Modern Mining April 2016

PRODUCT News

Vulcan 10 incorporates newWorkbench platform

New and enhanced tools in Vulcan 10 will value-add to technical data across critical modelling, design and planning processes. Highlights of the software release include a new automated pit designer, variogram analysis, implicit modelling and grade control. Vulcan 10 is said to herald a new era in

commercial production of over 71 000 tons of fine copper at one of the industry’s low- est cost levels. An increase in slot size and operational stability has increased through- put by 7 %. Pebble production increased by 24 % during the first 50 days of opera- tion, while the wear rate decreased from 0,26 mm/day to 0,11 mm/day. Mill availabil- ity has increased thanks to the elimination of pinning and breakage The Poly-Met discharge grates are made of metal and rubber, which means less weight and greater elasticity. The composite material was identified as the best solution for this type of application after a series of tri- als with El Teniente between 2012 and 2014. Metso is planning a global launch of Poly-Met grates in the later part of 2016. Website: www.metso.com “Designing a new platform presents a host of challenges that need to be consid- ered,” he added. “One of the issues Maptek faced was resolving how mature products interact with new products and ensure an auditable data flow across mine processes. “When it comes down to it, the impor- tant thing about software design is how it relates to the user. This is especially true in critical value markets like mining. It’s not enough to just develop a new applica- tion – it must improve the workflow and user experience with the introduction of the Maptek Workbench as an integrated platform for development and delivery of products and services. “The Workbench defines our future as a global mining technology leader,” said Maptek CEO Peter Johnson at the software launch.

respond to practical concerns of the user base and business conditions.” The new approach to variogram analy- sis is a good example. Fourteen menu items have been streamlined into a sophis- ticated tool that provides newmethods for handling structural and grade based aniso­ tropy. Resource geologists have access to alternative methods to evaluate data, dis- playing multiple models concurrently for real-time, side-by-side comparisons. A new splitting solids tool applies cur- rent Vulcan multi-boolean capability to generate valid mining blocks for schedul- ing. Created solids can be clipped to a new topography as new data becomes avail- able, delivering noticeable improvement in workflows for mid-term scheduling. This is complemented by another option that interactively cuts bench polygons, with target tonnage reserved against a block model as cutting proceeds. Sophisticated modelling techniques are supported by advanced visualisation regimes for communicating alternative scenarios. Users can work with regular block models containing billions of blocks in Vulcan 10. The new automated pit designer for creating mineable pit shells improves effi- ciency for engineering tasks. Vulcan 10 implicit modelling includes a new radial basis function for defining domains with shared or independent structural trends while accurately hon- ouring drillhole data. Uncer tainty modelling allows multiple orebodies to be automatically generated from drillhole datasets. Incorporating financial informa- tion enables quick assessment of mining viability for different scenarios. Maptek, website www.maptek.com

Vulcan 10 implicit modelling includes a new radial basis function for defining domains with shared or independent structural trends while accurately honouring drillhole data.

Poly-Met grates perform at El Teniente copper mine Metso has recognised Codelco El Teniente as the first mining company in the world to use its innovative grinding technology – the next level of Poly-Met discharge grates for SAG mills.

In 2010 Codelco El Teniente’s problems with grate piece breakage in their SAG mill resulted in low mill availability and opera- tional instability. Codelco El Teniente worked in close cooperation with Metso to solve the problem. As a result, the next level of Poly- Met discharge grates was taken into use in a SAG mill for the first time. According to Metso, this innovative technology improves the copper production process by increas- ing the throughput and pebble production while also decreasing wear rate. The results have been impressive. In 2015 Codelco El Teniente achieved record

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54  MODERN MINING  April 2016