Designing tonnage and grade traceability from pit to plant

Mine, stockpile and plant figures had to be reconciled with confidence, using sensors and systems already in place.

Tonnage and grade came from several sources of different reliability, the reconciliation factors were hard to audit, and neither blast movement nor stockpile blending was represented in the models. The result was a mine-to-plant balance that could not be defended with confidence.

We diagnosed the reconciliation factors and data flows, including the on-line analyzers already installed, and ranked the tonnage sources and grade-assignment protocols by reliability. On that basis we designed a displaced-material model, the integration of sensors, and the concept of a dynamic stockpile model.

The engagement delivers a diagnosis report and site visit, technical assurance criteria for the client's control system and dashboards, and a roadmap for structural improvements to the models.