Integrated advanced process control with

a sag mill monitor instrument to optimize

mill performance

Gino Rivera and Compañía Minera Antapaccay (a Glencore Company) has constructed and is
Disney Caceres
operating a concentrator with one of the largest volumetric capacity SAG
Cía. Minera
Antapaccay, Peru mill in the world at its Antapaccay copper mine located in the Cusco region
in southern Peru. The plant employs a semi-autogenous SA BC-A grinding
King Becerra and
Bjarne Volden circuit comprising of a primary SAG mill and pebble crushing followed by a
FLSmidth, usa
secondary grinding circuit including two ball mills and classification
cyclone clusters. Plant design processing capacity is 70,000 tonnes per day,
producing an average of 160,000 tonnes of copper in concentrate per year.
To optimize the operation, ramp up production and prevent damages to
the SAG mill liners, Cía. Minera Antapaccay contracted with FLSmidth to
implement FLSmidth’s advanced process control and advanced
instrumentation suite of products, the ECS/ProcessExpert system and the
Impactmeter. The ECS/ProcessExpert system is an advanced process
control solution used to stabilize and then optimize key minerals
processes, so they can achieve maximum efficiency and higher profitability.
The Impactmeter is an advanced SAG mill performance monitoring
instrument that has been developed jointly by FLSmidth, the Universidad
de Santiago and Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María to measure load
generated impacts and provide mill liner protection through the use of
acoustic signals together with proprietary software.
This paper demonstrates the operational benefits of an advanced control
system with integrated advanced mill performance monitoring
instrumentation. Production performance and circuit stability were
significantly better when the circuit was operated with both systems ON.
Undesirable impacts caused by steel balls striking the mill liners were
minimized by integrating the Impactmeter signals with the ECS/
ProcessExpert system, contributing significantly to prolonging liner life,
avoiding media degradation and extending production time between mill
relining campaigns.

1
INTRODUCTION
Glencore recently completed construction of a new 70,000 tonnes per day copper concentrator near
Cusco, Peru. Plant start-up was accomplished during the last quarter of 2012. Comminution is
accomplished by primary crushing, SAG milling and pebble crushing followed by ball milling. The
concentrator is a single line configuration, comprising of one FLSmidth 40 ft. diameter × 22 ft. long
(EGL) SAG mill driven by a 24,000 kW gearless drive. The SAG mill feeds two FLSmidth ball mills
each 26 ft. in diameter × 40 ft. long (EGL), each driven by a 16,400 kW drive. The SAG mill is one of
the largest volumetric capacity SAG mills in the world and represented the first 40 ft. SAG mill in
Peru (Garcia & Villanueva, 2013 [1]). Antapaccay's flow sheet is shown in Figure 1 below. Figure 2
shows the copper concentrator photographed after commissioning.

Figure 1 Antapaccay's flow sheet

Complex mineralogy has resulted in complicated process flow sheets designed to recover minerals
as efficiently as possible. In addition, the remote location of many minerals-processing plants, lower
metals prices, continuously rising energy costs and fierce competition pose significant challenges to
the modern mine, compounded by a global scarcity of qualified and experienced operational
personnel. Maximized recovery, improved process stability and operational consistency are
required to ensure profitability.
Besides that, the complex dynamics and interactions among the process variables make the task of
controlling a grinding circuit a non-trivial activity, resulting in an unnecessary use of energy and
resources.

2
 Figure 2 Antapaccay copper concentrator

To stabilize and optimize the operation, ramp up production and prevent damages to the SAG mill
liners, Cía. Minera Antapaccay contracted with FLSmidth to implement FLSmidth’s advanced
process control and advanced instrumentation suite of products, the ECS/ProcessExpert system and
the Impactmeter. The ECS/ProcessExpert system is an advanced process control solution used to
stabilize and then optimize key minerals processes, so they can achieve maximum efficiency and
higher profitability. The Impactmeter is an advanced SAG mill performance monitoring instrument
developed to measure load generated impacts and provide mill liner protection through the use of
acoustic signals together with proprietary software. This paper demonstrates the operational
benefits achieved as result of the implementation of both systems.

OPTIMIZE EFFICIENCY USING PROCESS CONTROL AND INSTRUMENTATION

As explained by Bouchard, Emond, Monnapula & Molelekeng (Bouchard et al., 2010 [2]), grinding
is often referred to as a very important contributor to operating costs of mineral processing facilities
(Will, 1997 [3]; Chen et al., 2007 [4]). This alone certainly justifies the need for operating grinding
circuits as close as possible to the best operating point, hence minimizing energy consumption for a
given mesh of grind. Reinforcing this idea, Mclvor and Finch consider that improved process
control is of “paramount importance to overall plant performance” in the sense that it can reduce
overgrinding and therefore grinding cost and flotation losses (McIvor & Finch, 1991 [5]).
An unstable grinding circuit operation and process can result in poor overall minerals plant
performance. Changes in process conditions in a typical minerals plant can result in variable flow
through the circuit and delivery of material that is inconsistent with the required target particle
size. This unstable performance can reduce the efficiency of the minerals liberation in the
downstream processes resulting in loss of revenue. To obtain lowest possible power consumption,
maximum production and lowest possible quality variation, a conventional control solution with

3
PID loops is insufficient. Process delays (for example, material transportation) cannot be handled
well by PID's affecting the process stability. This lack of coordinated action causes undesired
disturbances and operation inefficiency.
Advanced Process Control (APC) is now widely accepted as a way to optimize mining operations
and help to surpass the challenges described above. Existing advanced process-control technologies
are consolidated and the combination of process control techniques has proven successful. Several
successful implementations presented during the last years, reinforce the benefits provided by
modern process control technologies (Sims, Lacouture & McKay, 2006 [6]; Parker, Thong, Sloan,
Pass & Lam, 2006 [7]; Rogers, Almond, Maru & Becerra, 2010 [8]; Almond, Becerra, Maru and Smit,
2011 [9]). Furthermore, the integration of signals provided by advance instrumentation allows the
advanced process control system to make appropriate adjustments to mill operational conditions
that improve ore reduction and energy efficiency.
APC systems designed using techniques specifically suited for control of multivariable processes
are aimed specifically at stabilization and optimization of process control. The results delivered by
these systems often achieve the desirable increased throughput, reduced energy costs, and
improved product quality.

ECS/ProcessExpert
FLSmidth’s ECS/ProcessExpert system stabilizes and then optimizes key minerals processes, so
they can achieve maximum efficiency and higher profitability. The ECS/ProcessExpert system
stabilizes the process by balancing equipment loads, managing and correcting process disruptions
and by minimizing wear on the plant’s equipment – all to ensure optimum plant performance.
Improved circuit operation together with the increased equipment protection converts to less plant
downtime, all of which enhances plant profitability.

Impactmeter
The Impactmeter is a mill performance instrument that has been developed to monitor load
generated impacts through the use of acoustic signals together with proprietary software. Induced
impacts generated inside SAG mills by the tumbling charge are monitored and interpreted so that
undesirable impacts caused by steel balls striking the mill liners are eliminated. The main objectives
of the Impactmeter are:
 Equipment protection by prevention of undesirable impacts caused by the mill charge.
 Increased energy efficiency resulting in higher production by maximum impact energy
converted to ore reduction.
 Reduced operational costs by increased liner system life and lower grinding media
consumption.

Bundling Technologies
Integration of the signals provided by the Impactmeter to the ECS/ProcessExpert system allows the
advanced process control system to make appropriate adjustments to mill operational conditions
that improve ore reduction and energy efficiency. At the same time the elimination of ball on liner
impacts significantly contributes to prolonging liner life, reducing media degradation and extend
production time between mill relining campaigns, increasing mill availability and reducing
operational costs.

4
METHODOLOGY
The project was executed in two phases. The first phase involved the installation, commissioning
and calibration of the Impactmeter. The second phase involved the development of the advanced
process control strategies and the commissioning of the ECS/ProcessExpert system.

Phase 1
The Impactmeter was installed during the first quarter of 2013. Special acoustic sensors are installed
onto an appropriate mounting at specified static locations in close proximity to the rotating mill
shell. The sensors are enclosed in specially designed, environmentally secure enclosures, suitable
for the extreme conditions existing in a milling operation. For bidirectional mills eight sensors are
installed, four at each side of the mill in symmetric angles. Mono directional mills use four sensors.
Figure 3 illustrates the installation of sensors at Antapaccay:

Figure 3 Impactmeter sensors installed at Antapaccay's SAG mill

The operational principle is based on the fact that the sound generated by the mill can be
interpreted as a continuous signal, superimposed by the sound of the impacts of the biggest mass
components of the mill load. The instrument detects and analyses those impacts, grouping them in
two types of signals:
 Critical Impacts, which are those undesirable impacts that occur mostly by direct strikes on
the liners.
 Standard Impacts, which are impacts of lower energy, mostly related to the load tumbling.
The data acquisition module comprises a suitable industrial quality chassis with modular data
acquisition cards to process the analog sound signals received from the field acoustic sensors,
converting them to a digital signal. Although the instrument provides output signals that can be
tied to the mill control system to facilitate the mill reacting to the Impactmeter information, the
instrument does not actually control the mill and this remains the function of the mill control
system. Phase 2, which is explained below, included the use of the signals provided by the
Impactmeter as part of the advanced process control strategy.

5
Phase 2
FLSmidth's well proven eight-step methodology was followed during the implementation and
commissioning of the ECS/ProcessExpert system. This methodology ensures the advanced process
control system delivers reliable performance as quickly and as smoothly as possible. The model also
ensures that the system is maintained correctly after implementation and involves:
1. Project planning
2. Client process interviews
3. Application design and process strategy review
4. Primary system commissioning
5. Operator and super-user training
6. Remote monitoring and fine-tuning
7. Follow-up visit
8. Establishing long-term support
The system was prepared and installed at the plant in June 2013 for data gathering purposes. After
that, the control strategies were developed, tested and ready for continuous use commencing in
October 2013. The primary process control technique used in the structure of the application is
model predictive control (MPC), complemented with fuzzy logic rules.
The model predictive control technology uses a mathematical model of the process to predict future
process behavior and pre-plan actions in the future to attain desired targets. The controller output is
a manipulated variable (MV) applied to the inputs of the process and the process model, and is a
part of every MPC controller. The process model computes a predicted trajectory of the controlled
variable (CV) that is the process output (Blevins et al., 2003 [10]).

Setpoint
Predicted
trajectory
errors
CV

CV
prediction

Future calculated
MV moves

Past Future time

Figure 4 Graphic illustration of the operation of a MPC controller

The control strategies were developed with the following main goals in mind:
 SAG mill weight stability and preventing of over filling of the mill
 Reduction of undesirable critical impacts, trough the integration with the impactmeter
 SAG mill throughput optimization and improve energy efficiency
 Improve process stability and maintain constant flow to the flotation plant

6
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
A procedure to assess the main operational results resulting from the implementation of the
ECS/ProcessExpert system (PxP) and Impactmeter was agreed between Antapaccay and FLSmidth.
The procedure intended to identify and formally record the obtained benefits and results, which are
summarized in this section.
It was decided to gather, analyze and compare operational data before (the baseline) and after the
implementation of the PxP system. The selected timeframe was three months, for both periods,
before and after the implementation of the PxP:
 Before PxP. From July 2013 to September 2013.
 After PxP. From October 2013 to December 2013.
Table 1 illustrates the operational results for each period with and without the PxP system:
Table 1 Operational results

SAG Mill
Period Fresh Feed SAG Mill Critical Impacts
(t/hr) Spec. Power Cons. (kWh/t) (Impacts/min)

Before PxP 2902 5.67 5.96

After PxP 3156 5.18 3.17

Difference 8.75% -8.70% -46.90%

On average, the production was 8.75 % higher and the SAG mill energy consumption was 8.70 %
lower after the implementation of the PxP. Mill critical impacts were 46.90 % lower when the PxP
was controlling the mill, increasing liner system life and lower grinding media consumption, one of
the main goals of the control strategy, as mentioned above.
When selecting this approach, similar operating practices were followed because a three month
period can influence either side (e.g.: ore feeding, process conditions, other external factors, etc.). In
addition, it was intended to also run shorter ON/OFF test periods and compare results. However,
because operators were used to the system and the benefits were already proven, there was no
justifiable reason to interrupt the operation and negatively affect the operation by running the
grinding circuit without the advanced process control system activated. Benefits coming from the
operation of the advanced process control system and Impactmeter were proven and validated.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 illustrate the fresh feed, SAG mill specific energy consumption and critical
impacts before and after the implementation of PxP. The plots represent the moving average
(10 values) of the operational data.
As it can be seen in the trends, the production results clearly indicate that the performance of
grinding circuit in both operational and economic benefits was highly improved when the grinding
circuit was under the control of the PxP and Impactmeter. The integration with the Impactmeter
proved to be successful, preventing undesirable impacts, protecting the SAG mill and increasing
liner system life. Plant' reports indicate that the liner life was extended by three months as a direct
result of the successful implemented control strategy.

7
 SAG Mill Fresh Feed
Before Vs After PxP and Impactmeter Implementation

4000 2

3500

3000

2500
tons/hr

2000 1

1500

1000

500

0 -
7/6/2013 0:00 8/6/2013 0:00 9/6/2013 0:00 10/6/2013 0:00 11/6/2013 0:00 12/6/2013 0:00
Date

PxP ON/OFF 10 per. Mov. Avg. (Fresh Feed)

Figure 5 SAG mill fresh feed before and after PxP

SAG Mill Kwh/ton

Before Vs After PxP and Impactmeter Implementation

9 2

5
kw/ton

1
4

0 -
7/6/2013 0:00 8/6/2013 0:00 9/6/2013 0:00 10/6/2013 0:00 11/6/2013 0:00 12/6/2013 0:00
Date

PxP ON/OFF 10 per. Mov. Avg. (Mill Kwh/Ton)

Figure 6 SAG mill specific power consumption before and after PxP

8
 SAG Mill Critical Impacts
Before Vs After PxP and Impactmeter Implementation

20 2

Impacts per minute

10 1

0 -
7/6/2013 0:00 8/6/2013 0:00 9/6/2013 0:00 10/6/2013 0:00 11/6/2013 0:00 12/6/2013 0:00
Date

PxP ON/OFF 10 per. Mov. Avg. (Impacts)

Figure 7 SAG mill critical impacts before and after PxP

The PxP graphical operator interface for the primary grinding circuit is shown in Figure 8 below. It
was designed to display the controller mode, control status, online measurements, actuators, main
mimic and trend display. Information regarding the utilization of the system, one of the success
project criteria, is also presented to operators.
The primary control technique used in the structure of expert system is MPC based. The process
models were obtained to understand the effects of actuators and disturbances on the process
measurement. The majority of the models were developed from plant data based on the response of
the process measurements by manipulating the actuators.
The Antapaccay application has proved itself to be reliable and no major additional tuning has been
necessary since it was handed over to the plant. The utilization factor is 96.4 %, representing high
operator acceptance and confidence. System utilization is an indirect measure of success of an
advanced process control project.
To maintain the good operation of the system and keep it updated, a PlantLine Lifecycle program
consisting of a five-year migration agreement has been established between Antapaccay and
FLSmidth. The PlantLine Lifecycle program can secure a reliable, safe, and trouble-free system
operating over a long fixed time period. The migration agreement plan ensures that the software is
constantly updated while the hardware is replaced once, extending the system life and reducing
risk associated with obsolete hardware.
At the Antapaccay Plant, the payback time of the PxP and Impactmeter systems is a few months,
making this a very successful project in both operational and economical terms. Once the return on
relatively modest investment is reached, the economic benefits go directly to the bottom line.

9
 Figure 8 ECS/ProcessExpert operator station graphical interface – primary grinding circuit

CONCLUSION
The ECS/ProcessExpert system and Impactmeter have been successfully implemented on the
grinding circuit at Antapaccay plant. The results conclusively demonstrate the operational benefits
during circuit operation with the advanced process control ON. Undesirable impacts caused by
steel balls striking the mill liners were minimized by integrating the Impactmeter signals with the
ECS/ProcessExpert system, prolonging liner life, reducing media degradation and extending
production time between mill relining campaigns.
On average, SAG mill production was 8.75 % higher, SAG mill energy consumption was 8.70 %
lower and SAG mill critical impacts were 46.90 % lower after the implementation of the
ECS/ProcessExpert.
The utilization factor is 96.4 %, representing high operator acceptance and confidence. System
utilization is an indirect measure of success of advanced process control projects and to maintain
this level of success a PlantLine Lifecycle program and a five-year migration agreement has been
established between Antapaccay and FLSmidth.
This paper demonstrates how advanced process control and advance instrumentation can be
combined to optimize efficiency in large throughput processing plants, delivering increased
productivity, reliability and utilization, contributing to increased profitability.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors acknowledge and thank the following: The management and staff of Cía. Minera
Antapaccay for their support analyzing evaluation data and for approval to present these results.

10
The management of FLSmidth for approval to present performance evaluation of the
ECS/ProcessExpert system and Impactmeter. The University of Santiago and Federico Santa María
Technical University for their valuable contributions during the development of the Impactmeter.

REFERENCES
García, D. & Villanueva, J. (2013) Antapaccay –Expansión Tintaya. Copper 2013 International Conference.
Santiago, Chile [1].
Bouchard, J., Emond, M., Monnapula, R. & Molelekeng, N. (2010) Asset Optimisation Through Process Control at
Xstrata Alloys – Eland Platinum, 42nd Annual Meeting of the Canadian Mineral Processors, Canadian Institute
of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Ottawa, ON, Canada, pp. 419-438 [2].
Wills, B.A. (1997) Minerals Processing Technology, Sixth Edition, Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann [3].
Chen, X.-s., Zhai, .-y., Li, S.-h. & Li, Q. (2007) Applications of model predictive control in ball mill grinding circuit,
Minerals Engineering, Vol. 20, pp. 1099-1108 [4].
McIvor, R.E. & Finch, J.A. (1991) A guide to interfacing of plant grinding and flotation operations, Minerals
Engineering, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp.9-23 [5].
Sims, S., Lacouture, B. & McKay, J (2006) Grinding Expert System Operation at Red Dog Mine, International
Autogenous and Semiautogenous Grinding Technology 2006, Department of Mining Engineering University
of British Columbia vol. III, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, pp. 242-252 [6].
Parker, S., Thong, S., Sloan, R., Pass, D. & Lam, M. (2006) Comparative study of grinding expert control on two
SABC circuits at Barrick Gold Corporation, International Autogenous and Semiautogenous Grinding Technology
2006, vol. III, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, pp. 207-222 [7].
Rogers, M., Almond, D.G., Maru, T.D. & Becerra, K (2010) Model Predictive Control Application at Lumwana
Copper Concentrator, 2nd International Congress on Automation in the Mining Industry–Automining 2010,
Santiago, Chile [8].
Almond, D., Becerra, K., Maru, T.D. & Smit, D. (2011) Model Predictive Control as a Tool for Production Ramp-Up
and Optimization at the Nkomati Nickel Mine. SAG Conference 2011, Fifth International Conference on
Autogenous and Semi-Autogenous Grinding Technology, Vancouver, B.C., Canada [9].
Blevins, T.L, McMillan, G.K., Wojsznis, W.K. & Brown, M.W (2003) Advanced Control Unleashed, The
Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society, p. 309 [10].

11