One of the challenges of commodity producers in general and mining companies in particular is that they have very little control over demand and pricing for their products. Individual producers benefit or suffer through up and down cycles, and find they really only have control over their own internal variables. These days, specialty metals and mining companies are enjoying an upswing thanks to growing demand during the global energy transition, but how can they prepare for an uncertain future?

Now is the time to make operational improvements to increase profitability, making your facility better prepared for any eventuality. We offer some practical suggestions in our article in North American Mining, Safe, Smart and Sustainable.

The key to success in any mining operation depends on operating profitably at current market pricing. Therefore, most mine operators are constantly striving to improve their operational efficiency and reduce production costs, while ensuring that safety and environmental stewardship remain a priority. Sustainability is now a growing part of that equation, with sites closely monitoring water and energy consumption per ton, along with overall carbon footprint and other emissions.

So, where should you start? What gets measured gets improved, hence our focus on instrumentation. The article goes into more detail, but here are six key areas:

• Conveyors: Rosemount 848T Wireless Temperature Transmitters and AMS Wireless Vibration Monitors look at rollers and pulley bearing operations to detect developing problems before significant damage occurs.
• Crushing: A Rosemount 5408 Level Transmitter Non-Contacting Radar instrument maximizes throughput of the primary crusher.
• Rotating Equipment: Rosemount 848T Wireless Temperature and AMS Wireless Vibration Monitors provide indications of developing problems with motors, gear boxes, pumps, blowers, etc.
• Floatation: Rosemount Wireless Pressure Gauges enable local and remote monitoring of sparger performance, and Rosemount MS Magnetic sensors and Rosemount 8782 Slurry transmitters provide accurate measurement of slurry flows. Rosemount 396P pH/ORP sensors monitor and maintain tight pH control of reagents.
• Tailings Dam: Rosemount 3051S Wireless Submersible DP Transmitters monitor dam integrity, non-contacting radar instruments monitor pond levels, and Rosemount 2120 Vibrating Fork Level switches protect recycle water pumps.
• Water Management: Flexim FLUXUS 731 Series clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters provide flow measurements across the site, and Rosemount 1208 Level and Flow Transmitter and Rosemount 3490 Controllers monitor and control remote water tanks. Rosemount 228 Toroidal Conductivity sensors measure water quality and minimize freshwater usage.

That’s a lot to think about. Give the article a full read, and you can always talk to your Emerson representative.

Wireless and instrumentation provides a low cost means for mining facilities to measure valuable data across the site. Such measurements can dramatically improve equipment performance and efficiency, enhance safety, and minimize unplanned outages and lost production. These measurements also enable much improved water utilization by maximizing water recovery and quality.

For more information, visit Emerson’s Mining, Minerals & Metals pages at Emerson.com. You can also connect and interact with other engineers at the Emerson Exchange 365 community.