Process risk mitigation for mining projects through metallurgical testwork

1 Short Course Process risk mitigation for mining projects through metallurgical testwork When: Sunday, November 13, 2016 8:30 – 17:30 Where: Pin...
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Short Course

Process risk mitigation for mining projects through metallurgical testwork When:

Sunday, November 13, 2016 8:30 – 17:30

Where:

Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier, 138 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver, BC

Course duration: one day Technical background Metallurgical response is one of the key technical risk factors affecting the outcome of mining projects. As long as a mineable deposit of proven grade exists, the single most significant technical risk is the processing risk, which in turn depends on metallurgy. Metallurgical testing is an industry-accepted practice to address this concern by generating hard data about the metallurgical behavior of the metal-bearing ores and various minerals. This short course will familiarize attendees with the main aspects involved in metallurgical testing, flowsheet development, process, and environmental risk mitigation. Participants The course is aimed at mining professionals, including geologists, mineralogists, process engineers, metallurgists, miners, financiers, operators, and academics. It will be of interest to all who would like to learn about the intricate details of independent, commercial, testwork practices. There are no minimum pre-requisites for this course, as the course is designed primarily for non-metallurgists. Learning outcomes Participants will learn about sample selection and sample variability in testwork program design. A summary of the key unit operations commonly subjected to metallurgical testing will be presented, including:  comminution;  physical separation;  flotation;  hydrometallurgy; and,  liquid-solid separation. Data reduction and pilot design principles will be presented in a simple, easy-to-follow format. Attendees will learn how the data are used to achieve the main objective of metallurgical testwork: process-flowsheet development and the establishment of design criteria. Emphasis will be placed on staged-risk mitigation, from scoping level through full feasibility, and including all risk factors related to process, emissions, tailings, and water management. The course will also review health, safety and environmental compliance.

2 Methodology The course methodology will be targeted at the audience, which will consist of both metallurgists and non-metallurgists. In addition, references will be made to the CIM Best Practice Guidelines for Mineral Processing. The guideline covers the involvement of mineral processing professionals in providing inputs for the estimation of mineral resources and mineral reserves, and in providing content for NI 43-101 Technical Reports. The aim of the course is to ensure that participants will learn what metallurgical testwork is necessary to ensure effective project risk mitigation. Selected themes Certain selected themes will emerge from the materials presented. They will include topics such as commodities (well established and emerging), market impact, and sustainability. Specific objectives The course will focus on aspects that have a significant degree of inherent technical risk, but which are commonly overlooked during the project development. These include:  Sample selection and variability influence process selection, applicable test matrices and ultimately, overall metallurgical outcome.  Reliance upon experimentally derived test data for each unit operation in establishing the conceptual flowsheet and its subsequent validation.  Finally, the course will show how to interpret and assemble the results in order to create a unified model (sample, process, tailings, emissions, etc.) that will enable de-risking the decision of advancing the project to the next stage or not. Course outline Introduction Role and Objectives Samples Definitions and Variability Unit Operations Simulated by Testwork:        

Comminution; Physical separation: size, gravity, magnetic; Surface chemistry-based recovery processes – Froth flotation; Solution chemistry-based extraction processes – Leaching, precipitation, solvent extraction (SX), and ion exchange (IX); Liquid-solid separation and Rheology; Tailings disposal; Process water treatment; and Environmental characterization.

Process Scale-up and Technical Risk Mitigation  

Key scale-up factors specific to unit operations; Effect of recycle: solids, water and total dissolved solids (TDS) – Role of pilot plant validation;  Overall flowsheet risk assessment. Process Flowsheet Development   

Conceptual; Modelling and pilot validation; Preliminary assessment, pre-feasibility and feasibility requirements as per BPGMP.

Wrap-up

3 Course details 07:30-08:30

Registration

08:30-10:30

Session 1:

10:30-11:00

Coffee break

11:00-12:30 12:30-13:30 13:30-15:00 15:00-15:30 15:30-17:00 17:00-17:30

Session 2: Lunch Session 3: Coffee break Session 4: Session 5:

Topics

Presenters

Introduction / objectives Deposit geology and sample selection Geochemistry

Chris Fleming Guy Desharnais Andrew Pickering

Process selection Comminution

Alex Mezei Andre McKen

Metallurgical risk factors Part I

Jake Lang

Metallurgical risk factors Part II Tailings and environmental risk mitigation

Alex Mezei Jake Lang

Presenters’ bios Chris Fleming, Ph.D. Senior Metallurgical Consultant Chris Fleming has a Ph.D.in Chemistry from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, and has spent much of his 40-year career in research and research management, initially at Mintek in South Africa and more recently with SGS/Lakefield Research in Canada. He has authored or co-authored 80 technical publications, been awarded 15 patents, and contributed to several technical books on various aspects of extractive metallurgy. Chris immigrated with his family to Canada in 1990 to join Lakefield Research, and was intimately associated with the ~ 10-fold growth in that company from 1995 to 2002. He became General Manager in 1992 and Vice President and Chief Operating Officer when the company was privatized in 1995, through a management buyout from Lakefield’s former owners, Falconbridge Ltd. After the acquisition of Lakefield Research by SGS, Chris took on the role of Vice President, Global Metallurgy, with technical responsibility for SGS Lakefield’s worldwide metallurgical operations. Chris has recently retired from management, but continues in the role of Senior Metallurgical Consultant for SGS Minerals, applying his wide experience with problem solving and process development in the hydrometallurgical field, and with the management of research teams and projects. Select experience includes technologies such as:   

  

Gold leaching with cyanide and alternative lixiviants (particularly thiosulphate). Gold recovery from leach solutions by carbon-in-pulp and associated processes, including dynamic process modelling. Gold recovery from cyanide solutions by resin-in-pulp, including the development of processes for eluting gold from the resin and regenerating the resin, and design and commissioning of the first RIP plant in the western world. Development of a thiosulphate leaching/resin in pulp ion exchange process for gold recovery from pregrobbing carbonaceous ores and concentrates. Cyanide recovery from gold plant tailings by ion exchange, AVR and SART, including development of the Augment, SART and Hannah processes. Treatment of gold plant tailings to detoxify them by oxidation or immobilization.

4 Guy Desharnais, Ph.D. Technical Manager – Geological Services Guy Desharnais obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Manitoba with stints at Laurentian and McGill University, focusing on belt scale geochemistry of maficultramafic rocks and related sulphide mineralization. Guy worked five years as an exploration geologist with Xstrata Nickel (Glencore) on various projects as an exploration geologist and project manager. Since joining SGS in 2010, he has executed a variety of projects from resource estimations, economic evaluations, metallurgical sample selection, geometallurgical studies, and audits of resources and reserves internationally. Guy has prepared technical reports on a wide range of commodities, and is considered a Qualified Person for a number of deposits types including Nb-REE laterites, coal, Ni-Cu-PGE magmatic sulphides, vein-hosted-Cu-Au-Ag-Co-Zn-Pb, Zn-Pb-Ag-Au VMS, magmatic REE-Fe-Cr-Ti-Li. Guy has also presented training sessions pertaining to the application of international mineral regulations and estimation of resources to a variety of audiences. Andrew Pickering, B.Sc. Operations Manager – Geochemistry - Vancouver Andrew Pickering over nine years experience in the mining industry. Andrew has been with SGS since 2008, initially as the ICP-OES supervisor in Toronto. Since 2010, Andrew has been the Operations Manager for the Geochemistry and Minerals trade labs at SGS Vancouver. Prior to joining SGS, Andrew was part of the management team that opened the first geochemistry facility in Nuuk, Greenland. He has also held a number of other positions in digestion and instrumental chemistry. In his current role, Andrew is also part of a multidisciplinary development team focused on method improvements through new technologies as well as developing new offerings to address market needs. Andrew holds a B.Sc. from the University of Toronto. Jake Lang, B.E.Sc. Manager, Metallurgy for SGS Jake Lang has nine years experience in the mining industry. He has a B.E.Sc. in Chemical Engineering with a Specialization in Biochemistry. He started at SGS in 2006 as a Metallurgist and was progressively promoted to Senior Metallurgist, then to his current position as Manager of Metallurgy. Jake has extensive experience in management, leadership, recruitment and training, as well as process development in flotation, gold processing, grindability and hydrometallurgical studies. He has experience in project management, the training and mentoring of Junior and Senior Metallurgists, data compilation, analysis and presentation to clients. His extensive project experience includes over 100 projects worldwide, including plant audits and optimizations for a variety of ore types around the world. He has been instrumental during the design, commissioning, start up and operational phases of these projects. He has worked with Ag, Au, Co, Cu, Mo, Nb, Ni, Pb, PGE, Ta, U, Zn and Zr. Jake has long running experience in nickel development, specifically with very low grade nickel development and optimization. Andre McKen, B.App.Sc. Director of Metallurgical Services, Canada Andre McKen works for SGS as the Director of Metallurgical Services for Canada. He has more than 15 years experience in the project management of metallurgical test programs. He has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mining Engineering and is a member of CIM. As leader of A.R. MacPherson Consultants Ltd., which was acquired by SGS in 2005, Andre developed his specific expertise in comminution, with an emphasis on the design and optimization of autogenous and conventional comminution circuits, using power-based and computer-based approaches. Andre has been involved in the optimization and expansion of several comminution plants around the world. He has significant experience in various physical separation processes, in metallurgical testing of physical separation processes, and in gold and silver leaching. He has consulted for more than fifteen existing

5 operations including the preparation and execution of plant surveys, operation review and optimisation, as well as the preparation of training events. His extensive project management experience includes work carried out for over one hundred and twenty five deposits worldwide, and he has worked with Au, Ag, Co, Cu, Fe, Mo, Ni, Pb, PGM, Ti, V, Zn and diamond. Andre has co-authored nine publications. Alex Mezei, P.Eng. Director, Engineering Technology Services, Metallurgical Operations Alex Mezei has over 30 years experience in the minerals industry. He has a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering and is a member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario and the Canadian Institute for Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum. Alex is a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101. Between 1981 and 1994 he worked in Operations and Project Development at two companies before joining SGS in 1994, where he has worked as a Hydrometallurgist, Senior Project Manager and currently he is the Director of Engineering Technology Services, Metallurgical Operations. In his current position, Alex designs and validates process flowsheets while accurately defining the testwork requirements specific to each feasibility stage in order to avoid “short cut” induced commercial and ramp-up risks. His hands-on technical work covers hydrometallurgy, liquid-solid separation as well as a substantial mineral processing exposure. His overall technical and managerial experience covers key aspects of commercial projects, ranging from conceptualizing and initiation throughout implementation, with emphasis on successful pilot/scaleup criteria elaboration that minimizes or precludes process risk. Alex has extensive expertise in reviewing the most vulnerable areas of commercial plant operability, identifying unacceptable technical risk factors, determining the most appropriate de-risking strategy, and suggesting the required practical remedies. He has been involved in the design, construction and supervision of a number of pilot and production scale plants around the world involving practically all major commodities, ranging from base, precious and rare metals through industrial minerals and oil sands. Alex has authored or co-authored several publications and two patents.

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