Eliminated manual reporting errors and identified significant cost reduction opportunities

Until recently, this copper leach plant had no reliable digital tools for analysing data. Since implementing MI Core®, the plant has consolidated its data, gained all kinds of efficiencies, and even identified a saving of US$25 million per year in previously unaccounted product losses to tailings.

Challenges

Before implementing MI Core®, this copper leach plant was relying on several sources of disparate data to manage and report on its processes. However, all of this data was then manually re-written into an Excel spreadsheet for daily/monthly reporting and analysis. The system was incredibly time consuming, highly prone to errors, and lacked any transparency. The plant’s recovery calculations were also outdated and did not accurately represent true plant performance, affecting compliance.

Solution

Metallurgical Systems was engaged by the plant to implement a digital twin solution using MI Core®. This digital twin brings all of the plant’s data together to provide them with a single, transparent source of truth. This means that the on-site engineers can now better understand their processes, and can access accurate intermediate inventories and streams that were previously not recorded. They also have an in-depth understanding of the elemental flow through the plant, which would have otherwise required manual sampling.

Results

Through the implementation of MI Core®, and the automation of data transfer from the plant to the digital twin, the plant’s operators have been able to save valuable time and optimise processes in several areas. This has resulted in them uncovering a loss to tailings of US$25 million per year, and vital process improvements with regards to their wash efficiency and feed. Importantly, manual reporting errors have been eliminated, as has the risk of employees manually adjusting results to be more favourable.