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Scott Bensley, Principal Metallurgist Processing - Resource Development/Metallurgical Development, Rio Tinto Iron Ore delivered this presentation at the 2013 FE Tech Conference. The event focussed on the economics of processing and the beneficiation of iron ore. In light of the slowdown in demand for iron ore and pricing decreases, the need to process more efficiently and cost effectively is a challenge. The conference examined on how we can achieve greater value from the iron ore supply chain, with topics addressing optimisation and streamlining processes, applying improved technologies, understanding the ore body and how to properly characterise it, knowing the steel makers needs. For more information please visit the conference website: http://www.informa.com.au/fe-tech
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RTIO Pilot Plant Experience FeTech 2013
26 November 2013 RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 2
Recent Pilot Plant History
• 2003 Yandi Scrubbing Pilot Plant
• 2005/6 Marra Mamba BWT Pilot Plant
• 2009 & 2011 IronX Pilot Plant
• 2011 Hybrid Sizer Pilot Plant
• 2012 Low Grade Pilot Plant
2003 Yandi Low Grade Scrubbing
26 November 2013 RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 3
2006 Marra Mamba Desliming
26 November 2013 RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 4
2009 & 2011 IronX
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 5
2011 Hybrid Sizer
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 6
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 7
2012 Low Grade Beneficiation
26 November 2013
Presentation Title 8
Feed Prep Plant
Fines Plant (-1mm)
26 November 2013
Presentation Title 10
Jig Plant
26 November 2013
Presentation Title 11
Site selection
• Self sufficiency vs integration with Ops (MOU’s)
• Feed sourcing & transport
• Waste disposal
• Land, power, water
• Travel and accommodation availability
26 November 2013
Presentation Title 12
Low Grade Pilot Plant at Brockman 4
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 13
LGPP
BS4 Ops
BS4 LG
BS4 Mine
HSE learnings
• HSE
– Dust in eye incidents
– Rocks falling
26 November 2013 RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 14
Falling rock hazard
26 November 2013 RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 15
HSE learnings
• HSE
– Dust in eye incidents
– Rocks falling
– Isolation procedures
– Access platforms
– HSE support staff
26 November 2013 RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 16
Plant Design
• Site and Plant design
– Layout – HME separated from plant/operators
26 November 2013 RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 17
Separating HME, LV and Pedestrians
26 November 2013 RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 18
Plant Design
• Site and Plant design
– Layout – HME separated from plant/operators
– Scaleability of unit processes
– Matching capacities
– Sampling – Experienced team members to review designs
• Floor spillage and flow interruption
– Flowsheet with flexibility
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 19
Management
• Setting expectations for staff early
• Crew roster and structure
• Staggered crew members or 9/5 for better handovers
• Accommodation! Remember Maslow’s Hierarchy
• Preparation of Safety and Operating systems – allow a skeleton crew
• Early managers safety audit just prior to commissioning
• Control systems support staff
• Deadlines – budget, accommodation, people
• Project finishes when report is complete
26 November 2013 RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 20
Management (cont.)
• Extent of Laboratory services
– Everything on site (what turnaround)
– Prep on site or send to Perth
• Have all the equipment you might need available
– EWP, water cart, forklift, loaders (IT), trucks, service trailer
• Schedule the construction/commissioning/operations transition
• Plan for decommissioning/removal or care and maintenance
26 November 2013 RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 21
Feed Collection & Preparation
• Feed collection and homogenisation
– Many oretypes & sufficient quantity
– Incremental shovelling of feed piles
– Use of crushing and screening contractors or production plant
26 November 2013 RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 22
Stockpiles at the Low Grade Pilot Plant
26 November 2013 RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 23
Collecting samples with a belt plough
26 November 2013 RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 24
Feed Collection & Preparation
• Feed collection and homogenisation
– Many oretypes & sufficient quantity
– Incremental shovelling
– Use of crushing and screening contractors or production plan
– Moisture
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 25
Wet Feed
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 26
Feed Collection & Preparation
• Feed collection and homogenisation
– Many oretypes & sufficient quantity
– Incremental shovelling
– Moisture
• Sampling and quality control of feed preparation
– Sizing – regular checks to ensure lump and fines are on spec
– Contamination – preserving a ‘stockpile base’
– Oversize – incorporate trash removal in design
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 27
Marra Mamba Pilot Plant – Oversize Issues
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 28
Low Grade Pilot Plant Oversize and Contamination in Lump
Things you get right but don’t realise the importance at the time • Sample hoists
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 31
Fines Plant Material Hoist
Things you get right but don’t realise the importance at the time • Sample hoists
• Distributors
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 33
Things you get right but don’t realise the importance at the time • Sample hoists
• Distributors
• Data historians
• Belt filter operation
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 34
Important things you discover
• Up Current Classifier pulsating discharge to filter
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 35
Allflux discharge
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 36
Important things you discover
• Up Current Classifier pulsating discharge to filter
• Retreating primary cyclone overflow prior to WHIMS
• Sand filters on process water
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 37
Important things you discover
• Up Current Classifier pulsating discharge to filter
• Retreating primary cyclone overflow prior to WHIMS
• Sand filters on process water
• Pumping UCC underflow
– Unstable slurry at 35% solids v/v (65% w/w)
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 38
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 39
Technical
• It’s not just a mini gravel washing plant!
• Conveyor weightometer setup and test calibration
• Can’t have too much instrumentation
• Testwork Program
– This can and will change
– Consider duplicates and statistical design
– Plackett Burman, Factorial, Central Rotatable Composite
– Understand variability
• Mass balancing and data analysis
• Take lots of bulk samples
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 40
Questions?
26 November 2013
RTIO Pilot Plant Experience 41
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