Glencore McArthur River Mine
Rougher Flotation Expansion Project
- McArthur River
- Control system configuration project
- I/O Count 250
- Yokogawa control system
Glencore’s McArthur River Mine has expanded their flotation capacity by installing 4 new rougher flotation cells and converting the existing rougher flotation cells to a 7th stage cleaning circuit.
This project aims to provide both increased treatment capacity and improved concentrate grades to meet changing zinc concentrate market. Requirements to incorporate new 4 stage rougher flotation cells, as well as flocculent mixing system.
Project scope
- Revise existing plant wide control logic and operator interfaces.
- Electrical design, including 11KV and serial communications
- Integrate new flocculent mixing equipment into DCS
- Train MRM personnel with new system
- Commission during plant shutdowns, without loss of production
Project highlights
- Yokogawa CS3000 Control System including 6 operator screens in the plant and 3 field control stations (FCS) across the plant
- Brownfields project requiring reverse engineering of existing control logic and recoding of system, one box at a time, without changing plant control logic
- Extensive co-ordination with site engineers and operators to, test, install on limited shutdown and commission
Discover more of Mipac's projects
At the 2026 Mill Operators Conference, many sites told Mipac their leadership wants advanced process control and AI. Our first question was about their base layer: reliable instrumentation, well-performing PID loops and trustworthy operational data. Without those foundations, APC performance deteriorates, operators lose confidence, and systems get switched off.
Brisbane engineer John Robinson, who joined Mipac in 2022, has been promoted to Senior Control Systems Engineer. Supporting automation work at a mine site in Canada’s Elk Valley, often on his own and in temperatures as low as minus 40, proved he could solve problems independently on client sites. He talks about who helped him progress and what changes in the senior role.
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