Newcrest Mining, a leading industry player, faces the challenge of meeting demand for quality products and increased yield while navigating raw material variability, commodity price fluctuations, and sustainability pressures. Even a one percent improvement can lead to substantial cost savings and conservation of natural resources, aligning with economic and environmental goals.
To address these challenges, Newcrest embarked on a comprehensive multi-year Process Control & Analytics (PC&A) program, collaborating with Kalypso industrial data science team to enhance efficiency and profitability across two sites: Cadia in New South Wales, Australia, and Lihir in Papua New Guinea.
At Cadia, efforts focused on stabilizing the gold recovery process by reducing variability, leading to increased throughput and yield. At Lihir, the goal was to optimize the flotation process for better gold recovery and concentrate grade while reducing reagent costs.
Kalypso developed Multi-Variable Optimization (MVO) solutions for both sites using Pavilion8® MPC technology. At Cadia, the Grinding Circuit Application was optimized to ensure the right particle size for flotation, while at Lihir, the Flotation Circuit Application aimed to reduce variability and achieve optimization targets.
The results exceeded expectations. At Cadia, the Grinding Circuit Application surpassed throughput targets, while at Lihir, the Flotation Circuit Application significantly improved gold recovery and downstream flowsheet stability. Despite challenges like limited resources and Covid restrictions, close collaboration between Newcrest, Kalypso, and site teams ensured successful project implementation.
Newcrest's investments in model predictive control have positioned them for growth, enabling enhanced operational efficiency while upholding sustainability commitments. This collaborative effort demonstrates Newcrest's dedication to meeting demand, managing costs, and promoting environmental stewardship in the mining industry.
