MIPAC is helping optimise productivity and profit at a large gold mine in western Africa.

The mine commenced operations in March 2009 and is now expanding its plant to double capacity.

To increase and optimise production, MIPAC was commissioned to improve throughput in the gold mine, specifically working on inefficiencies in SAG mill controls.

“MIPAC was engaged to complete this important development based on our reputation for delivering sustainable results,” MIPAC managing director Eddie De Rivera says.

“We were not the cheapest but we won because our client had confidence in our abilities and we had proven success on similar plants.

“After a discovery visit, we reported back with a list of suggested modifications. We defined and implemented a new control strategy on the SAG mill and, by modifying the distributed control system, we de-bottlenecked the feed to the SAG mill.”

MIPAC was directly involved in the project for about three months, however, within a week of the MIPAC team’s return to Australia, positive changes were evident.

In an email to MIPAC, the plant’s senior metallurgist advised that:

“We’ve set three new daily tonnage records in the last week; we’ve pushed more than 8500 dry tonnes through the plant, not bad given the previous records were 8300 wet tonnes! So I am very sure we’ve seen a five per cent improvement through better control already.”

The five per cent improvement in throughput equates to an increase of $10–15 million a year in revenue.

MIPAC continues to implement remote monitoring, providing the gold mine operation with performance reports and suggesting improvements.

“An investment in effective process control brings immediate positive returns,” Mr De Rivera says. “Improved quality and quantity of throughput, plus improved safety, naturally improve the bottom line.”