Integral, a purveyor of market-leading process control solutions in the Philippines, celebrates its 20th anniversary this 2023. The event, held in EDSA Shangri-La, was attended by the company’s employees, clients, and supply chain partners.   The celebration was a showcase of Integral’s history. But more importantly, it highlighted lessons the company learned as keys to success over the past two decades. As told from the perspective of the founders and employees, the event delivered a playful yet heart-warming glimpse into Integral's journey.

Mining operations use a combination of metallurgical processes for mineral extraction. This often involves flotation to produce a mineral concentrate followed by smelting or leaching to recover the final product(s). Knowing the quantitative mineralogy at each of these stages is important to optimizing the effective and efficient recovery of a valuable mineral deposit. Quantitative mineralogy enables more productive process strategies (e.g. blending) and ongoing process optimization. Metallurgists and geologists typically use chemical assay data to estimate quantitative mineralogy, but due to inherent mineralogical complexity, these estimates can be misleading. Olympus portable X-ray diffraction (pXRD) analyzers can provide the metallurgist with reliable quantitative mineralogy onsite, in near real-time, which would otherwise take days or weeks to obtain. Flotation: Flotation is a common process used to concentrate a variety of base and precious metal ores. During flotation, the ore is treated with reagents (chemicals) to encourage the valuable sulfide minerals to float and suppress the non- valuable minerals. Leaching: Metals cannot be leached from all ore-bearing minerals, and ore minerals that can be leached have different leaching potential/leaching rates. Estimate recoverable metal, Select the most approximate leaching method to optimize value, Understand acid consumption, a key cost Pyrometallurgy (Smelting and Roasting): The mineralogical composition of concentrates has a large impact on subsequent pyrometallurgical processes that can involve smelting and or roasting the mineral concentrate product. Rapid Quantitative Mineralogy - A Valuable Metallurgical Tool: Quantifying minerals that are problematic for metallurgical processes can be far more important than recognizing problematic minerals. These problematic gangue minerals often have minimal or manageable adverse effects at or below certain thresholds. For this reason, it is important for the metallurgist to have ready access to accurate quantitative mineralogical data so they can optimize their process accordingly or develop more appropriate blending strategies. Benefits of Olympus pXRD The benefits of Olympus’ innovative pXRD analyzers include: Small sample: requires only 15 mg of material. Easy sample preparation: instrument operation and data acquisition do not require a skilled technician. Fast acquisition time: obtain results in few minutes. Portability: rugged design with no moving parts. No ongoing servicing requirements: XRD can be performed regularly with minimal downtime and in remote locations.

The practice of in-service oil analysis or used oil analysis started over a century ago on locomotive engines. Now it is one of the most important components of condition based maintenance (CBM), a practice of assessing a machine’s condition by periodically gathering data on key machine health indicators to determine maintenance schedules. Billions of dollars are spent every year replacing machinery components that have worn out due to insufficient lubricant performance. Knowing how to interpret changing lubricant properties can increase both the uptime and the life of mission critical assets. The existence or amount of debris and particles from wearing parts, erosion and contamination provide insights about the issues affecting performance and reliability. Lubricants, fuels and other key fluids analyses provide critical early warning information indicative of machine failure. By analyzing and trending data, one can schedule maintenance before a critical failure occurs. The results are higher equipment availability and productivity, lower maintenance costs, lower total cost of ownership (TCO), fewer outages, optimal equipment performance and a greener operation. What is In-service Oil Analysis? Lubricating oil is the life blood of oil wetted machinery. In-service oil analysis can provide information about machine wear condition, lubricant contamination as well as lubricant condition (Figure 1). Reliability engineers and maintenance professionals can make maintenance decisions based on diagnoses of oil analysis results. Machine wear analysis is essentially the analysis of particles in the oil. Machine wear can be classified into adhesive (sliding) wear, abrasive (cutting) wear, fatigue wear, and corrosive wear. A full suite of wear particle analyses includes measure of particle count and distribution, particle shape and morphology, wear metal and alloy elements and the presence of large ferrous particles. Over the years different techniques and instruments have been deployed in the field or in commercial laboratories but essentially they all provide the information mentioned above. Even though all wear particle analysis techniques can be applied to different types of assets, specific issues are different for industrial rotating machines than from rotating engines. Reciprocal engines tend to generate fine wear particles and engine oils can be dark due to soot (nano-sized carbon particles as combustion byproduct). Elemental analysis is primary or sometimes the only analysis performed in a commercial oil lab that assesses engine wear conditions because concentrations of different wear metal elements indicate wear severity of moving parts in an engine. Slower moving rotating machines, such as gearboxes, tend to generate larger wear particles. As most of them are made of steel, large ferrous particle analysis is fairly common and easy to perform on oils from these assets. Contaminants in oil can be in solid or liquid form. Solid contaminants such as sand and dirt are commonly monitored by particle counting and sizing techniques. Liquid contaminant for industrial rotating machines is mostly water. For diesel or gas engines, however, it can be water, coolant or fuel. A fairly common fluid contaminant across all asset types is the accidental or purposeful use of an incorrect lubricant when topping off old oil. All contaminants can significantly reduce the useful life of the oil and increase machine wear. They need to be prevented proactively with proper seals and filtration systems and they need to be monitored regularly. Monitoring lubricant degradation helps one decide if the oil is no long fit for use and if it needs to be changed. One key oil property is viscosity. The viscosity is typically measured at 40C for rotating machines and at 100C for engines. For oil in rotating machines, oxidation and acidity of the oil (Total Acid Number or TAN) are monitored to determine if the oil is still fit for use and to prevent corrosion. For engine oils, oxidation, nitration, sulfation and total alkaline additive reserve in oil (Total Base Number or TBN) are monitored. For natural gas engine oils, TAN is monitored along with other engine oil parameters. Benefits of In-Service Oil Analysis The key benefits of in-service oil analysis are maintenance cost savings and productivity increases from increasing the uptime of running machines. Machines run longer if the right oils are used and if the oils are dry, clean and fit for use. Oil mix up is one of the most common lubrication problems contributing to machine failure. Putting the right lubricating oil in a machine is a simple task that can improve machine reliability. Checking the viscosity, brand and grade of incoming oil and checking for contamination of alien fluids help to reduce the chances of oil mix up and keep the machines running at optimal efficiency. In order to keep the oil dry, clean and free of contaminants, seals and filtration systems need to work properly and oils should be checked regularly. Sand and dirt in oil cause the generation of abrasive wear. Moisture in oil causes corrosion. Fuel or coolant in engine oil changes viscosity and causes the generation of adhesive wear. It is necessary to keep the lubricating oil clean and dry at all times. To keep oil fit for use, oil conditions are to be monitored regularly to make sure the oil is used within its performance specification. A well balanced oil analysis program shall monitor machine wear condition, oil contamination and oil degradation. Key parameters are measured regularly and their trends are closely monitored. If one or more parameters exceed the alarm limits or a change in the trending rate is detected, reliability engineers are alerted and maintenance actions may be needed to resolve potential problems. The cost savings from a well-executed oil analysis program come from reducing production loss from unplanned down time due to catastrophic failure as well as decreasing repair costs and eliminating unnecessary oil changes. In a power plant or paper mill, the cost savings mainly come from reduced machine down time and repairs. In a mining site with hundreds of hauling trucks, the cost savings mainly come from eliminating potential engine failures. For a municipal transportation fleet, however, the cost savings from oil analysis are due to reduced material, labor and recycling by extending the oil drain intervals. The Spectro Scientific Minilab series meets your requirement for comprehensive in-service oil analysis needs, simple test protocol, fast and easy to operate.   For inquiries, please contact : (1) Joey Guyo email: joey@qesnet.com, hp: 09175855395 (2) Odra Ocampo email: odrazen@qesnet.com, hp: 09177053842. QES will have its 2nd technical seminar on “Eliminating Downtime Through Machine Condition Analysis”, this Q2’23, it is FREE of charge, kindly contact us for details. Spectro Scientific is distributed by QES Technology Philippines, Inc., email: qtpmarketing@qesnet.com

Philippine Resources Journal welcomes a new contributor to our editorial team, Engr. Edison Mating. Based in Baguio City, Edison is a mining engineer specializing in mine planning and mining studies. He also promotes global mining education as a volunteer in various academic institutions. He has worked with some of the biggest mining companies in the country, mostly with Lepanto Consolidated Mining in Benguet and with TVI Resource Development in Zamboanga del Sur. Edison has 5 years of practical experience in underground cut-and-fill mining, open cut/open pit mining focused on mine planning, design and scheduling, backfill engineering, and mine studies. He has also worked with international mining consultants involving backfill systems, mine-to-mill reconciliation, and drilling and blasting studies. Edison holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mining Engineering from Saint Louis University (SLU), an Executive Micro-diploma in Economic Leadership for Mining from The University of British Columbia, and a Professional Certificate in Foundations of Modern Mining from Curtin University and The University of Queensland. A past president of the SLU Mining Engineering Society, Edison is also a member of the Philippine Society of Mining Engineers and the Young Mining Professionals based in Brisbane, Australia. Edison also writes for NewsMiner and his own Minding Mining blog. He may be contacted at edison.mating@yahoo.com.

Global professional services company GHD has appointed Simon Terry as Regional General Manager - Philippines.  Operating in the Philippines since 1998, GHD employs about 900 people across its offices in Makati, Cebu and Quezon City. The company has been providing design and technical advice for the landmark Novaliches-Balara Aqueduct 4, which will secure water supplies for more than 7 million people in the east of Metro Manila.  Simon is a civil engineer with more than 27 years of experience in the Philippines, Australia and South East Asia. He was previously Global Operations Manager of the company’s GHD Advisory business.  “When I lived and worked in the Philippines 20 years ago, GHD was new to the country. Today our Philippines business has grown to be a mature, vibrant, and critical part of the GHD enterprise globally. My vision is to continue growing our services for local and international clients, and collaboration between our teams in the Philippines and around the world,” Simon says.  Van Tang, Executive General Manager – New Zealand Asia Pacific, “We have a very exciting vision for our business in the Philippines as the country progresses towards a more prosperous, inclusive, and resilient future. We continue to grow our team, building on our long-term presence in this country, to expand our support for local and global clients and communities.” Simon succeeds Darren Shrives who is taking on a new challenge as Regional General Manager – UAE. 

Photo: The Warman Slurry Pumping Handbook is the definitive guide for most slurry pumping applications. Weir Minerals, manufacturer of the industry-leading Warman®  slurry pump, has released the latest edition of their coveted Warman® Slurry Pumping Handbook. The 6th edition, compiled by the most trusted name in slurry pumps, features detailed engineering data required for most slurry pumping applications. Drawing on decades of Weir Minerals’ inhouse expertise in innovative engineering and slurry pumping technology, the new handbook has updated reference material based on new learnings, improved understanding and technological developments within the mining industry. With customers always in mind, the handbook aims to empower engineers to achieve optimal performance from their Warman® slurry pumps. An increased global focus on the environment, energy consumption and water conservation will influence slurry pump design and considerations – making this latest handbook an essential tool for all current and future pump engineers. “Pumping slurry has many challenges and I’m excited to publish our latest handbook, packed with fundamental theory, application advice, standard practices and latest Warman learnings from the field; all aimed to help our customers, present and future, deliver with excellence.” Marcus Lane, Director, Slurry Pumping Technology Group Weir Minerals are continually striving to shape the next generation of smart, efficient and sustainable solutions with cutting-edge science and innovation. The comprehensive handbook includes over 140 pages of detailed information, including performance charts, impeller design, part configuration, assembly and slurry considerations – fully supported by accurate technical renders and specifications. “The high quality of the reference material in this essential resource reflects the leading status of the Warman slurry pumps. As the industry leader, we have a responsibility to develop our future engineers; we will make the latest version of the Warman Slurry Pumping Handbook available not only to our customers, but also to the leading schools worldwide, so they can learn from the best in the industry.” John McNulty, Vice President Global Engineering & Technology. As part of Weir Minerals’ commitment to investing in STEM education and developing the next generation of engineers, copies of this essential resource will be gifted to the leading mining and engineering educational facilities around the world, including the winner of the 2022 Warman Design & Build competition, Deakin University in Australia.

Photo credit: San Miguel Bolstering its climate action initiatives, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) power subsidiary San Miguel Global Power (SMGP) reported the successful planting and growing of over five million new trees and mangroves from 2019 to date, under its multi-year, nationwide forestation and carbon capture program. The company said it is also expanding the scope of the project to reforest areas around its new Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facilities—the first and largest such network in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.  SMC President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Ang said that as of October 2022, SMCGP’s “Project 747” initiative has yielded a total of 5,010,116 upland and mangrove trees, across some 1,500 hectares of land.   The project’s goal is to plant seven million trees on some 4,000 hectares of land, in at least seven provinces. Thus far, SMCGP has planted in eight: Albay, Bataan, Bulacan, Davao Occidental, Negros Occidental, Pangasinan, Quezon province, and Zambales.  The list is however being expanded to cover areas where SMCGP’s battery storage facilities are installed or are being put up. These include Albay, Bohol, Cagayan, Cebu, Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro, Isabela, Laguna, Leyte, Misamis Oriental, Pampanga, Pangasinan, and Tarlac. SMCGP is building a total of 31 BESS facilities with a total capacity of 1,000 MW.  The battery facilities, which will minimize power wastage and redirect otherwise unused capacity to remote areas, are regarded as the best and most sustainable technical solution to the country’s power quality and reliability issues. They are seen to balance and improve access to power nationwide.   More importantly, it will make viable use of intermittent renewable sources such as solar and wind by efficiently storing the energy for electricity when the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing.   “Reforestation is one of the major sustainability priorities of the entire San Miguel Group. While we have had many similar efforts initiated by our various subsidiaries in the past, SMCGP has taken it to another level, planting a record 5 million trees in just under three years, with consistently high survival rates” Ang said.   He credited SMCGP’s partner communities and people’s organizations, local government units, and employee volunteers, with the success of the initiative so far.  He said that to ensure high survival rates for its trees--currently at around 90% for both upland and coastal projects--SMGP partners with local communities to identify and plant needed indigenous tree species.  Community members are also engaged to take care of, and ensure the healthy growth of forests, under the program’s livelihood component.   “With our continued partnership with communities and local stakeholders, we are confident that not only will we reach our targets, but the trees we are planting today will grow to full maturity and benefit their surrounding environment for generations to come,” Ang said.  He added that foresting the areas around its new BESS facilities also makes sense because the facilities themselves are a major step to strengthening the entry of renewable energy capacities in the future.  “The major challenge of renewable power everywhere in the world is intermittence. With renewables, the ability to generate power is always limited. You cannot generate solar power at nighttime, or when weather conditions block sunlight. You cannot produce wind power when there’s no wind. When there’s a drought, you also can’t produce hydropower. Battery storage is key to mitigating all these issues,” Ang said.   “That is why we have prioritized putting up the country’s first battery facilities and first and largest battery network to date. It is key to enabling the use of more renewable capacities in the grid, and a critical part of our phased transition and expansion to cleaner and renewable power,” he added.  Ang emphasized that SMCGP’s transition away from coal power towards cleaner Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) power and renewable energy, is being pursued responsibly, “without compromising our developing economy’s growing need for reliable and affordable power, and while also continuing effort to bring basic electrification to the entire country.” 

an article by Mark Adrian D. Lenon ~ Mining is entering a new era. This phase, known as Mining 4.0, recognizes the role of digital transformation in sustainable mining operations. With more affordable and simpler solutions to monitor plant assets, it has become viable for mining companies to assert total control over their operations. Emerson practises a “Human-Centred” approach to innovation. In this light, the company ensures that its solutions eliminate unnecessary work, reduce complexity, and embed knowledge for the benefit of less-experienced workers.¹ Hence, end-users of all skill levels can utilise an ever-changing technology landscape.

Photo credit: Universal Robina Corp One of Asia’s leading financial publications has, for a second year in a row, named Universal Robina Corp. (URC) as the Philippines’ most outstanding company in the consumer staples sector. Asiamoney handed the award to URC, one of the Philippines’ largest food manufacturers, after an exhaustive survey of the region’s top capital movers and financial experts. URC won the same award last year. “This award affirms the high, consistent quality of our products and services, the trust and faith of our customers and the grit and resilience of our workforce,” said URC president and CEO Irwin Lee. Asiamoney is a top source of news, commentaries and data services for international capital markets. Its latest survey covered over 1,000 fund managers, analysts, bankers and ratings agencies. In total, 5,787 votes were received for publicly listed companies across 13 markets in Asia. The results recognized 191 companies as being the most outstanding in their respective sectors and markets. The poll was designed to acknowledge listed firms that have excelled in areas such as financial performance, management team excellence, investor relations and corporate social responsibility. "While we are humbled by the recognition from the various fund managers, analysts, bankers and ratings agencies who took part in the voting, we would like to acknowledge the efforts of all our stakeholders - employees, suppliers, customers, and consumers - who have helped us persevere through the last two years of the pandemic,” said Lee. “The company will continue to work diligently to become the leading food and beverage sustainable enterprise from the Philippines,” he added. “We’re building new legs and entering new spaces with innovation as our growth engine. Lee said with the Covid-19 pandemic now receding in the background, “URC enters this new chapter with gratitude, knowledge and a newfound vigor to sprint toward our vision for a sustainable future”. Universal Robina Corporation (URC), makers of long-standing well-loved Pinoy brands such C2, Great Taste, Piattos, Maxx Candy and Cream O, was named by Asiamoney as the Philippines’ most outstanding company in the consumer staples sector, for the 2nd year in a row.

An Explorer’s Story By: Michelle Wright A portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer is a powerful tool to have in your mining and geochemistry field kit. One explorer uses three Vanta™ handheld XRF analyzers for copper-silver exploration in Peru. Todd Houlahan, Olympus' Director of International Mining, recently sat down with Lars Dahlenborg, President of Hannan Metals overcome challenges in exploration. The San Martin Project: A Copper-Silver Target in a Dense Rainforest The San Martin Project: A Copper-Silver Target in a Dense Rainforest The top challenge Hannan Metals faces in its copper-silver exploration projects is the terrain. Hannan Metals’ San Martin project—a strata bound sediment-hosted copper-silver target—is in the Amazon foreland basin, eastern Peru. This region shows evidence of a basin-wide mineralization system active over hundreds of kilometers. This area is difficult to access due to dense rainforest and steep slopes. To get to the nearest field site, geologists must walk 1–3 hours from the closest 4x4 road. Another challenge is the limited outcropping. While prospecting creek and stream sediments are effective methods to reduce the search space in this terrain, the dense vegetation and lack of rock outcrops—less than 1%—make it difficult to prove the continuity of mineralization between outcrops. As a result, Hannan Metals needs to The San Martin Project perform systematic soil sampling and analysis to map mineralization under cover. Faster Soil Sampling for Copper-Silver Mineralization: Hannan Metals turned to Vanta handheld XRF for faster soil sampling. To test its analytical capabilities for the project, Hannan Metals compared the Vanta XRF data to the lab data from conventional soil sampling. The results exceeded expectations: Excellent spatial correlation between the Vanta analyzer and lab data for copper (Cu)—the primary element of interest. The Vanta analyzer detected the same anomalies as the lab data in the same dynamic parts per million (ppm) range. Very good correlation with known outcrop mineralization. Importantly, the Vanta analyzer produced fit-for-purpose data for key elements: Pathfinder elements: copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), arsenic (As), and nickel (Ni) Major elements: potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), barium (Ba), silicon (Si), and titanium (Ti) Establishing a Quality Control Program for the Copper-Silver Exploration Project: All in all, the Vanta analyzer provides many benefits for the copper-silver project: 60% faster sampling rate enables the geologists to sample a larger area and increases the chance for discovery. Faster communication of results to management and other stakeholders. Enables real-time decisions during soil sampling—helpful for determining infill or extension of sample traverses Minimal sample size: reduces 800 kg of soil per month. Good value: payback time of one Vanta analyzer is about four months at the current sampling rate (this only accounts for hard assay costs—not the other logistical benefits).   To learn more: TRADERS INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY CO., INC. 24th Floor Trident Tower 312 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Makati City 1209 Philippines E: trisco@pldtdsl.net | 1980trisco@gmail.com T: +632 8817-9004 | +632 8844-0749

CLAVER, Surigao del Norte--Taganito Mining Corporation (TMC) has been chosen as this year's TESDA Kabalikat Award recipient, a recognition given annually to agency partners with demonstrated track record in helping equip Filipinos with employable, specialized skills. TMC is one of the only two regional qualifiers for the coveted award, and the only regional contender in the Industry Sector category. It was also the first time for the company to be nominated for the award, courtesy of the TESDA Surigao del Norte office. Award finalists include entities from the local government units (LGUs), the legislative branch, the national government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), non-government organizations (NGOs), private businesses and companies, and local and international organizations. In winning the national award, TMC has been cited in developing, enhancing, and implementing training programs that have resulted in better employability of Filipino skilled workers.  In particular, TMC has earned praises for its TESDA-aligned programs such as the community-based training for Heavy Equipment Drivers and Operators, as well as its various livelihood programs benefiting the residents of Claver and neighboring areas. Similarly, the company has won plaudits for its in-house skills training program, tech-voc scholarships and apprenticeship programs, and other skills enhancement training and assessments that have made it possible for graduates to obtain their National Certificate. Likewise, the TMC Training and Assessment Center (TMC-TAAC) has been providing free assessments to both employees and contractor’s workers. TMC's accreditation as an assessment center enabled its certified workers to be accredited assessors in the province, resulting in an increase in the number of certified workers in the local construction sector. In addition, TESDA credited TMC with having surpassed the required minimum total score for training, investment in TVET either through the procurement of training tools and equipment, the allocation for scholarship, donations made to communities to promote and support TVET through livelihood skills training, especially to priority barangays identified as peace-challenged barangays. These programs and initiatives, the agency said, contributed to advancement of technical education in Surigao del Norte.

CLAVER, Surigao del Norte—Adding more proof that mining and tourism can harmoniously coexist, Claver local government unit in partnership with Taganito Mining Corporation (TMC) hosted the first-ever jigging and shore casting competition in the municipality on September 2 to 4, 2022. The competition, done in cooperation with the Marajaw Surigao Anglers, forms part of the Claver’s Panaghiusa Festival this year. The activity aims to showcase the municipality’s abundant marine resources that exist alongside the presence of the mining industry. The opening program kicked off with a tree planting activity at the TMC Biodiversity Area. TMC Resident Mine Manager, Engr. Artemio E. Valeroso, welcomed the LGU Claver officials, headed by Mayor Georgia D. Gokiangkee, and the anglers all-over Mindanao. The anglers also visited TMC’s Lantaw Bay Garden which offers an overlooking view of TMC’s wharf and rehabilitated areas. “An niagi, daghan mga issues ang Claver mahitungod na sa atong mga minahan. So karon, atong na prove, napamatud-an nato, nga ang atong kadagatan limpyo ug ang atong mga kaisdaan healthy gajud sila (In the past, Claver had many issues concerning its mining operations. But now we have proven that our waters are clean and our fishes are healthy),” said Mayor Gokiangkee, who led the ceremonial jigging during the opening program in Barangay Hayanggabon. Indeed, Claver’s abundant marine resources is being complemented by the local mining sector’s value-adding projects, chief of which is the provision of training for fisherfolk, financial assistance, product development, and various types of assistance.

By: Engr. Paula Angeline Bacani “The mining sector continues an optimistic performance for year 2022. As early as Q1 2022, the metallic mineral production value kicked off the year with a 36.21% or PhP12.92 billion growth from PhP35.69 billion in Q1 2021 to PhP48.61 billion.” [1] The steady growth of the industry is indicated by the opening of new metal mines, mostly Nickel mines, and the expansion of existing mines. With the increasing production of Nickel Ore, QES Technology Philippines, Inc. has been a long-established partner of these mines on complete mining solutions from: [I] Geological Exploration on sales and service of handheld XRF and analyzers. [II] Sample Preparation on sales and service of crushers, pulverizers, presses, fusion machines, grinding machines, milling machines, drying ovens, etc. [III] Laboratory Solutions on sales and service of XRF, the benchmarked Spectro XEPOS, KF moisture analyzer, Auto-Titrator, lab consumables, and furniture/fixtures. And [IV] Environmental Monitoring for Compliance on sales of air quality and water quality monitoring systems. For year 2022, QES Technology Philippines, Inc. shares this another record-breaking sale of 14 (as of October 2022) laboratory XRF units to our clients, partners, and customers on the Mining Sector. Committed on quality and higher efficiency, QES not only supply analyzers but also help its partners solve challenges on costly maintenances of heavy mining equipment. This year’s #QESInAction held product presentations and exhibits on mining areas in Cagayan, Zambales, Palawan, Camarines Norte, and Surigao introducing its New Mining Solution: The Spectro Scientific On-Site Fluid Analysis. Machine condition monitoring based on oil analysis is a mandatory maintenance practice for the Mining Equipment Fleet. The Spectro Scientific On-Site Fluid Analysis is a solution for common challenges on site such as: [I] Remote Sites wherein it can be difficult to rely on outside lab analysis for oil testing because it takes long and by the time it’s determined there is a problem, there has been a major breakdown already. [II] Harsh Environments where mining equipment operate in conditions that are hard on the components and exposes the vehicles to large amounts of particulate contamination and debris that damage the hydraulics and gears. Constant monitoring of oil condition will prevent unexpected breakdowns. [III] Expensive Oil drains for large vehicles. Oil drain interval can be extended safely as long as the oil condition is at continuous monitoring. Reducing the number of oil drains required per vehicle even by just one time per year can significantly generate savings across a fleet for large mining vehicles. [IV] High Repair Costs. Oil analysis will help identify potential problems early – before they undergo breakdowns and costly repairs. Large mining equipment fleet can be enormously expensive to repair so mitigating a small problem before it becomes a breakdown will be a huge cost savings. [V] Downtime of Vehicles Impacts Revenue when a vehicle is unavailable due to mechanical problems it means it is not available to provide necessary service and will impact the revenue generating service it provides. Since equipment in the Mining Industry is frequently exposed to extreme environmental and working conditions, this new mining solution promoted by QES is an effective oil analysis program that keep these important assets in operation by reducing unexpected failures and costly unscheduled downtimes, thus effectively induces cost-cutting on operations. To assure partners continuous growth, QES joins the 2022 6th CARAGA Mining Symposium and 68th Annual National Mine Safety and Environment Conference as exhibitor and organizes related technical webinars. You may scan below to visit/join their official Facebook group to keep update on their incoming webinars. Demo room is located at Unit 507, Page 1 Building, Acacia Avenue, Madrigal Business Park, Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa, 1780 Metro Manila, Philippines. ​For inquiries and consultations, you may directly message: qtpmarketing@qesnet.com or visit www.qesnet.com   Reference: [1] Mines and Geosciences Bureau (March 2022). “Metallic Production Value Kicks Off 2022 with a 36.21% Growth”, Retrieved October 2022 from https://mgb.gov.ph/attachments/article/1197/Q1%202022%20Metallic%20Review.pdf

Part 2: Production-scale Plan, Optimized Production Schedule, SMP’s Risk Assessment  - By: Engr. Mae Ann R. Cabasag Ensuring optimal resource extraction, maximizing value of increasingly scarce resources, and having confidence in mine plans amid market uncertainties is possible through DS GEOVIA’s SMP solutions. In Part 1, we elucidate differences between mine plan and schedule, and strategic and tactical mine planning. We covered the approach in defining reserves and directional strategies. Establishing the Optimal Scale of Production After determining the best starting region and corresponding pushback directions, mine planners need to create a production-scale plan that can adapt to shifts in demand over life-of-mine and make three (3) major decisions: mine sequences, cut-off grade and production rate. These decisions are correlated, thus, changing one will alter the other two decisions. With the Hill of Value, we can visualize a value surface based on cut-off grade and production rate at the same time identify the point in the value surface that generates maximum value. Using the GEOVIA Whittle and SIMULIA process-automation tools, mine planners can run 9,680 sequences with various production rates, cut-off grades, and economic and market prices in less than a day. Optimizing Strategic Production Schedule In this approach, the mine planner can now identify which (blocks) to mine, when to mine and is left with a question: “How to optimize strategic production schedule that aligns with constraints, both technical and operational, and also maximize value (net present value)?” The answer? The need to understand what can be optimized in the mine production schedule— the schedule itself, cut-off grade, stockpiling and blending. Optimizing schedule can maximize net present value (NPV) by identifying what material to mine from generated pushback and when these will affect mine’s revenue and cost orders. The use of Milawa algorithm in GEOVIA Whittle helps determine the “what and when." The widely used cut-off grade optimization is Lane’s theory. It states, “Low-value material is discarded even if it is above the marginal cut-off grade. It will increase the mine’s NPV because the mine will spend more time early on processing higher-grade ore that otherwise would have been mined and processed later.” Extractive blending  maximizes value. GEOVIA Whittle provides “blend bins”, allowing mine planner to utilize the existing model without needing to manually re-classify block model data to achieve the most suitable blending. Assessing Risks of Your Strategic Mine Plan Mine planners assess risks in the plan using multiple scenarios. GEOVIA Whittle alone produces tens of scenarios. Thousands scenarios can be produced using GEOVIA’s SMP Workflow, and a combination of GEOVIA Whittle and SIMULIA tools. Moreover, GEOVIA’s SMP Workflow enables planners assess risks in each workflow’s steps by incorporating uncontrolled variables’ sets. It also allows mine planners to “use uncertainty analysis to determine the accuracy of the definition of the final pit and pushbacks as well as the production scale and schedule,” said Romero. Further, Monkhouse and Yeates, in Beyond Naïve Optimization (2007), identified five (5) sources of these uncertainties: Orebody Processing Market Discount rate Changing technologies Assessing the risks associated in processing, market and discount rate is easier compared to orebody uncertainty for it does not require the use of conditional simulations. However, it was found that the use of Monte Carlo simulation enables to address orebody uncertainty easily by incorporating to pit optimization routine the “to-be-assessed” input variables along with performing optimization routine for each scenario, resulting to pit shell sets. From some studies, GEOVIA SMP enabled customers to improve NPV from 10% to 50% and reduce stripping ratio by 16-20%, resulting lower mining costs. It also improved grade forecasting accuracy by 30%, reduced development cost by 10%, revealed best possible performance scenarios, and saved time by converting manual one-month process to semi-automatic process of three days. With Dassault Systèmes GEOVIA’s SMP, customers can focus on the importance of analyzing results and making decisions. To know more about SMP and other Dassault Systèmes Solutions and Services, contact DS Value Solutions partner Paramina Earth Technologies, Inc. through paramina_solutions@paramina.com or visit www.paramina.com.   REFERENCE: Dassault Systemes. (2022). Strategic Mine Planning Articles 1-4.

Photo: The Sizer’s 3 stages of breaking MMD have been manufacturing Sizers for over 40 years, processing over 80 different materials in more than 70 countries worldwide. Sizers offer a compact and efficient way of comminution in primary, secondary and tertiary stage crushing, in both underground and open pit operations. Sizers have gained notoriety in wet and sticky applications where traditional crushers have struggled. However, MMD Sizers have been developed to thrive in applications not usually deemed appropriate for their deployment. As Sizers originated in the coal industry, some believe that Sizers are only suitable for soft material processing. This is simply not the case for MMD Sizers. MMD are specialists in Sizer technology, and we have evolved Sizers to be successful in a wide range of operations, in particular hard rock applications. The additional benefits a Sizer brings, such as producing a good shaped product with minimal fines whilst also being compact, energy efficient, and maintenance friendly, make it an appealing option when it comes to selecting a machine for hard material handling. Our dedicated in-house technical development team has provided consistent research and development since the Sizer’s inception in 1980, and enabled MMD’s machines to operate successfully in a variety of industries, processing some materials rated at over 250MPa. Hard rock inclusions could be mixed with wet and sticky material without any major alteration to Sizer design or detriment to performance. Where some conventional crushers struggle to cope with sticky material, the space between Sizer teeth and the constant agitation of material within the machine prevents material build-up, this can be further enhanced where necessary by adding side cleaning combs. Ultimately, MMD Sizers can handle any combination of wet, sticky, hard or abrasive material. This is particularly useful in climates where extremes of rainfall occur throughout the seasons, effecting the characteristics of the material being processed or where material types vary across the mine site.    Specialist Hard Rock Designs From the Sizer teeth design through to the drive train, the progress of these specialist heavy duty Sizers has taken many years of careful development and feature a range of adaptations to allow them to handle harder rock. Sizer teeth designed for hard rock and highly abrasive applications are engineered from upgraded material to resist wear, with additional hard facing in high impact areas. The tooth designs themselves are bulkier to ensure maximum longevity between wear component change-outs. MMD are constantly developing new tooth designs, using a combination of theoretical and physical stress testing to find ways to improve wear components. The extra forces required to break harder material also requires larger shaft diameters and heavy duty bearings. Another key feature throughout MMD’s range of Sizers is the use of in-house designed gearboxes. Using only the highest quality manufacturing processes, materials and components guarantees they are capable of dealing with the unique stresses inherent with sizing hard rock. Each machine goes through stringent design procedures to ensure the highest quality. In some instances, physical trials are performed to test sample material. MMD Sizer featuring side cleaning combs Robust Ancillary Structures MMD offer turnkey solutions in the form of semi-mobile and fully mobile sizer stations. Due to the lightweight nature and balanced breaking action of the Sizer, MMD Semi-Mobile Sizer Stations for hard rock applications generally only require simple pontoon bases rather than costly heavy duty foundations and civils. However, ancillary structures still require some adaptation to matchup with the impact forces generated in hard rock applications. For example, a fully fabricated one-piece hopper hood, with a wear resistant skin rather than wear liners reduces the risk of liners falling off due to high impacts. This skin is replicated on the hopper itself, along with a T-shaped lattice design in the impact area to combat high impacts from the truck dump. Adaptations such as these ensure MMD machines are designed to endure the harsh mining environment and are built to last. MMD Sizer stations undergo rigorous FEA, DEM and Explicit Dynamics analysis at the design stage. This examination provides data on impact forces, load conditions, fatigue cycles, as well as material flow characteristics, which assist in optimising the design. This is particularly useful for wet and sticky applications where material hang-up and blockages could be problematic in features such as hoppers and chutework. At MMD, analysis and design work is undertaken by experienced, fully qualified engineers who combine their technical know-how with industry leading software to design the best solution for customer specific challenges. One of the Semi-Mobile Sizer Stations processing Lateritic Nickel Ore Case Study In 2014, MMD delivered two compact semi-mobile Sizer stations to an island in the Philippines. These bespoke designs were installed to handle lateritic nickel ore. The material within the mine is generally very sticky with hard rock inclusions, however during the wet season the material characteristics change to become extremely wet. The turnkey Sizer stations featured 625 series Sizers with side cleaning combs and D4 Apron Plate Feeders along with supporting steelwork and electrical package. Run of Mine material is directly fed by dump trucks in to the apron feeder which in turn draws material into the sizer controlled rate of up to 500TPH. Lumps of up to 800mm can enter the Sizer chamber, which is then efficiently reduced down to 150mm product. Both these machines remain active, providing trouble-free operation and minimal maintenance. Watch the unit in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSLdwNoAY80