As I’ve said before, mining has not been known for digital innovation. That’s changing I’m glad to say.
Here in Australia the copper industry has just started a Technology Roadmap aimed at championing technologies to make mining smarter, greener, safer & more productive.
But individual companies all around the world are also taking high tech steps.
One stand out is the world’s biggest copper miner, Freeport-McMoran. The company is applying Artificial Intelligence-or AI-to boost production at its ageing Bagdad Copper mine in Arizona.
Like many established mines, Bagdad’s best copper is long gone. Meaning they have to crush more low grade ore to stay profitable.
The new system developed with McKinsery analyses data from sensors around the mine to suggest new ways to improve the performance of crushers and processing mills.
It had a practical breakthrough. The data showed the mine was producing 7 distinct types of ore that by adjusting the PH level in the flotation processing tanks could recover more copper.
With very little investment, the AI backed system has boosted production at Bagdad by 9,000 metric tons of copper this year.
Freeport-McMoRan is now rolling out the technology to all its mines in the Americas, aiming to raise output by 90,000 tons, or 5% of production.
The other upside is cost & environmental impact. To get an extra 90K tonnes out previously would have cost somewhere near $2B & involve lots of big equipment & energy.
AI, on the other hand, cost very little. It’s definitely one we’ll be looking at in our own Technology Roadmap.
Cheers
John Fennell