State of the art and challenges in mineral processing control

Abstract

The objective of process control in the mineral industry is to optimise the recovery of the valuable minerals, while maintaining the quality of the concentrates delivered to the metal extraction plants. The paper presents a survey of the control approaches for ore size reduction and mineral separation processes. The present limitations of the measurement instrumentation are discussed, as well as the methods to upgrade the information delivered by the sensors. In practice, the overall economic optimisation goal must be hierarchically decomposed into simpler control problems. Model-based and AI methods are reviewed, mainly for grinding and flotation processes, and classified as mature, active or emerging.

Interface level regulation in an oil sands separation cell using model-based predictive control

“…In mineral processing, Hodouin et al (2001) emphasize that the optimization and control cannot be performed…”

Identifiability of run-of-mine ore grinding mill circuit parameters

“…and Φ θ, u, u (1) , u (2) , ..., u (k) , y, y (1) , y (2) , ..., y (k) = 0 (41) hold, on [0, T ], for all (θ, u, u (1) , u (2) , ..., u (k) , y, y (1) , y (2) , ..., y (k) ), where (θ, x 0 , u) belong to an open and dense subset of…”

“…The derivatives of the input function u are u (1) , u (2) , ..., u (k) and the derivatives of the output function y are y (1) , y (2) , ..., y (k) where y = (t, θ, x 0 , u).…”

“…The ability of downstream processes to extract the greatest benefit from the milled ore is dependent on the particle size of the product that leaves the mill. Therefore, the optimal level of operation is achieved when the mill produces a product of consistent fineness at the maximum possible rate and efficiency [1], [2]. Because grinding mills are considered to be one of the most cost-intensive and energy-intensive operations in the mineral processing industry, a better product from the mill could result in improved economic performance [3], [4].…”

A hybrid intelligent optimal control method for complex flotation process

“…The purpose of the operational control of flotation is to ensure that the concentrate grade and the tailing grade are inside their target ranges within which the control objectives are to maximise the concentrate grade and minimise the tailing grade so as to improve the concentrate grade and the metal recovery. As a result, recent research has been focused on how to increase the concentrate grade and decrease the tailing grade by applied new flotation control methods in Hodouin, Jamsa-Jounela, Carvalho and Bergh (2001) and Bergh and Yianatos (2003).…”