at as coarse a particle size as possible, using sorting or gravity technology.
• Optimised feed size distribution by modifying blast patterns.
In closing a fascinating and slightly disturbing presentation, Ms Lewis-Gray urged local industry and individuals to become actively involved in the drive for awareness and debate of eco-efficient comminution and energy efficiency. Precedents have been set by some forward-thinking members of our industry; the onus is on the rest of us to catch up.
The full presentation can be accessed on the SAIMM website, http://www.saimm.co.za/about-saimm/branchessaimm/59-saimm-johannesburg
Source: DOE 1980, CSRP Eco-Efficient Liberation – Outcomes and Benefits 2003-2010
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The Opportunity:Comminution Energy Consumption
Comminution accounts for:
Contributed by Russell Heins, Consultant Metallurgist, Benu Consulting,
SAIMM Committee member
Strong interest has generated outstanding nominations for the 2012 CEEC Medal for the most outstanding paper published or presented on eco-efficient comminution in the past 12 months.
The CEEC Medal will be presented for the first time in June 2012. The review committee is now evaluating each paper on its merit relative to the criteria.
The CEEC Medal is intended to encourage publication of relevant papers, including those showing financial benefits from eco-efficient comminution processes.
Key comminution papers – Available via CEEC website
Metcom Technologies’ Chief Metallurgist, Rob McIvor, has drawn on his unique experience with slurry pumps, grinding mills and cyclones to develop a training program with all the steps to measure and improve plant grinding efficiency.
Certified by The Engineering Institute of Canada, this training is now being implemented by major companies around the world.
With focus on practical plant metrics, Metcom thusly delivers eco-efficient comminution practices through systematic knowledge transfer.
“Through the power of the internet we can work with anyone on the planet,” McIvor notes.
You can learn more about Metcom’s specialized tools and web-delivered training at www.metcomtech.com.
Metcom uses web to deliver unique tools for increasing grinding efficiency
Rob McIvor examines a sampling location for a grinding survey
Buckingham, L; Dupont J-F; Steiger, J; Blain, B; Brits, C
2011 Improving Energy Efficiency in Barrick Grinding Circuits
SAG2011
Powell, MS; Benzer, H; Mainza AN 2011 Integrating the strengths of SAG and HPGR in flexible circuit designs
SAG2011
Rosario PP; Hall RA; Grundy M; Klein B 2011 A novel AG-crusher-HPGR circuit for hard weathered ores containing clays
SAG2011
Rybinski, E; Ghersi, J; Davila, F; Linares J; Valery, W; Jankovic, A; Valle, R; Dikmen S
2011 Optimising and Continuous improvement of Antamina Comminution Circuit
SAG2011
Wennen, JE; Murr, DL 2011 Autogenous mill feed preparation to reduce unit energy consumption
SAG2011
Inaugural CEEC Medal winner announced June 2012
Dear Valued Sponsors, Friends and Supporters of CEEC,
The close of the 2011 year saw a flurry of activity in the CEEC camp with representatives doing an outstanding job of delivering the CEEC message around eco-efficient comminution to a range of global conferences. In particular, CEEC International organised a workshop at Procemin December 2011 (Santiago), and was represented at INDABA February 2012 (Cape Town), SME February 2012 (Seattle), the SAIMM (Johannesburg) February 2012 branch meeting, and PDAC March 2012 (Toronto). The broad geographic spread of representation is very pleasing given our global focus. Our international footprint is also supported by our LinkedIn group membership, now close to 500 members!
In late March 2012, Prof Tim Napier-Munn’s presentation on the benefits of eco-efficient comminution to CEOs at the Australian Copper Conference at Brisbane attracted numerous questions from the audience. Many exploration programs and copper mining companies face energy supply challenges in remote areas. Therefore, reducing energy consumption is critical and important to the senior leaders in these organisations.
A fantastic response has been received from industry to assist our endeavours, with Outotec, Metso and JK Tech joining the ranks of our existing sponsor group. A very big ‘thank you’ to all our sponsors for your ongoing support - without which the compilation and promotion of key data and strategies on the important topic of eco-efficient comminution would be impossible.
Our focussed activities over the next six months are around three main endeavours: 1) launching the CEEC Award, 2) developing a CEEC Workshop to be held later in the year, and 3) promoting our eco-efficient comminution message to a target audience of “C-level” and board level executives of globally distributed mining companies.
On the other side of the globe, CEEC has become bi-lingual! CEEC’s banner and fliers at Expomin 2012 in Chile have been on display in Spanish. CEEC is delighted to become more accessible in this geographical region, and this will continue in line with the expansion of mining in South America.
As we go to print, Prof Malcolm Powell will be delivering CEEC’s message on the closing day of Comminution 2012, and we will be updating CEEC’s website with the best papers on eco-efficient comminution from this meeting.
Elizabeth Lewis-GrayChairman, Coalition for Eco-Efficient Comminution
Elizabeth Lewis-Gray, CEEC Chair with Mr Nick Holland, CEO Gold Fields, and founding CEEC Sponsor.
Indaba 2012 attracted over 7,000 registrants this year, an increase of over 1000 delegates on last year.
CEEC AT INDABA 2012
Contact: www.ceecthefuture.org or
Getting in Touch with CEEC
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CEEC thanks its sponsors:
Letter from our Chairman
Elizabeth Lewis-Gray, CEEC Chair with Dr Jan Smit, Head of Technology, Anglo American, during a recent site visit to Anglo American Research Labs.
