Adopting our operations readiness service to commence operational readiness and transition enables the identification of start-up risks to mineral processing facilities and ensures smooth production is achieved at your operations.
- Operating Plans and Procedures
- Maintenance Plans and Schedules
- Sampling and Analysis Regimes
- Logistics & Procurement Supply Chain
- HSEC Management Plans and Procedures
- Training Module Development and On-Site Training
Sedgman can provide an Operations Readiness service as well an experienced Transition Team to commence operations ensuring a rapid ramp-up and conduct a controlled handover to our client’s workforce after a defined term.
We have successfully completed a similar program for a Zinc Concentrator in North Queensland, Australia, and have transitioned the facility back to the client after a two-year operations period.
The goal of operations readiness for a mine site is to ensure that all the appropriate systems, procedures, and information requirements are in place and can be effectively used by the client in the project’s operational phase.
We can develop and provide an operational readiness and transition plan for your Minerals Processing facility to include some or all of the following operational readiness activities:
- Development of minerals processing operations plans and procedures
- Development of human resource and engagement strategies and plans
- Development of maintenance plans and procedures, including a maintenance strategy for the facility and a preventative maintenance schedule for facility equipment
- Condition monitoring and lubrication routines and schedules
- Strategic and critical spares list and plans
- Sampling and analysis regimes
- Support in setting up the logistics and procurement chains for key operational requirements
- Development of health, safety, environment, and community (HSEC) plans and procedures
- Development of additional training documents and materials for operational staff
A key aspect of any transition from a project into operations is to have skilled personnel on site, preferably during or just prior to the commissioning stage so that they may gain practical experience before the operational ramp-up. Sedgman can assist with the selection of these personnel and provide a core of experienced Sedgman personnel to assist with training and transition activities.
Sedgman can provide short term provision of operations personnel to assist with start-up of the mineral processing facility, including:
- Concentrator/Plant Manager or Superintendent
- Metallurgists and Process Engineers
- Maintenance Engineers
- Electrical and Controls Engineers
- Training & HSE Officers
- Operations Front Line Personnel - Operator/Maintainers
- Practical training of operational staff
- Ongoing off-site support during operations to ensure continuous improvement
A typical operational readiness scope is shown below:
Operating Plans and Procedures
A site-based management plan can be prepared to cover the operations of your facilities. Sedgman’s Operations Management Plans can be mapped against and customised to your requirements. The management plan can ensure safety, accountability, production, and quality targets are established, achieved, and then maintained or exceeded.
The operating procedures that can be developed include:
- Ore feed preparation
- Crushing and screening operations
- High Pressure Grinding Roll (HPGR) operations
- Carbon-in-leach operations
- Ore Milling
- Materials Pumping
- Dense medium processes
- Ore Flotation
- Thickening operations
- Reagent preparation
- Reagent dosing
- Dewatering operations
- Electrowinning processes
- Start up and shutdown procedures
- Isolation procedures
- Process monitoring procedures
- Sampling, analyses, metallurgical accounting, and record keeping
- Change management procedures
Maintenance Plans and Schedules
Sedgman values exceptional maintenance performance and advocates that consistent and effective maintenance performance is a precursor to both excellent production and safety performance outcomes.
To deliver industry-leading plant productivity, embedding effective and efficient maintenance systems is essential.
An appropriate maintenance strategy for the client’s minerals processing facility can be developed from first principles to maximise plant operating hours.
The development of the maintenance system includes the establishment of bill of materials (BOMs) by equipment, registers, tools, and equipment required on site.
The following forms part of the maintenance plan development:
- Asset structure establishment
- Data capture - OEM manuals/drawings
- Parts catalogue development
- BOM development
- Preventative maintenance schedule development
- Equipment Isolation requirements
- Critical and strategic spares schedule - maintenance spares schedule
- Facility consumables schedule
- Lubrication schedules
- Condition monitoring schedules
Sampling and Analysis Regimes
Poorly designed sampling protocols can result in elevated project risk by increasing variability and result in financial losses.
Sample collection, preparation and assay or test work protocols that are optimised to suit the operation feed type, can be developed by our team of metallurgists in Vancouver, Perth, and Brisbane.
Sedgman can also assist with metallurgical accounting for the operation.
Logistics and Procurement Supply Chain
The logistics supply chain for critical items needs to be fully understood and developed for your minerals processing project. These items can include:
- Process consumables such as reagents
- Maintenance consumables - spares and parts
- Strategic and critical spares
- Operational/maintenance tooling and equipment
- Support services supply contracts for goods and services
- Development of a site asset register
- Uploading of all key information into a mine maintenance management system
Sedgman has developed an operations specific spares assessment tool which defines what and how many items are required to be held on site, by a local supplier, by the original equipment manufacturer or other requirements to ensure that the Operation is able to run at the required availability.
It is critical that the actual location of parts and material are established, procurement and supply costs developed, the realistic delivery time to site determined and evaluated, and any delivery constraints are factored to ensure appropriate site holding requirements are maintained.
Supply chain management can involve:
- Vendor identification and pre-qualifications
- Vendor set-up
- Establishing supply agreements and arrangements
HSEC Management Plans and Procedures
Sedgman possesses extensive experience with operation and maintenance of processing facilities. In-house developed operational safety systems and training material has been developed to provide operational teams with the appropriate skills to safely operate minerals processing facilities.
A core operational belief is that the production performance and safety performance of an operation share mutual success drivers. Our experience has shown that operations that consistently exhibit exceptional safety outcomes also tend to deliver exceptional levels of productivity.
Sedgman can develop a HSEC Management Plan tailored to suit our client’s needs on a specific operation.
Training Module Development and On-Site Training
Sedgman’s commitment to operator training is a key factor in achieving high levels of operational performance. Training is focused on the basic core competencies associated with facility operation and is tailored to each employee’s skills, demonstrated capabilities and training requirements. Basic classroom theoretical training is supplemented by practical training in the field. Training documentation and assessments are compiled to industry recognised training competency standards.
The training modules can be developed to tailor the mineral processing facility’s requirements and needs and includes safety training, plant orientation, and formative assessment. Sedgman can develop all training packages complete with assessment tools, training material, and supporting documentation. This tool can also assist planning by tracking completion of training requirements.
All training material developed includes training documentation that can be communicated by written and visual means with practical and written assessments.
Training manuals can include modules such as:
- Plant objectives and requirements
- Ore properties and utilisation
- Control system interface
- Individual circuits
Training is focused on the basic core competencies associated with facility operation and is tailored to each employee’s skills, demonstrated capabilities and training requirements. Basic classroom theoretical training is supplemented by practical training in the field. Training documentation and assessments are compiled to the relevant Training Competency standards.