Sampling 2014Cape Lambert B (CLB) Ship-loading Sampling and AnalysisRichard Brunning, Charlotte Andringa-Bate, Malcolm Graham, Sara WestergrenRio Tinto Iron Ore

RTIO Cape Lambert B Project• The RTIO Cape Lambert Port B (CLB) project has involved the construction of a

new 100 Mt/a iron ore port facilities adjacent to the existing Rio Tinto Cape Lambert Port A facility (CLA)

• The project is being carried out in two phases – each adding approximately 50 Mt/a of export capability

• As part of the Cape Lambert Port B development, Rio Tinto has designed and constructed the largest automated iron ore port laboratory in the world

• Will consist of four robots operating on two 20 metre long tracks

Location of the Cape Lambert B Port

CLB sample plant building

Location of CLB Sampling and Analysis Facilities

CLB sample plant building

Sampling and Analysis at CLB• Associated with each Phase is a sample station and sample preparation cell

• All aspects of the sampling facilities are completely automated

• Prepared samples from each sample preparation line are passed to a common analytical cell

• The system is linked to the production conveyorsvia sample stations that bring the samples directly into the laboratory

Phase A

Phase B

Analytical Cell

Phase A Sample Preparation

Phase B Sample Preparation

CLB Sampling and Analysis ScopeThe primary design requirements for CLB sampling and analysis for Phase A (50Mtpa) were:

• Time based sampling of both Lump and Fines products

• Ship-loading rates ranging from 6,000 tph up to 13,440 tph

• Loading up to four products on one vessel, and partially loading three vessels

• Temporary storage space for samples from up to 12 separate cargoes

• Improving sampling precision of all products

• Achieve the desired sampling precision across potential cargo sizes between 40 000 and 270 000 t

• Moisture, lump sizing, fines natural & dry sizing determinations throughout the loading of a cargo

• Analysis of composite samples for chemistry at completion of loading

CLB Sampling• Rio Tinto follows ISO Standards

– ISO 3082:2009

• Sampling and sample preparation procedures

– Time based protocol taking increments

– Primary sample cutter aperture of 150 mm (lump and fines)

CLB Secondary CutterCLB Primary Cutter, sample transfer conveyors, ore-on-belt detector (foreground)

Sampling System Design• A target sampling precision for Fe of 0.15 % was agreed upon leading to a

requirement for 110 primary sample cuts per cargo

• The primary sample repetition rate is calculated based on maximum loading rate of 13 440 t/h

• For smaller cargoes the 40 000 t a primary sample cut is required every 97 s in order to achieve 110 cuts throughout loading

• For 270 000 t cargoes the time between primary cuts increases to 11 minutes

• Once the primary sample repetition rate has been calculated and set and sampling has commenced, the primary sample repetition rate cannot be changed for the remainder of that cargo

Sampling Process Flow Diagram

Primary Sample Stretching• With the primary sample length varying from 6.3 m to 14.1 m, accommodating the variations

in quantity of secondary sample material obtained posed one of the most significant design challenges

• Ultimately it was realised that if all primary samples were transformed to samples of constant length and variable bed depth, then six secondary cuts could be achieved for all primary cut sizes

• This also results in the delivery of constant mass of material (4400kg) delivered to the sample preparation cell per cargo of ore sampled

Robotic Sample PreparationRio Tinto follows ISO Standards• ISO 3082:2009

− Sampling and sample preparation procedures• ISO 4701:2008

− Determination of size distribution by sieving• ISO 3087:2011

− Determination of the moisture contentof a lot

Drying OvenRobot for CLBCLB Robot placing moisture sample Drying Oven

Lump Screen Shaker

Phase A Sample Cell and Analytical Facilities1. Analytical chemistry laboratory2. Automatic infeed magazine3. Manual infeed magazine4. Bucket cleaning5. Grandstand storage6. Interlinking conveyor (Phase B)7. RSD's8. Wescone crushers9. Boyde crusher10. IR tray dryers11. Moisture Ovens12. IR drum Dryer13. Balance14. Seiving15. Metallurgical composite drum carousels

Chemical Sample Preparation and Division

• Sample material for chemical analysis is accumulated throughout the loading of a cargo for final analysis at the completion of loading.

• Separate ‘A’ and ‘B’ samples derived from the direction of operation of the primary cutter are processed separately

HPM1500 Mill

Automated Analytical CellRio Tinto follows ISO Standards

• ISO 3082:2009− Sampling and sample preparation

procedures

• ISO 9516:2003− Determination of various elements by

X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

• ISO-DIS 11536− Iron ores - Determination of loss on

ignition - Gravimetric method

• ISO 2596:2006− Determination of hygroscopic moisture

in analytical samples – Gravimetric

Commissioning the Sample Preparation Cell• The sampling system has the ability for bulk sampling to take place via reversal of the

secondary cutter discharge conveyor

• Backup chemical and sizing retention samples are also available in the automated cell

• During commissioning, a bulk sampling campaign was carried out, as well as analysis of cell retention samples, to externally verify all chemical, sizing and moisture results produced from the CLB automated cell

Commissioning Chemical Testing ResultsFines Cargoes

Cargo Difference (Absolute %) Reported Fe SiO2 Al2O3 LOI Hygroscopic Moisture

31610 Auto – Manual 0.20 -0.20 -0.11 0.04 1.15Auto – Retention 0.24 -0.19 -0.12 -0.03 1.23

31556 A – M 0.24 -0.01 -0.07 -0.24 1.12A – R 0.17 -0.05 -0.07 -0.09 1.27

33781 A – M 0.05 -0.02 -0.01 -0.03 0.13A – R 0.05 0.00 -0.01 -0.07 -0.08

33794 A – M 0.07 0.00 -0.02 -0.09 0.26A – R -0.02 0.02 0.02 -0.02 -0.03

Lump Cargoes

Cargo Difference (Absolute %) Reported Fe SiO2 Al2O3 LOI Hygroscopic Moisture

31555 Auto – Manual 0.07 0.05 0.02 -0.15 0.12Auto – Retention -0.01 0.00 0.03 -0.01 0.16

33782 A – M 0.03 0.07 -0.05 -0.06 0.11A – R 0.02 -0.03 -0.01 0.00 0.17

33781 A – M -0.01 0.01 0.05 -0.07 0.13A – R -0.02 0.01 0.02 0.00 0.16

33808 A – M 0.04 -0.07 0.00 0.08 0.10A – R -0.01 -0.02 -0.01 0.07 0.12

A - M Difference between automated sampling and manual secondary bulk sampling A - R Difference between automated sampling and chemical retention sample

Parameter2m

Dampier2p

Dampier2s

Dampierspm

Dampier2mCLB

2p CLB

2sCLB

spmCLB

spmISO3082

Fe / % 0.047 0.081 0.136 0.165 0.041 0.064 0.065 0.100 0.340 SiO2 / % 0.041 0.072 0.148 0.170 0.031 0.060 0.064 0.092 0.340Al2O3 / % 0.023 0.033 0.055 0.068 0.018 0.025 0.026 0.041 0.110P / % 0.002 0.001 0.003 0.004 0.001 0.001 0.002 0.002 0.0034Mn / % 0.007 0.015 0.024 0.030 0.005 0.009 0.011 0.015 -LOI / % 0.029 0.071 0.082 0.113 0.029 0.034 0.046 0.064 -

• The collection, division and analysis of A and B samples enables the calculation of the individual precision components, including sampling (2s), sample division (2p), measurement (2m), and ultimately calculation of the overall precision of the process spm.

• Individual and overall precision for PBL cargoes from Dampier and CLB export terminals are shown below

• Precisions are calculated as per ISO 3085 and in all cases, the precision for each element exceeds the minimum precisions quoted in ISO 3082

Assessment of Sampling, Division and Measurement Precision

Conclusions • Full automation of the Cape Lambert B sampling and analysis has been a significant

accomplishment for RTIO

• The system represents many new innovations in sampling such as:

• Use of time-based sampling coupled to a robotic system

• The concept of ‘stretching’ the primary increment to allow a consistent number of secondary cuts to be taken and,

• Processing of large quantities of material from multiple cargoes using two robots mounted on a linear track

• The success of this system is clearly demonstrated by the improvement in the sampling precision, reliability of the sampling components and quality of the results produced by the system which have been verified externally

• The installation of a second sample preparation cell for CLB Phase B project has commenced

Acknowledgements

Rio Tinto Iron Ore

Nigel Crisp, SKM

Paul Cornes, SKM

Harvey Moir, IMP Innovative Solutions

Boyne Hohenstein, IMP Innovative Solutions