NET ZERO
a difficult journey , however we know for a fact that going electric and switching to renewable energy and alternate fuels will be huge contributors . But to truly achieve our dual targets of profitability and sustainability , mines must take swift action and make significant operational efficiency improvements .”
Five cornerstones of mineral processing innovation The report identifies five mineral processing themes with accessible solutions for now and into the future : comminution , concentration , extraction , resource optimisation , and recovery and process optimisation . These cover emerging processing solutions : digital and automation technologies like artificial intelligence ( AI ), mixed realities or machine learning applied across comminution , concentration , extraction , or waste stream processes to better optimise ore liberation , enrichment , recovery , sustainability and asset performance .
Optimising energy , waste , water use and equipment performance at sites can be achieved through cutting-edge grinding , flotation , leaching , ore chemistry , process optimisation and advanced recovery solutions . Future innovations are widereaching and include coarse particle flotation , gravity separation , microwave fracturing , novel leaching , bio-mining , artificial neural networks and ESG mapping . “ We identify the key steps in copper mineral processing and then drill down to the ways we are going to become more operationally efficient and therefore produce lower CO2 emissions ,” Fennell explains . The roadmap
is full of innovative solutions , covering everything from artificial neural networks and bio-mining to ESG mapping and advanced recovery solutions . Each theme is a building block towards a more sustainable and efficient mining operation , promising not just environmental benefits but also operational excellence .
AI a game-changer in mineral processing AI is poised to play a transformative role in achieving the report ’ s objectives , as Fennell outlines . “ I am sure everyone can imagine how AI is going to change our industry , but in simple , practical terms we are underpinning our digital knowledge platform with a large language model ( LLM ) technology that
34 October 2023