Mining

Cement Kiln Feed Control

Cement is pyroprocessed in long, cylindrical kilns that rotate axially at a rate 30 to 250 revolutions per hour. The axis of the kiln is slightly sloped, typically 1-4º, enabling the raw mix or meal that’s fed into the upper end of the tube to be properly processed at the prescribed rate. A burner pipe located at the opposite end of the kiln produces  charge temperatures of approximately 1450º C.

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Heap Leaching Acid Feed Control

Heap leaching is an industrial mining process that extracts precious metals from ore through a series of acidic chemical reactions. During this process the non-valuable earth materials or gangue are put through a series of acidic chemical reactions that absorb specific minerals and re-separate them. Comparable to in situ mining, heap leach mining differs in that uses a heap pad to separate the ore.

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High Pressure Acid Leaching

Recovery of nickel has become increasingly challenging as yield per ton of ore has decreased dramatically. Existing mines grade decreases and new viable ore bodies are located in remote locations. Certain methods of recovery, such as traditional leaching, have been outmoded. In the last decade, high pressure acid leaching (HPAL) in autoclaves has become the technologically preferred method for processing gold present in sulfide minerals.

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Improve Copper Recovery

Mining of copper typically encompasses separating of sulfide ore and recovery of the purer metal particles from gangue minerals using froth flotation. The process follows crushing, grinding, and milling of the ore into fine particles, which are mixed with water into a slurry that is then fed into a flotation cell.

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Slurry Feed and Discharge Isolation Control

Recovery of gold ore has become increasingly challenging as yield per ton of ore has decreased dramatically. Existing mines grades are decreasing, new viable ore bodies are being discovered in remote locations and certain methods of recovery, such as traditional leaching, have been outmoded. In the last decade, pressure oxidation (POX) in autoclaves has become the technologically preferred method for processing gold present in sulfide minerals.

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Mill Feedwater Pressure Control

Copper is a valuable metal used in many residential, commercial, and industrial products. From wiring and consumer electronics to HVAC systems to electrical vehicles, copper is an essential element necessary to produce such products. Copper mining is a complex process and water is its’ lifeblood. It allows for the separation and recovery of salable copper. Throughout the milling and flotation cell processed, over double the amount of water is required throughout the crush-grind-flotation-concentrate circuit. Poor control of the mine’s water supply can negatively impact process run-time, leading to constrained production levels and hurting the bottom line.

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Nickel Mine Oxygen Compressor Inlet Guide Vanes

A large nickel mine in Ontario, Canada produces nickel metal, which is used in the manufacturing of smartphones and rechargeable batteries that power electric cars. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a major air pollutant emitted in the roasting, smelting, and converting of sulfide ores. Fortunately, the SO2 is recovered and utilized to make sulfuric acid (H2SO4), an important coproduct that contributes to the mine’s operational revenue. This high-grade sulfuric acid is used to make recyclable fertilizers and paper products.

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Collection Main Predictive Maintenance

Coke oven main pressure control is a critical control application for the safe operation of coke making. A plant’s actuator not only must position the cross-over valve to achieve a pressure of 12+/-1 mmWC, but it must avoid pressure spikes from volatile gases soon after coal charging, as shown in Figure 1. If the actuator is slow to respond, the collection main and coke oven gas pressure will increase and leak toxic gas at the oven doors. If the actuator overshoots, the coke oven pressure can decrease to a vacuum, entering oxygen in air which ignites in the over. Both pressure scenarios present major safety concerns.

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Improve Mineral Recovery

Mineral processing plants have some of the most severe and demanding installation environments. These harsh environments are extremely challenging for equipment within critical plant process control applications. Controlling flashing liquids or slurries requires an actuator capable of producing large output forces and torques with accurate and repeatable positioning.

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