invent

introduce

Program 1 - Define

Improving Feed QualityG.Wilkie@crcore.org.au

www.crcore.org.au

Greg WilkieProgram CoordinatorProgram 1: Define

PROGRAM 1: DEFINE

CRC ORE 2

Essential Research Participants

PROGRAM 1: OBJECTIVES AND AIMS

CRC ORE 3

Definition of exploitable feed quality heterogeneity for Grade Engineering®

Produce value seeking algorithms

Laboratory scale testing for sensor-based separation yield-response attributes

Testing equipment and protocols to define and rank response

In-situ down hole telemetry for short term application

Modified down hole tools, operational protocols and decision support

On-line telemetry of feed quality in early extraction cycle

Sensors for early material movement flows

Analysing sensitivity of feed quality attributes

Methods/software to design and manage optimal feed quality testing

RESEARCH MILESTONES: PROGRAM 1 DEFINE

CRC ORE 4

R1.1 Define & Predict Exploitable Heterogeneity

Develop a new approach to define spatial domains of heterogeneity in resource definition exploitable by Grade Engineering®.

Four (2xPhD;2xMPhil) Higher Degree Research Projects.

R1.2 Develop yield-response curves for coarse separation

Conducted through metallurgical laboratory testing at drill core and bulk sample (1-200kg) scales.

R1.3 Develop on-line sensors for grade estimation

Suitable for coarse ore capable for bulk penetration at belt-scale generating signal directly related to elements and minerals of interest.

Approach 1: Integrated sample volumes through Control Neutron Activation Analysis (CNAA), Gamma Activation Analysis (GAA) and Magnetic Resonance (MR).

Approach 2: Large-array surface measurement through XRF, LIF and LIBS.

PROGRAM 1: HETEROGENEITY PROJECTS

CRC ORE 5

%Cu

Two projects underway to define and predict exploitable heterogeneity

1. New tools for grade engineering benchmarking for the Western Australian gold industry.

2. Predictive geometallurgical controls on preferential grade-by-size deportment.

GRADE HETEROGENEITY OCCURS ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF SCALES

Heterogeneity can occur at mining unit scale (10’s of metres) or at particle scale (10’s of cm)

Use of compositing smooths out this information mainly because it is not useful in current practice.

Heterogeneity at different scales is exploited by the five separation levers in Grade Engineering.

CRC ORE 6

HETEROGENEITY INDICES USED TO RANK OPPORTUNITY

CRC ORE 7

Het

ero

gen

eity

Ind

ex

NEW BENCHMARKING TOOLS FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MINING INDUSTRY

Project commenced in August 2016 and due for completion in July 2017.

Predictive modelling of heterogeneity to identify

Grade Engineering opportunities in the WA from

public domain data.

Outcomes from the project will be:

Development and extension of CRC ORE’s

heterogeneity indices.

Linking heterogeneity indices with Grade

Engineering opportunity preliminary assessments.

Highlighting opportunity for selected coarse

separation levers on a deposit-by-deposit basis.

Industry workshops, education and training.

New on-line web portal for heterogeneity analysis.CRC ORE 8

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO FILTER HETEROGENEITY FOR WA

CRC ORE 9

GeoView.WA is an online data portal administered by WA DMP

Includes exploration, resource definition

and grade control drilling data for

projects and mines over last ~20 years

Includes annualised drilling and assay

data for producing mines and prospects

No other public access data portal like this anywhere else in the world

Information is fundamentally useful to

initial Grade Engineering assessments

HETEROGENEITY FOR WA PROGRESS TO DATE

Preliminary 12 month compilation and data

analysis project for 127 regions selected

from GeoVIEW involving <10 million assay

records

A first pass Response Factor has been

developed for heterogeneity which can be

used to asses and rank prospects and

projects

Starts to highlight projects that can be

enhanced or unlocked using Grade

Engineering principles – main focus has been

on Au

PREDICTIVE GEOMETALLURGICAL CONTROLS ON GRADE BY SIZE

Project commenced in October 2016 and due for completion in September 2019.

Aim is to improve understanding of preferential grade-by-

size deportment and develop a standard test work protocol

to identify why grade-by-size correlations exist in some

mineralisation styles and not in others.

Outcomes from the project will be:

Multi-deposit testing and analysis of the grade-by-size

effect identifying mineralogy, texture, alteration and ore

genesis drivers.

Development of predictive tools for classifying mineralised

systems in terms of likely grade-by-size fractionation

performance.

Development of predictive tools for

grade-by-size fractionation strength

as input in to spatial and economic

models.CRC ORE 11

NEW SENSOR TECHNOLOGY

Five projects underway to develop new

sensor technologies:

1. Bulk sensing of gold ores using Gamma

Activation Analysis

2. Prototype Down-Hole PGNAA Tool for Blast

Hole Logging

3. Bulk sensing with magnetic resonance

4. Next generation laser-based mineralogy

sensing technology

5. LIBS based mineralogical analyser for

scanning coarse rock streams

CRC ORE 12

Identify Quantify

Surf

ace

Pen

etra

te

LIBS/LIFS

XRF

Neutron activation

Magnetic resonance

Gamma activation

BULK SENSING OF GOLD ORES USING GAMMA ACTIVATION ANALYSIS

Project commenced in March 2016 and was completed in February 2017

Aim was to advance the application of GAA from fixed, laboratory based samples to conveyor belt applications where the samples are moving and the material presented to the sensor is constantly changing.

Outcomes from the project were:Identification of the most suitable detector technology to measure activated gold, and a laboratory demonstration of the selected detector components.

Detailed X-ray irradiator design built around a transfer point between two conveyors.

Detailed analysis of the GAA-based Grade Engineering response of one gold deposit, based on geological information.

CRC ORE 13

TECHNIQUE OF GAMMA ACTIVATION

GAA uses a Linear Accelerator to irradiate the rock with high energy electrons.

Elements in the rock become activated and emit gamma radiation which is characteristic of the

elements present.

A detector collects the radiation and software converts the signal into a quantitative elemental grade.

GAA is highly sensitive for gold analysis exhibiting sub ppm detection limits

CRC ORE 14

BULK SENSING OF GOLD ORES COMPLETED DELIVERABLES

CRC ORE 15

Conceptual designs for the pilot-scale and full scale

on-belt GAA systems were developed.

Computer modelling confirmed sorting

performance of full scale on belt system operating

at 400 and 800 tonnes/hour on a feed grade of 1

ppm Au.

Phase 2 of the project has been approved to

construct a prototype for a 60tph GAA gold ore

cross belt sensing and sorting pilot facility.

PROTOTYPE DOWN HOLE PGNAA FOR BLAST HOLE LOGGING

Project commenced in March 2016 and completed in

February 2017

Aim was to develop a prototype down-hole tool for

analysing elemental grades from blast holes.

Outcomes from the project were:

Develop a borehole PGNAA tool for use in blast holes of

>150mm diameter.

Laboratory testing and demonstration in simulated

borehole/material.

Testing of prototype in replicating real world.

CRC ORE 16

TECHNIQUE OF PROMT GAMMA NEUTRON ACTIVATION

PGNAA uses a neutron source (either natural or machine generated) to irradiate the rock

Elements in the rock become activated and emit gamma radiation which is characteristic of the elements present.

A detector collects the radiation and software converts the signal into a quantitative elemental grade.

PGNAA has been applied to the cement and bulk minerals industries but less so in the base metal industries.

CRC ORE 17

PROMPT GAMMA NEUTRON ACTIVATION COMPLETED DELIVERABLES

CRC ORE 18

Construction of prototype borehole PGNAA tool

for use in blast holes of >150mm diameter

completed.

Laboratory testing and demonstration in

simulated borehole/material still in progress.

BULK SENSING WITH MAGNETIC RESONANCE

Project commenced in March 2016 and completed in February 2017

Aim was to demonstrate a laboratory scale

prototype on-conveyor MR Analyser for a

species other than chalcopyrite.

Outcomes from the project were to:

Build a prototype covellite on-conveyor sensor

for laboratory evaluation.

Evaluate and quantify the optimised covellite

measurement performance of the laboratory

test bed

CRC ORE 19

TECHNIQUE OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE

Magnetic resonance involves radio frequency excitation

of the mineral phase lattice resulting in a distinctive

frequency response for some minerals – it is penetrative

and capable of rapid quantification

CSIRO is developing magnetic resonance (MR) as a bulk

mineral sorter capable of deployment on operational

feed conveyors.

Radio excitation and detection coils can be built around

conveyor belts and field trials have proven the reliability

and resolution of MR for chalcopyrite

CRC ORE 20

PROMPT GAMMA NEUTRON ACTIVATION COMPLETED DELIVERABLES

CRC ORE 21

Construction of prototype covellite on-

conveyor sensor for laboratory evaluation has

been completed.

Tests on covellite detection and sensitivity in

progress

NEXT GENERATION SENSING LASER BASED MINERALOGY

Project commenced in September 2016 and due to be completed in September 2019Aim is to create a new and unique mineralogy ‘spectral fingerprint’ database and will lead to the rapid development of new, low-cost, robust sensing technology capable of being applied in a range of mining and mineral processing applications.

Outcomes from the project are:Establish a world-first Upconversion Fluorescence mineral research facility.

Create and publish an Upconversion Fluorescence spectroscopic mineralogy database.

Investigate potential Upconversion Fluorescence mineral identification and quantification application across multiple particle sizes and multiple industrial applications.

CRC ORE 22

TECHNIQUE OF UPCONVERSION FLUORESCENCE

Some materials when irradiated with two coupled

lasers emit light at a shorter wavelength (higher

energy) than the wavelength of the irradiating

lasers. This is called Upconversion Fluoresence

(UF).

Materials that show good UF characteristics often

contain d-block and f-block elements (Ti, Ni, Mo,

Re, Os etc.).

UF is ideally suited to real-time process monitoring

and mine operations, as production and detection

of the UF spectra are fast and expected to be

mineral-specific – each mineral should display a

unique narrow banded “fingerprint”.

CRC ORE 23

UPCONVERSION FLUORESCENCE PROGRESS TO DATE

CRC ORE 24

UFS for mineral identification is a wholly new

field with no existing data or facilities.

The UF fundamental research facility is

currently being established and commissioned

by the University of Adelaide.

NEXT GENERATION SENSING LASER BASED MINERALOGY

Project commenced in April 2017 and due to be completed in April 2019Aim is to develop a novel application of a LIBS rapid on-line mineralogical characterisation instrument suitable for deployment on mine sites in a variety of settings from in-pit muck piles, underground draw points, cross-belt scanning and on-line slurries.

Outcomes from the project are:Generation of representative LIBS spectra for defined mineral species using existing reference samples previously characterised using SEM and optical techniques

Evaluation of lab-scale rastering and repetition rates achievable using current fibre lasers and optical focussing systems to determine spatial coverages for scale up

Investigation of data reduction methodologies and software requirements to reduce LIBS spectra to mineral speciation using pattern matching techniques.

CRC ORE 25

Rapid micron scale analysis and elemental discrimination

In LIBS a focused laser pulse strikes the sample surface and ablates an amount of material to generate a high-temperature plasma plume

Atoms and ions are excited to higher energy levels and while returning into their ground state emit characteristic energy signatures for each element

Ability to generate remote stand-off scanning capabilities

Size of laser excitation spots can be in the order of microns using nano-second repetition rates with spectra measured remotely using optic fibres

LIBS can measure a large number of elements simultaneously with the ability to detect light elements beyond the capability of many other techniques

CRC ORE 26

TECHNIQUE OF LASER INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROSCOPY

invent

introduce

Program 1 - Define

Improving Feed QualityG.Wilkie@crcore.org.au

www.crcore.org.au

Greg WilkieProgram CoordinatorProgram 1: Define