We've seen the problem occur across operations at NTWIST - isolated actions and miscommunication between mine planning, stockpile management, and mill performance result in losses of valuable ore. It's not a matter of technology, but rather systems that lack feedback loops, resulting in poor coordination.
This article covers the points of coordination breakdown, the toll they take, and how to restore confidence and intelligence to mine-to-mill operations with integrated approaches.
Mine-to-mill coordination is an essential process in operations, and any dissonance between the various planning functions can result in loss of ore or poor mill performance. A few points of breakdown commonly occur in mine-to-mill coordination:
Isolated planning systems: Mine planning models, dispatch data, and plant feeds that exist in isolation have a higher risk of delivering poor results due to the lack of integration.
No correction loop: Incorrect information about sandbagged stockpile or mill performance is a major issue that causes misalignment.
Independent KPIs: Independent functions with little or no information on the effect of their processes may perform below their potential.
As one expert wrote, 'Successful mine-to-mill strategies require understanding the relationship between blast fragmentation and grinding performance to avoid operational silos.'
Poor coordination of the mining and milling processes brings extra costs that are often not accounted for in the budget and can derail the entire operation's profitability. When there is a disconnect between mine planning and mill planning, the feeds into the mill are inconsistent, requiring operators to adjust blend calculations constantly. Inconsistencies in blending also create tolerance stack issues during reconciliation. Some processes report productivity improvements of 10-20% after incorporating comminution-related data into blasting decisions (Mining Tech, 2024). Extra costs can be incurred due to energy wastage, re-blasts, re-handling, and poor recoveries, among others. This is why smart mine-to-mill coordination and control systems provide value protection to clients.
This is where NTWIST's integrated approach is a great fit. We connect the various processes required in mining and milling into a coordinated decision-making hierarchy that allows clients to see the processes as a connected chain rather than individual links. Our integrated solutions ensure that
Planning processes inform each other: the mine plan informs blending rules and mill setpoints while plant KPIs inform changes to the mine plan and/or stockpile management.
blast insights are utilized: blasting effects are understood and incorporated into comminution logic to improve mill setpoints and productivity.
Unified process logic is applied: All planning and execution processes are informed by one source of information at any point.
Experts at Schneider Electric note that synchronizing ore flow and plant control not only improves throughput but also energy performance (SE Blogs, 2024).
The integration of systems delivers more than the sum of its parts. The application of feedback loops in a coordinated decision-making hierarchy enables processes to build on each other's strengths.
Feedback is the new fertilizer. The ability to apply feedback from the mill to the mine plan enables optimization of mining activities.
Coordinated processes improve performance. The improvement in production witnessed when mine planning is aligned with mill planning offers an opportunity for improvement in every function in mining.
When ore is put in the wrong place, the consequences can be felt in the mill, but the root cause often lies in operational coordination breakdowns at the mine. Fixing the issue requires more than the application of better technology, but an improvement in how people and processes connect. At NTWIST, we offer mining and milling solutions that connect data and people into a coordinated decision-making hierarchy. Our mine-to-mill decision layer ensures that people are connected, and every step in the mining process is taking place for a purpose.
People Also Ask Mine-to-mill
Mine-to-mill optimization refers to the connection between mining and milling activities to improve throughput, efficiency, and overall production.
Mine-to-mill coordination problems can be caused by disconnected or isolated systems and poor feedback between the various functions.
The fragmentation resulting from blasting affects many downstream processes, including crushing, grinding, energy consumption, and mill throughput.
Improved mine-to-mill coordination can be achieved by connecting mine, stockpile, dispatch, and mill data into an intelligent system that enables faster decision-making.
Benefits of mine-to-mill optimization include improved throughput, reduced energy consumption, management of ore quantity and quality, and improved overall efficiency of the mining process.
Pramodh Chandrashekar is an industry and technology expert and Senior Researcher at NTWIST. His expertise includes industrial AI, mining and manufacturing technology, digital transformation, and operational optimization.
He focuses on applying AI and data-driven technologies to improve operational efficiency and business performance.
LinkedIn: Pramodh Chandrashekar
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ReferencesDassault GEOVIA. (2022). Mine‑to‑mill series – Blasting to comminution: key leverages and their impacts on downstream KPIs. Retrieved from https://blog.3ds.com/brands/geovia/mine-to-mill-series-blasting-to-comminution-key-leverages-and-their-impacts-on-downstream-kpis
Schneider Electric. (2024). Unlocking Mill Efficiency: Leveraging AI Insights for Enhanced Mining Benefits. Retrieved from https://blog.se.com/industry/2024/11/26/unlocking-mill-efficiency-leveraging-ai-insights-for-enhanced-mining-benefits/