presentación de powerpoint · antofagasta minerals needs to introduce automation and robotics in...

Collaborative Innovation

2020 Version

+

+

+

Antofagasta

La Serena

MINERA CENTINELA

Calama

+

MINERA ANTUCOYA

Start of Operation 2016

2019 Production 71.900 t Cu

Founded(Esperanza & El Tesoro

merger)2014


LOM 2067LOM 2038

70%

Antofagasta Minerals Property70%

Antofagasta Minerals Property

MINERA LOS PELAMBRES


2019 Production

LOM 2050Antofagasta Minerals

Property 60%

MINERA ZALDÍVAR



LOM 2029Antofagasta Minerals

Property 50%

Santiago

PEOPLE SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY

COMPETITIVENESS GROWTH

STRATEGIC PILLARS

Innovation as a fundamental lever for asafer, more efficient and environmentallyresponsible mining

INNOVATION

Improving productivity through the critical process management

It is desired to adopt technological tools that have been developed to support task and knowledge

management, to streamline procedures and improve productivity.

Automation and robotization in specific stages of the production

process Antofagasta Minerals needs to introduce automation

and robotics in repetitive and dangerous tasks to prevent the risks of accidents to people and to increase

productivity.

Increase in treatment

Antofagasta Minerals understands that productivity increases can be reached by having higher utilization in

equipment through an active process that allows improving operational conditions.

Efficiency in the consumption of critical supplies

Costs are an important lever for competitiveness in this industry. That is why the lower consumption in

critical supplies incorporating innovative solutions is a critical challenge for companies.

Improvement of conditions that enable the operation

Antofagasta Minerals is renewing the way how to engage with third parties, with a long-term view in the territories where it operates, through joint work with its inhabitants,

local governments and State agencies.

Operational challenges

Guaranteeing the operational continuity of critical equipment

The drop in grades has forced the company to mine higher volumes of material to maintain production levels, creating a greater challenge in improving the

availability of critical equipment.

The following challenges of the industry will be faced through innovation

Improving the traceability of the critical process variables in real timeAdvances in sensors and data processing create immense opportunities for new developments in information capturing methods and improvements in the control of operational

conditions that were previously unthinkable. The challenge today is to make the most of this new information to create positive impacts on the business.

Online topographic mapping of the Stockpile volume

Decrease in the primary crusher concaves wear

Improving the control and performance of short circuit framesImproving the stacking operation and maintenanceHigh levels of fine material and humidity in waste spent oreOptimization of acid consumption in Agglomeration

Improvement in the thickeners’ sedimentation controlMaintainability of Pumps under the MillAutomated cleaning in flotation cells

Innovative methodologies for archeological safeguardingHigh levels of energy consumption in the most demandingprocesses

CROSSCUTTING

MINE PROCESSESScope: Drilling, blasting, loading, haulage

and primary crushing.

HIDROMETALLURGYScope: Crushing, agglomeration, heap Leach y dump Leach leaching,

SW, EW.

CONCENTRATOR PLANTScope: Crushing, grinding, flotation,

thickening and tailings

Automation and Robotics Critical Variables Traceability Operational Continuity Critical Supplies Enabling Conditions

AR

TV

CO

IC

CH

Automation and robotics in specific stagesof the production process

Antofagasta Minerals needs to introduce automation and robotics in repetitive and dangerous tasks to prevent the risks of accidents to people and to increase productivity.

Metallurgical processes, especially in concentrator plants, have a higher level of advanced control and automation than the mining and maintenance processes.

CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION:Minera Centinela currently processes its tailings through 6thickeners, (3 High Density thickeners and 3 Paste thickeners)sending the thickened tailings to a specific deposit.The thickeners process control (High Density and Paste) iscarried out manually and its operation is through a controlroom. Due to the above and to fulfill the commitment toreduce the make-up water, it is necessary to optimize thethickening process in order to recover a higher volume ofwater contained in the tailings.

CHALLENGE SCOPE:• Technological solutions are required to improve the

operation of a thickener, through a correct on-linemeasurement of the sedimentation speed to perform anoptimal flocculant dosage.

• The solutions mentioned must be at a maturity level higherthan TRL5.

• The proposed equipment must have high availability andlow maintenance requirements.

BACKGROUND – PREVIOUS SOLUTION ATTEMPTS:Tests were carried out with online rheological measurementequipment and machine learning to support the operation.

BENEFITS EXPECTED:• Reduction of make-up water in the grinding process• Increase in the percentage of solids in the tailings dam..

MAIN PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:• % of solids in tailings.

AR.1-20Challenge

AREA OF INTEREST:Automation and Robotics

MANAGEMENT INVOLVED:Operations

“Thickener Sedimentation Control Improvement”

MIN

E P

RO

CES

SES

HY

DR

OM

ETA

LLU

RG

YC

RO

SSC

UTT

IGC

ON

CEN

TRA

TOR

PLA

NT

Guaranteeing the operational continuity of critical equipment

The drop in grades has forced the company to mine higher volumes of material tomaintain production levels, creating a greater challenge in improving the availability ofcritical equipment.

In addition, the existence of increasingly marginal deposits motivate the search fortechnological alternatives that improve the duty life of the equipment, improve itsmaintainability and design.

CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION:One of the most critical equipment in a concentrator plant isthe SAG mill that shuts down due to the most commonmaintenance requirement, which is the liner replacement,which occurs about twice a year. However, an equallyimportant piece of equipment are the pumps that make itsoperational continuity possible and that fail much morefrequently than expected. The problem of performing thismaintenance is given by the location of the pumps, whereaccess is limited, and especially, the time it takes to carry outthis maintenance, since the mill necessarily has to stop.

CHALLENGE SCOPE:• Maintenance system that allows reducing the times for this

activity• Longer lasting pumps that allow better coordination with

the liner maintenance

BACKGROUND – PREVIOUS SOLUTION ATTEMPTS:No information.

BENEFITS EXPECTED:• An increase in the equipment availability.

MAIN PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:• Maintenance Times [h]

CO.1-20Challenge

AREA OF INTEREST:Operational Continuity

MANAGEMENT INVOLVED:Maintenance Management

“Maintainability of Pumps under the Mill”

MIN

E P

RO

CES

SES

HY

DR

OM

ETA

LLU

RG

YC

RO

SSC

UTT

IGC

ON

CEN

TRA

TOR

PLA

NT

CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION:Among the flotation cells maintenance tasks, cleaning is one of the most time-consuming and creates risk exposure to people because it is a manual task.The objective of this challenge is to search for technological alternatives that allow this work to be carried out in an automated manner, which eliminates the risk to people and reduces execution times.

CHALLENGE SCOPE:• Remote or robotic equipment that allow eliminating the

risk to people.

BACKGROUND – PREVIOUS SOLUTION ATTEMPTS:No previous information.

BENEFITS EXPECTED:• Higher availability of flotation equipment.

MAIN PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:• Maintenance times [h].• MTBF [h].• MTTR [h].

CO.2-20Challenge

AREA OF INTEREST :Operational Continuity


“Automated Cleaning of Flotation Cells”

MIN

E P

RO

CES

SES

HY

DR

OM

ETA

LLU

RG

YC

RO

SSC

UTT

IGC

CO

NC

ENTR

ATO

R P

LAN

T

CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION:One of the most common failures in the Electrowinning process is short circuits, which cause problems in the cathode quality and in the operational continuity.In order to intervene and repair this fault, an element called short-circuit frame is used, whose function is to electrically isolate an area of the tankhouse allowing short-circuits to intervene safely and without interfering with the productivity of the other cells.The design of these devices was conceived for manual handling, together with the intervention in the cells that is carried out in the same manner.The idea of this challenge is to know what technological developments have been developed to make these maneuvers in a more intelligent and automated manner.

CHALLENGE SCOPE:• Devices to eliminate the creation of short circuits.• Devices that allow short circuits to intervene in a more

automated manner.

BACKGROUND – PREVIOUS SOLUTION ATTEMPTS:Some alternatives have been evaluated, such as Seletechnologies, and (the other one from Zaldivar), butsomething is required with minimal intervention on the tankhouse and at low cost.

BENEFITS EXPECTED:• Improvement in cathode quality due to a decrease in short

circuits.• Increase in EW buildings availability

MAIN PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:• Maintenance times

CO.3-20Challenge


MANAGEMENT INVOLVED:Operations Management

“Improving the control and performance of short circuit frames”

MIN

E P

RO

CES

SES

HY

DR

OM

ETA

LLU

RG

YC

RO

SSC

UTT

IGC

ON

CEN

TRA

TOR

PLA

NT

CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION:The stacking equipment in the hydrometallurgy plants have asmall amount of sensors. However, it is a critical equipmentwhose failures can be catastrophic. That is why this challengehas been raised, since it is necessary to improve themonitoring of their operation in order to optimize therequired maintenance interventions.

CHALLENGE SCOPE:• Devices and sensors that allow monitoring the operation

and predict failures. • Technology that allows improving the equipment’s

maintenance times.

BACKGROUND – PREVIOUS SOLUTION ATTEMPTS:No information available.

BENEFITS EXPECTED:• Increasing the stacking equipment availability.

MAIN PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:• Maintenance times.

CO.4-20Challenge

AREA OF INTEREST:Operational continuity


“Improving the stacking operation and maintenance”

MIN

E P

RO

CES

SES

HY

DR

OM

ETA

LLU

RG

YC

RO

SSC

UTT

IGC

ON

CEN

TRA

TOR

PLA

NT

CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION:In Minera Zaldívar, copper minerals are processed andconcentrated by means of heap leaching. Since 2017, the typeof mineral has undergone changes in its mineralogy. Currentlythey are chalcopyrite sulphides that are leached. This hascaused changes in the wear of the materials, specifically in theprimary crusher concaves, increasing costs and decreasing theplant availability.The challenge seeks to find alternative materials, alloys and/ordesigns that allow decreasing the accelerated wear of theprimary crusher’s critical components.

CHALLENGE SCOPE:

• Finding new component materials, equipment, protections, liners, maintenance tools, paints, among others.

BACKGROUND – PREVIOUS SOLUTION ATTEMPTS:A study of wear factors under the new operational condition is currently being carried out.

BENEFITS EXPECTED:• Decreasing the maintenance frequency.• Simplifying maintenance.• Increasing the life of equipment and components.• Reducing maintenance costs.

MAIN PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:• Maintenance times [h].• MTBF [h].• MTTR [h].• Maintenance costs [USD/month].• Liner cost [USD/year].

Challenge

AREA OF INTEREST:Continuidad Operacional

MANAGEMENT INVOLVED:Mantenimiento y Seguridad

“Decrease in the primary

crusher concaves wear”

MIN

E P

RO

CES

SES

HY

DR

OM

ETA

LLU

RG

YC

RO

SSC

UTT

IGC

ON

CEN

TRA

TOR

PLA

NT

CO.5-20

CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION:The presence of fines and humidity in the waste spent oreincreases its flow and prevents an efficient use of authorizedspaces, and many times, this takes to new environmentalrequirements to expand the placement areas.It is known that if the material is dryer, this risk decreases,hence reducing the volume used to place the waste from themining process.

CHALLENGE SCOPE:• The entire spent ore deposition process, from the

bucketwheel excavator to the placement area.

BACKGROUND – PREVIOUS SOLUTION ATTEMPTS:The solutions that have been evaluated have been more costlythan the current situation.

BENEFITS EXPECTED:• Decreasing the risk of collapse of waste spent ore.• Decreasing the volume of waste spent ore.

MAIN PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:• Operation shut down due to environmental incidents [#] or

[h].• Humidity in waste spent ore [%].

co.6-20Challenge


MANAGEMENT INVOLVED:Hydfrometallurgy Plant Management

“High levels of fine material and humidity in waste spent ore.”

MIN

E P

RO

CES

SES

HY

DR

OM

ETA

LLU

RG

YC

RO

SSC

UTT

IGC

ON

CEN

TRA

TOR

PLA

NT

Efficiency in the consumption of critical supplies

Costs are an important lever for competitiveness in this industry. That is why the lower consumption in critical supplies incorporating innovative solutions is a critical challenge for companies.

Among the critical inputs, the reduction of energy use has special relevance, since Antofagasta Minerals considers sustainability to be an integral pillar for the fulfillment of its purpose: mining for a better future.

CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION:One of the most consumed inputs in a hydrometallurgy plantis acid. Agglomeration and irrigation are the stages of theleaching process in which acid is used. Because the entireprocess is carried out in a closed circuit, it is theagglomeration process where the greatest amount of freshacid is added. The optimization opportunities at this stage arefocused on having greater control over the amount of acidthat needs to be added according to the characteristics of themineral in process (grade, humidity, particle size, impurities,etc.)

CHALLENGE SCOPE:• Acid addition control systems.• Quality control systems for agglomerated material.• New agglomeration systems.

BACKGROUND – PREVIOUS SOLUTION ATTEMPTS:Attempts were made to develop an online agglomerationquality measurement system, but its development was notsuccessful.

BENEFITS EXPECTED:• Decreasing the specific consumption of acid in Kg/ton

MAIN PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:• Unit acid consumption in Kg/ton

EI.1-20Challenge

AREA OF INTEREST:Critical Supplies

MANAGEMENT INVOLVED:Operations Management

“Optimization of acid consumption in Agglomeration”

MIN

E P

RO

CES

SES

HY

DR

OM

ETA

LLU

RG

YC

RO

SSC

UTT

IGC

ON

CEN

TRA

TOR

PLA

NT

CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION:The most demanding processes with respect to electricityconsumption are grinding (SAG Mill), Electrowinning andseawater pumping (SIAM).Performing these processes more efficiently with respect toenergy consumption is a constant challenge for companies.Any solution, such as better technologies, materials,components, systems, alternative energy sources, amongothers, that optimizes the consumption of existing equipmentwill be of interest.We seek to optimize processes and find clean energy sourcesat a competitive price for specific equipment.

CHALLENGE SCOPE:• All mining and production processes with high levels of

electric consumption.• Consider the mode of operation of the abovementioned

processes.

BACKGROUND – PREVIOUS SOLUTION ATTEMPTS:Currently, Minera los Pelambres covers almost 50% of itsenergy demand with renewable/unconventional energy.

BENEFITS EXPECTED:• Reduction of energy costs.• Increase in energy from renewable/unconventional

sources.

MAIN PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:• Energy consumption [kW/h]

EI.2-20Challenge

“High levels of energy consumption in the most demanding processes ”

EXTR

AC

CIÓ

N D

E M

INER

ALE

SH

YD

RO

MET

ALL

UR

GY

EXP

LOR

AC

IÓN

/ P

RO

YEC

TOS

CC

ON

CEN

TRA

TOR

PLA

NT

AREA OF INTEREST:Critical Supplies

MANAGEMENTINVOLVED:Operational Excellence

Challenges 2018 / Página 43/

Improvement of conditions that enable the operation

Antofagasta Minerals advances in its external engagement with a long-term view and through processes of effective, participatory and transparent dialogues with the different stakeholders in the territories where it operates.

This has the aim of generating value to the entire ecosystem, where innovation is a key lever that makes it possible to achieve challenging shared objectives.

CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION:Most of the sites where mining takes place were previously explored by indigenous peoples, either as settlements or trade routes. Preserving this historical heritage is a responsibility that Antofagasta Minerals wants to fulfill beyond regulatory requirements. That is why this challenge is raised to explore solutions that allow the virtual reconstruction of these sites and create a historical asset for subsequent generations.

CHALLENGE SCOPE:• We are looking for systems, software, and devices that

allow us to live an experience of virtual or augmented reality.

BACKGROUND – PREVIOUS SOLUTION ATTEMPTS:Mitigation actions according to compliance with regulations ineach case.

BENEFITS EXPECTED:• Guaranteeing the protection of the cultural heritage.

MAIN PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:• Improvement of the quality of mitigation actions.

HO.1-20Challenge

AREA OF INTEREST:Enabling Conditions

MANAGEMENT INVOLVED:Environment and Communities

“Innovative methodologies for archeological safeguarding”

MIN

E P

RO

CES

SES

HY

DR

OM

ETA

LLU

RG

YC

RO

SSC

UTT

IGC

ON

CEN

TRA

TOR

PLA

NT

Improving the traceability of the critical process variables in real time

Advances in sensors and data processing create immense opportunities for new developments in information capturing methods and improvements in the control of operational conditions that were previously unthinkable.

The challenge today is to make the most of this new information to create positive impacts on the real time processes.

CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION:Minera Los Pelambres concentrator plant has a stockpile thatreceives and accumulates the mineral from the crushingstage, which will later be fed to the SAG grinding stage.Currently, the quantification and spatial distribution of theaccumulated material is carried out by means of estimates,causing errors in inventories and in the operation of thefeeders.

CHALLENGE SCOPE:• Solutions are required to measure in real time the apparent

volume and spatial distribution of the mineral accumulatedin the stockpile.

• These solutions must be at a maturity level higher thanTRL5.

• The proposed equipment must have high availability andlow maintenance requirements.

BACKGROUND – PREVIOUS SOLUTION ATTEMPTS:Some systems were tested based on laser technology, butgiven the pollution that exists in the location, themeasurements were not reliable.

BENEFITS EXPECTED:• Optimization of the feed particle size distribution in the

SAG mill.• Improvements in the metallurgical and production balance

of the concentrator plant.

MAIN PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:• The system must have a measurement error of less than

1%.• System availability must be greater than 90%

MT.1-20Challenge

AREA OF INTEREST:Critical Variables Traceability

MANAGEMENT INVOLVED:Operations

“Online topographic mapping of the Stockpile volume”

MIN

E P

RO

CES

SES

HY

DR

OM

ETA

LLU

RG

YC

RO

SSC

UTT

IGC

on

cen

trat

or

Pla

nt

How to collaborate with the challenges?

We invite organizations to address thesechallenges by visiting the followingwebsite: www.innovaminerals.cl.

If you have questions, ask:

Ada, our virtual guide, ready to help you.

presentación de powerpoint · antofagasta minerals needs to introduce automation and robotics in...

Documents