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MillStar

Mintek’s MillStar Smart Process Control System distributed by Molycop offers a comprehensive suite of control strategies that can be applied to provide an innovative control solution for almost any milling circuit configuration.

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Features

Optimises operation of grinding mills in various industries
Uses a combination of expert control strategies, robust performance monitoring and predictive optimisation techniques
Compatible with different mill types
Provides real-time data monitoring, analysis and control
Maximises mill throughput and minimises energy consumption
Improves particle size distribution
Reduces downtime and maintenance costs

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Overview

Distributed by Molycop, Mintek’s MillStar Smart Process Control System is a sophisticated, real-time optimisation and control solution designed to enhance the performance of milling operations in mineral processing. Using advanced algorithms and predictive models, MillStar improves throughput and energy consumption, minimises variability in product quality, reduces wear on equipment and enhances overall operational reliability.

Optimise milling operations with MillStar

Due to the complex nature of milling circuits, conventional control often fails to address common problems. Among these are:

long process response times
multivariable interactions and disturbances
non-linear systems with varying dynamics
constraints on variables
lack of reliable process measurements.

The MillStar Smart Process Control System enables a typical payback period of just a few months. MillStar provides a robust control solution that enables mill operators to:

stabilise the mill feed
control product quality to the downstream processes
optimise throughput and grinding efficiency.

Milling is a highly interactive dynamic system that changes constantly. With MillStar Model Based Control, mineral processing operations can predict future behaviour and stabilise their circuit.

Milling feed control

The smooth operation of a milling circuit is difficult to achieve due to the varying nature of the feed material and the unfavourable dynamics between feeders and the weightometer. These dynamics degrade the performance of the PID controller, making feed optimisation more challenging.

MillStar’s Mill Feed Controller will compensate for the feed dynamic by modelling feeder responses, adapting for any model errors and adjusting the feeder speeds in a desired ratio.

Power optimisation

Productive milling operations often run close to the maximum mill power draw, where the power-load relationship is highly non-linear and varies with changes in ore, steel load and liner conditions. Traditional control and modelling techniques are insufficient in these circumstances. To address this, Molycop offers a Power Optimiser that:

continuously ‘seeks’ the optimum mill operation by changing the solids feed or load setpoint
uses the changes in the mill load and power to automatically detect whether the mill is overloaded or underloaded
uses safety controllers to change the solids feed rate and feed water to prevent mill overloads
estimates the power load curve and optimum load.

Mill Discharge Control

The MillStar Sump/Product Stabilisation:

takes into account multivariable interactions between input and output mill discharge variables
controls the sump level and cyclone overflow product size and/or density
minimises flow variation to the downstream processes
optimises usage or surge capacity of sumps, hoppers and conditioning tanks
handles constraints of the sump level (to prevent pump surging and spillage) and cyclone density (to prevent pipeline chokes and pressure variations).

A Model Predictive Controller (MPC) has been specifically designed for milling circuits, providing the following advantages:

Comprehensive multivariable controller can efficiently eliminate interaction between variables.
Explicitly handles limits on input and output variables to ensure all variables are kept within their allowed operating range.
Very efficient in handling long time delays and slow-reacting processes.
Special features to handle noise, integrators and model errors.

Typical Uses

The MillStar Smart Process Control System is used by mineral processing operators and control engineers to optimise milling operations. Using real-time data analytics and advanced control algorithms, operators can improve mill performance, increase throughput, reduce energy costs and ensure stable product quality throughout the grinding process.

Benefits

Maximise throughput
Supply consistent feed to downstream processes, delivering increased recovery
Optimise use of mills
Customisation to different needs
Improved control of mill feed rate
Better management of fine and coarse material, thereby preventing mill overloads
Robust control solution for effective milling.

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Advanced control systems deliver improved outcomes for mineral processing operations.

Accelerate product development to address mining’s biggest challenges

Accelerate product development to address mining’s biggest challenges

Innovation and product development lie at the heart of a sustainable future for the mining sector, says Paul Shelley, Global Vice President of Innovation, Molycop.

Continuous improvement with MillROC support – Edikan Case Study

Continuous improvement with MillROC support – Edikan Case Study

The initial installation and set-up of MillSlicer, MillStar and MillROC at the Edikan Gold Mine in Ghana's Ashanti Gold belt was completed by April 2019. The optimisation strategy resulted in a sustainable increase in throughput of 27% in 8 months.

MillROC Improvement Project at Australian Nickel Mine

MillROC Improvement Project at Australian Nickel Mine

The objective of a MillROC improvement project at a leading Australian nickel mine was to implement a new control philosophy around the grinding circuit, which allowed for stabilisation of key operating variables. The project led to significant improvement in circuit efficiency, reduction in energy requirements and increases in throughput.

Edikan: Continuous Improvement with MillROC Support

Edikan: Continuous Improvement with MillROC Support

Molycop has successfully implemented a range of optimisation projects at the Edikan Gold Mine, including mine-to-mill optimisation, advanced instrumentation, and real-time consulting services to deliver sustainable increased throughput of 27% in 8 months.

Advanced Control

Advanced Control

In partnership with Mintek, we design, commission and implement advanced control systems to deliver improved outcomes for your mineral processing operations.

FloatStar – Flotation Control & Optimisation

FloatStar – Flotation Control & Optimisation

The FloatStar suite of control modules utilises advanced process control to overcome design-related limitations and maximise circuit performance during operation.

Innovation

At Molycop, we see innovation as a way to find solutions to some of the mining industry’s greatest challenges. We aim to improve on today so we can deliver better for tomorrow.