Our Aspen Mtell capabilties
Making Mtell work: what it really takes to integrate predictive maintenance in mineral processing
Unplanned downtime is one of the biggest productivity killers in mineral processing, and everyone on site knows it. It’s costly, disruptive, and often avoidable. While tools like AspenTech’s Mtell offer powerful predictive maintenance capabilities, getting value from Mtell isn’t as simple as installing software and walking away.
For Mtell to deliver what it promises, it needs to be part of your site’s everyday reality. That’s where we come in.
As a systems integrator with deep mineral processing experience, we help operations teams turn Mtell into a functioning, embedded part of their plant, not just another dashboard gathering dust.
Predictive maintenance isn't the first step
Before we even talk about AI-driven failure prediction, let’s be honest about where most sites are at. If your control system alarms aren’t well-tuned, if fixed thresholds are still generating noise, or if your operators can spot the issue faster than the system can, then you haven’t hit the ceiling of your existing tools yet.
There’s often low-hanging fruit in refining alarm limits, trend reviews, and operator dashboards. That work matters. We always recommend making the most of your existing control system first, because if you jump straight to Mtell before addressing these basics, you risk setting it up to fail. You’ll catch the obvious stuff Mtell wasn’t designed for, and people will lose confidence in the system before it gets to do the hard work.
That said- once your foundational controls are sharp, Mtell can take you to the next level.
Our role: more than software, its system thinking
As Mtell integrators, we don’t just install the tool; we design, tailor and embed it to work with your plant, your data, and your people. That means:
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Connecting Mtell to the right data sources: from control systems like DCS and PLCs, to PI historians, MES platforms, and other digital tools.
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Validating the data: making sure it’s clean, consistent, and actually useful for prediction.
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Contextualising assets: so Mtell understands how equipment behaves at your site, not just how it should behave in theory.
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Training models on historical failures: feeding in known issues so Mtell can learn what real failure patterns look like in your plant.
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Embedding alerts into operational workflows: so the insights aren’t just accurate, they’re actionable.
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Providing customised training and support: to build trust and competency across site teams, not just in a centralised group.
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Creating decision-making reports: to support planning, maintenance, and long-term asset health strategies.
We also provide remote support and alert management if needed: acting as an extension of your reliability team. .
Why it matters more in brownfield plants
Most mineral processing plants weren’t designed with AI in mind. Equipment is ageing, data quality varies, and resources are stretched. That’s why Mtell needs to be integrated with site reality, not theoretical best practice.
In brownfield environments, the real value comes from making Mtell practical; removing false positives, aligning it with how people actually work, and ensuring it supports rather than disrupts.
The result? Fewer breakdowns, faster responses, clearer ROI, and better long-term visibility on asset performance.
Did you know Mipac's latest Mtell integration covers 58 assets for a copper/gold plant
If Mtell is going to work, it needs to be taken seriously
Mtell won’t succeed unless it’s embedded into your operational culture. For us, successful integration means:
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Good quality data from the right systems
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Operational context that explains the “why,” not just the “what”
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Alignment with frontline workflows so the system fits how teams already work
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Clear ownership of alerts and actions, so nothing falls between the cracks
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Ongoing trust and engagement, because if no one’s looking at the alerts, the whole thing breaks down
You can generate all the alerts in the world, but if no one’s reviewing or acting on them, there’s no value. When Mtell is embedded and taken seriously, as part of a broader reliability culture, it becomes a powerful way to reduce downtime, improve asset health, and drive smarter decision-making.
What you can expect when we integrate Mtell
We bring together control systems expertise, plant knowledge, and data integration capabilities, so Mtell lands properly from day one. Whether you’re just starting the predictive maintenance journey or ready to scale up, we can:
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Assess your site readiness and identify quick wins in control and alarm strategy.
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Design and configure Mtell with the right asset focus and model parameters.
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Train your teams on how and why it works.
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Support your people remotely or on site to ensure alerts are acted on and the system is trusted.
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Adapt and evolve the system over time as your site needs change.
Final word
Predictive maintenance is worth doing – but only if it’s done right. If you want Mtell to be more than a pilot or a proof of concept, you need a partner who understands both the software and the site.
That’s where we fit in. We know what it takes to make Mtell work, because we’ve done it before, and we know the realities of your plant floor.
Contact us today and we’ll arrange a meeting with our Aspen Mtell team to see how we can help you take the next step.
Mipac are global leaders in operational technology, control systems and engineering services.
With more than 28 years of experience, our team of engineers, project managers and solutions developers have worked on more than 720 projects. We go beyond the expected solutions to deliver:
- Advanced Process Control
- Industrial Automation, including Main Automation Contracting
- Data Analytics and Visualisation
- Process Optimisation
- Cybersecurity
- Industrial Software Solutions
- Electrical and Instrumentation
- Operations Support, including Procurement
- Industry 4.0 Consulting
Contact us today and let’s start the conversation about how the Mipac team can bring your next project closer to achieving operational excellence.