Article published in Why Africa Digital Magazine
In the dynamic and often unpredictable landscape of mineral resource development, informed decision-making is paramount. For Minrom Consulting, a South African based international geological consultancy, this translates to a pursuit of geological excellence and leveraging the critical yet underestimated value of geometallurgical modelling. By integrating detailed ore characterisation with robust geological models, Minrom has consistently unlocked substantial value for its clients, significantly enhancing the Net Present Value (NPV) of projects across the continent.
Traditional resource estimation often relies solely on geological and grade data, overlooking the critical influence of mineralogy and metallurgical response of ore types. This approach can lead to significant discrepancies between predicted and actual recoveries, plant design, and incorrect capital budgeting, resulting in substantial financial losses. Minrom, however, has championed a holistic approach where geometallurgy acts as the bridge between geological understanding and economic viability.
One compelling example is Minrom’s work on iron ore where Minrom geochemically differentiated banded hematite quartzite (BHQ) and massive hematite, not just based on their geological characteristics, but crucially, on their distinct metallurgical behaviours. By accurately defining these metallurgical domains, Minrom enabled the client to optimise processing strategies, maximising iron recovery and significantly enhancing the project’s profitability.
Similarly, in a gold project in Zimbabwe, Minrom’s expertise in mineralogy proved pivotal. By meticulously mapping the distribution of various gold-bearing minerals and their associated metallurgical responses, Minrom defined distinct metallurgical domains structurally controlled within the deposit. This allowed for tailored processing strategies, ensuring optimal gold recovery and preventing costly processing inefficiencies. This approach revealed hidden value and optimised the project’s economic potential.
An iron ore project north of South Africa further showcases Minrom’s advanced geometallurgical capabilities. By precisely delineating the separation between magnetite and hematite, and quantifying the influence of martite on processing efficiency, Minrom enabled the client to optimise their beneficiation process, capital design, grade blending protocols and finally, mine design.
Minrom’s success in the application of geometallurgical models to mineral resources extends beyond iron and gold. In Zambia, for a copper and cobalt project, Minrom meticulously quantified the acid-soluble component of each mineral, providing crucial data for optimising leaching processes. Although a similar exercise in the complex mineralogy of the DRC’s copper and cobalt deposits was less fruitful, Minrom was able to decipher the influence of mineralogy on processability of the ore and tie that back into the mining models. This is currently resulting in improved mining efficiency and better performance in the plant.
Finally, on the Arabian Shield, Minrom successfully navigated the intricate interplay between sulphides, supergene and hypogene weathering, and structural-related hydrothermal alteration in a zinc and copper deposit on a project that could easily be shut down because of the inability to process the ore. By developing a comprehensive geometallurgical model that accounted for these complex geological factors, Minrom provided the client with a clear understanding of the different metallurgical domains where the different ore types were located. The updated mine schedule allowed for the process metallurgists to work their magic and the mining engineers to appropriately schedule the mining to provide the plant with exactly what was needed to produce a sellable product, thereby creating value and unlocking the potential of the project.
Minrom’s approach highlights that a comprehensive geometallurgical model is not merely an academic exercise; it is a critical tool for driving project profitability. By integrating detailed structural mapping, grade distributions, geotechnical properties and ore characterisation into robust geological models, Minrom enables clients to make informed decisions regarding mine planning, processing strategies, and ultimately, project economics. This translates to a more accurate estimation of recoverable resources, reduced operational risk, and a significantly enhanced NPV.
In the challenging mining landscape of Africa and beyond, Minrom Consulting incorporates ore characteristics and structural interpretations into geometallurgical models, driving the NPV and economic value of projects. Minrom’s work demonstrates that investing in detailed ore characterisation and rigorous geometallurgical modelling is not an expense, but a strategic investment that delivers substantial and measurable returns.
Minrom Consulting
Published in Why Africa on page 34-35: https://www.whyafrica.co.za/magazines/issue-16/
