INDUSTRIAL METALS, MINERALS & MINEABLE ENERGY INVESTMENT SUMMIT IRONMONGERS’ HALL, CITY OF LONDON ● THURSDAY, 3 NOV 2011 www.ObjectiveCapitalConferences.com The importance of applied research in industrial metals and minerals Alan Gibbon – MIRO
Dec 14, 2014
INDUSTRIAL METALS, MINERALS & MINEABLE ENERGYINVESTMENT SUMMIT
IRONMONGERS’ HALL, CITY OF LONDON ● THURSDAY, 3 NOV 2011
www.ObjectiveCapitalConferences.com
The importance of applied research in industrial metals and minerals
Alan Gibbon – MIRO
The Importance of Applied Research in Industrial Metals and
Minerals
The Mineral Industry Research Organisation (MIRO)Alan Gibbon
Photographs reproduced with permission from Johnson Matthey
Industrial Metals, Minerals & Mineable Energy Investment
SummitLondon, November 3 2011
OverviewOverview• What is MIRO?• Some projects
PGMs, Zn & CuMiningTransportEnergy
• Benefits of collaboration• Conclusions
Photographs reproduced with permission from Johnson Matthey
Concorde House
Who is MIRO?Who is MIRO?• Minerals and metals focussed
independent RTD service provider • Established 1974 • Owned by its members• Develop and manage pre-
competitive collaborative RTD• No in-house research facility –
works through a network of deliverers
Photographs reproduced with permission from Johnson Matthey
MIRO’s MissionMIRO’s MissionAs the leading UK collaborative research As the leading UK collaborative research provider our aim is to add value to our provider our aim is to add value to our members’ businesses through the provision of members’ businesses through the provision of cost efficient and industrially relevant projects. cost efficient and industrially relevant projects. We focus our activities in the mining and We focus our activities in the mining and minerals sectors to highlight industrially minerals sectors to highlight industrially relevant science and technology and provide relevant science and technology and provide innovative solutions to the key challenges innovative solutions to the key challenges before us.before us.
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How the MIRO Structure How the MIRO Structure DeliversDelivers
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BUSINESS BUSINESS BUSINESS
NEEDSNEEDSNEEDSDEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT
FUNDINGFUNDINGFUNDING
RESEARCH ORGANISATION
INDUSTRYINDUSTRYINDUSTRY
CAPABILITIESCAPABILITIESCAPABILITIES TECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGY
DELIVERYDELIVERYDELIVERY
MAKING THE CONNECTION
BUSINESS BUSINESS BUSINESS
NEEDSNEEDSNEEDSDEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT
FUNDINGFUNDINGFUNDING
RESEARCH ORGANISATION
INDUSTRYINDUSTRYINDUSTRY
CAPABILITIESCAPABILITIESCAPABILITIES TECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGY
DELIVERYDELIVERYDELIVERY
MAKING THE CONNECTION
Why does MIRO do Why does MIRO do research?research?
MIRO is responsive to address:
• Increasing operating costs – labour, power and water
• Changing raw materials availability– lower value, disseminated and often more difficult to access
• Technical challenges– new products and recycling• Increasing environmental regulation – the carbon
agenda, waste and societal impact
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New & Improved New & Improved ProcessesProcesses
1. PGM Extraction in South Africa
2. Zinc production in the UK
3. Copper production in the USA
Understand the fundamentals
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The FundamentalsThe Fundamentals
I am talking about...thermodynamics!
MIRO, up to 20 major companies and the National Physical Laboratory (MTDATA) have collaborated for 30 years to enable REAL industrial processes to be modelled… successfully.
Photographs reproduced with permission from Johnson Matthey
Photographs reproduced with permission from Johnson Matthey
Gk = ( ni ) .
( Ai xi + RT xi ln(xi)
+ xi xj ( Bij + Cij ( xi - xj ) + Dij (xi - xj )2
+ Eij (xi - xj )3 + Fij (xi - xj )4 )
+ xi xj xk ( Hiijk (xi + (1 - xi - xj - xk ) /3)
+ Hjijk (xj + (1 - xi - xj - xk ) /3)
+ Hkijk (xk + (1 - xi - xj - xk ) /3))
+ Gmag + Gpress )
moving quickly on....
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PGM Extraction in South PGM Extraction in South AfricaAfrica
Matte Slow Cooling Process implemented in the mid-1970’s
Pipeline from ore to saleable metal cut from 9 to 3 monthsPeirce Smith Converter operation is key
Original process... removed all the iron fromthe matte. MSCP required some iron to remain
Converter operation was successfully modelled and implemented
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PGM Extraction in South PGM Extraction in South AfricaAfrica
Recently the Peirce Smith Converters were replaced with an Ausmelt furnace
Software and data were again used successfully to model the new approach
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Zinc recovery in the ISF Zinc recovery in the ISF FurnaceFurnace
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Problem with iron formation
lumps of iron called “dead men”
Zinc recovery in the ISF Zinc recovery in the ISF FurnaceFurnace
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Calculations recommended addition of alumina to charge
This was not an intuitive outcome
Implemented and problem solved
However... a few months later new company owners disagreed and removed alumina... immediately problem recurred
Kennecott Utah Copper Kennecott Utah Copper SmelterSmelter
Two stage oxidation of copper-iron sulphides to produce copper
1)Outokumpu Flash Smelting Furnace and fayalite slag
Produces “white metal” (Cu2S.FeS)
2) Flash Converting Furnace and calcium ferrite slag
Produces copper
Problem... excessive copper losses into the slag
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Kennecott Utah Copper Kennecott Utah Copper SmelterSmelter
• Calculations used to investigate fluxing practises and operational problems associated with the mixing of slags
• Iron silicate carry over Identified as cause of loss
Copper loss problem solved
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Process ModellingProcess Modelling...It works...It’s fast...It’s cost effective...It’s transferable
www.npl.co.uk/mtdataThese are the conclusions of Anglo Platinum, Rio Tinto,
Johnson Matthey, Outokumpu, Tata Steel, Eramet and our other supporters
For >20 years project has been 100% industry funded
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Mining & The European Mining & The European UnionUnion
• The European Commission is a major source of research funding
• MIRO is a member of the European Technology Platform for Sustainable Mineral Resources (www.etpsmr.org/)
• If you don’t mine it or grow it you must import it
• Sustainability of supply is now a key European issue and has resulted in several big European raw materials projects
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ETP-SMR
IntelliMine IntelliMine Innovative Technologies and Concepts for the Intelligent Deep Mine of the Future
23 partners (most from industry)Budget Euro 22 million
Aims 1. Address technical challenges from disseminated,
lower value and deep ore bodies2. Minimise the impact of mining on society... The
Invisible Mine
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Transportation – Mole WaysTransportation – Mole WaysImagine 80% of lorries of the road and rail network for passengers not freight
How – The Mole Freight PipelineMoles are based on standard supply chain handling unitsMoleways are 1 to 2.0m diameter cut and filled beside existing transport infrastructureMotive power is electric via linear magnets... Proven and no moving parts
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Transportation – Mole WaysTransportation – Mole Ways1. Direct operating costs –10% of road2. Capital costs - competitive with conveyors3. Low maintenance – short or long distance4. Capacity utilisation – increase in volume
reduces unit costs5. Reliability –not affected by weather and
accidents, 6. CO2 Agenda– significant if power comes from
renewable electric sources
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The Benefits of Research The Benefits of Research Partnerships to IndustryPartnerships to Industry
• Increased gearing of corporate spend (5 to 10 times)• Co-funding as work-in-kind• Increased scale of projects• Control of the project direction• Stimulation of both research and industrial
personnel through interaction • Speedier and more efficient knowledge transfer
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In ConclusionIn ConclusionMIRO...• does not aim to set the research agenda• does not have its own research facilities• has a cross sectoral and integrated approach • aims to add value and reduce risk through collaboration,
co-funding and gearing• is reactive to the needs of industry
Key is an understanding of industry members’ priorities and acting upon them
Photographs reproduced with permission from Johnson Matthey