Insight
Achieving a Carbon-Neutral Mining Operation
The mining sector has been taking a stronger stance on improving carbon emissions in recent years, with many companies setting targets to become carbon-neutral within the next decade. But there is a lot of work to do before this is achieved. Jason Hislop discusses the different factors involved in achieving carbon neutrality and the key strategies available to reduce emissions.
Commodity Prices in 2020 - Room for Optimism?
Events over the last few months have had a profound impact on the current economic climate. Whilst we have now entered a global recession, there is potentially some room for optimism. Paul Young reviews this year's commodity prices so far and looks at what the analysts are forecasting for the rest of 2020 and beyond.
Dust Mitigation and Control in Mining
Fugitive and nuisance dust from mining must be mitigated and controlled throughout the entire value chain in order to minimise airborne particles that can cause mechanical, environmental, health and local community issues. Here we outline four strategies you can implement, with the assistance of a dust management specialist, to keep dust under control at your mine site.
Minimum Viable Project - Is It Right For Your Development?
The term Minimum Viable Project, or MVP as it is known in its abbreviated form, is becoming increasingly common in the delivery of mining and industrial projects. Essentially it is all about identifying the most cost effective option to safely bring a project into production and generate early cashflow. But how do you approach identifying an MVP? Jason Hislop helps shed some light on this subject.
Effective Water Management in Mining Operations
The mining industry is typically water intensive. As water becomes scarcer and usage of water increases it is more important than ever for mining companies to identify ways to become more efficient in water management. Jason Hislop takes a look at ‘Water Management in Mining Operations’ and how you can maximise efficiency in water handling and usage at your project locations.
The Growing Challenge of Ageing Assets
We all know infrastructure ages over time. From the day of installation industrial and commercial infrastructure slowly corrodes and eventually needs to be repaired, updated or replaced. Ageing assets are therefore a challenge. The cost of corrosion globally in 2018 can be estimated at US$2.9 trillion. In Australia alone it was around US$50 billion. So how can we be smart about maintaining and extending the life of our structures? Brad Dockrill, Principal Engineer in our Newcastle office, talks about what you can do as a business to reduce the cost of corrosion on your assets.
Eliminating Bottlenecks in Plant Processing
It is important for a process plant to remain as ‘lean’ as possible to achieve a smooth continuous flow of material. Bottlenecks can inhibit flow and prevent a process plant from achieving its maximum throughput capacity. To make progress towards as ‘Lean’ a process as possible bottlenecks must be identified, managed and improved. Neville Dowson, Principal Process Engineer at Engenium, talks about the four step process used to eliminate bottlenecks in plant processing.
The Importance of Sustainability in Mining Operations
The topic of climate change has become particularly prevalent in recent months and is a key focus within industry and Government as pressure is put upon us to act more ‘sustainably’. But sustainability is not just about climate change. Paul Young addresses ‘sustainability in mining’ and what it means for the mining industry.
How To Make Your Process Plant More Efficient
When considering the efficiency of a mining operation businesses often only look at the process plant aspects such as grade, recovery or yield data. But Neville Dowson, our Principal Process Engineer in Perth, believes in order to consider the efficiency of a process plant the position in the ore processing stream should also be considered. In this month's Engenium Insight Neville talks about taking a holistic approach to process plant efficiency that incorporates ore processing, operational costings, labour force, energy usage, logistics and transportation.
Process Plant Design: A Holistic Approach
The basis for the design of minerals processing plants has not fundamentally changed in the past 50 years. The design outcome has largely been driven by capital cost and schedule. However, a more holistic approach is needed that takes into account all economic aspects of the asset from inception to closure, also known as the total cost of ownership. Pete Forakis talks about how a more holistic approach to process plant design is necessary.