Mineral Life Cycle and Discovery: Field-Based Analysis to Sample Selection to Engineering Design

Presented by: SGS

Summary: Process development across the entire mining life cycle often identify risks that can impact the success of a project. During the evolution of a project, metallurgical testwork is a crucial component to help de-risk a project. Metallurgical testing is an industry accepted practice used to identify and address technical risks encountered during the development of a mining project. The testing process generates the data, reflective of the metallurgical behavior of the metal bearing ores and various minerals, required to identify the technical solutions and de-risk the project.

In this workshop, participants will learn what metallurgical tests are necessary during the different stages of development of a mining project. The main operating units commonly evaluated in feasibility studies will be presented.

For more than 80 years, SGS has been providing bankable metallurgical expertise to their clients and their projects across the mining life cycle. SGS delivers effective flowsheets and practical technical solutions to processing issues that are encountered by mining clients. SGS’ mining experts perform metallurgical test work, process audits, modelling, due diligence reviews and project risk assessments to find operational improvements, create optimal flowsheets and demonstrate the overall value of a deposit quickly and accurately. SGS focuses on sustainable and economically viable outcomes, with tests conducted at bench to pilot scale. Insights generated from accurate metallurgical testwork can and do support decision making, stock market reporting and demonstrate a project’s net present value to all potential stakeholders.

This short course will showcase how metallurgical data and insights can be leveraged to help define the process flowsheet and establish the engineering criteria to allow the continued development of the project. Supporting practical case studies of select mining projects from Canada and around the world will be presented to highlight real-world applications of the concepts and philosophies discussed during the session.

Sessions and Presenters:

• On-site Laboratories, Mobile Sample Preparation Units and Field-Based Analytical Methods – Luisa D’Amato, Director, Sales and Business Development NAM – Geochemistry
• Sample Selection – Marc-Antoine Laporte, Global Business Manager, Geological Services • NAM Metallurgy & Consulting
• Mineralogy – Tassos Grammatikopoulos, Director Technical Services Mineralogy, • NAM Metallurgy & Consulting
• Flowsheet Development – Neri Botha, Senior Metallurgist • NAM Metallurgy & Consulting
• Piloting – Ryan Monteith, Senior Metallurgist • NAM Metallurgy & Consulting
• Engineering – John Holley, Regional Manager, Engineering Services