Flow Control at Slagplant Roughers

Contents

1 DEFINE 4

1.1 Process Overview 4

1.2 The Problem Statement 5

1.3 Goal 5

1.4 Project Scope 6

1.5 Process Map 6

1.6 Metrics 6

1.6.1 Primary Metric: 6

1.6.2 Secondary Metric: 7

1.6.3 Business Metric: 7

1.7 Role and Responsibilities 8

2 MEASURE 9

2.1 Problem Solving Strategy 9

2.2 Data Analysis 11

2.2.1 Rougher Level and Rougher Feed 11

2.2.1.1.1 During Commissioning 11

2.2.1.1.2 After implementation 12

2.2.2 Business metric: 13

2.2.2.1.1 Before Implementation: 13

2.2.2.1.2 During Implementation: 14

2.2.2.1.3 After implementation and Commissioning: 15

3 IMPROVEMENT PHASE 16

3.1 Additional Improvements to be Made 16

Pump system improvement: 16

Current Pump: 17

Proposed Pump : 17

Recommendation: 17

4 CONCLUSION 18

5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 18

6 Annexure A – Definitions for Technical Terms Used 19

7 Annexture B – Detailed Process Map 20

8 Annexture C – Detailed Process Diagram 21

9 Annexture D – Controller Philosophy 22

10 Annexture E – Current Pump Duty Cycle 23

11 Annexture F – Proposed Pump Duty Cycle 24

12 Annexure G - Estimated Cost Saving 25

13 Annexture H – Photos 26

DEFINE

1 Process Overview

Please refer to Annexure A for a detailed explanation on each of the superscripts

Converter and Furnace slag1 is transported to the Slagplant2 to recover any PGM’s3 that is still trapped in the slag. This is done in a series of Roughers4 in the Floatation area. The waste from this process is discarded as Tails.5

Slag is ground to fine powder in the primary mill6. This fine slag is then mixed with water and chemicals to start 3 important reactions:

1. Collection: During this reaction, the PGM elements are bound together.

2. Frothing: Bubbles develop to help the PGMs float to the surface

3. Activation: Helps the PGM elements to split from the tails. PGM elements bound...