Mining Software
By Betty Gibbs

JKSimFloat - Simulation of Steady State Performance in Flotation Plants

JKSimFloat V6.1PLUS is a software package that enables metallurgists and operators to assess the impact of various operating and circuit changes on the overall performance of a flotation circuit.  It incorporates a highly flexible structure, allowing current and future flotation models to be included in the simulation.  The current models used in the package have been derived from the AMIRA P9 project.
JKSimFloat integrates tasks associated with data analysis, plant design and optimisation as well as circuit simulation in one software package. It is fully interactive and operates with high-resolution colour graphics. These graphics facilitate the display of detailed flotation flowsheets and accompanying information, allowing for easy interpretation of simulation data.
The model behind JKSimFloat has been applied to over 50 flotation operations world-wide in commodities including base metals (eg lead, zinc, copper, nickel) and precious metals (eg gold, platinum). The package has helped users improve plant operating performance with significant increases in recoveries and grades.

Capabilities include:

• Build a graphic-based flowsheet of the processing plant
• Assign machine criteria and model parameters to each plant case study
• Simulate the effect of changes in the flowsheet to predict the flows, size distributions and element distributions
• Determine optimum grade and recovery via simulation
• Adjust floatability components to estimate the effect of regrinding and reagent addition

For more information visit www.jksimfloat.com on the Internet. In the U.S., contact JKTech at 530-527-7471 or email: jmrcss1@sbcglobal.net.

Logikos & METSIM Partnership - the ‘Guardian’
Logikos & METSIM made their mining partnership official at the SME 2010 annual meeting. Guardian allows mine operators to be much more accurate and timely tracking ore and with ore placement and recovery. Operators are given a tool to make better production projections which can lead to reduced operating costs. Guardian can track assets and personnel in both open-pit and underground mines. It can be integrated with hardware already installed or with any one of the many hardware options on the market. Guardian “Preferred” comes with a communications network and hardware package recommended by Logikos and METSIM. To see a demonstration version of what your mine operators would see, visit  http://www.logikos.com/mining/demo/

5DT (Fifth Dimension Technologies)
This high technology company specializes in Virtual Reality. 5DT develops, produces and distributes Virtual Reality hardware, software and systems with a primary focus on Virtual Reality Training Simulators.

5DT produces the following Training Simulators for the Mining Industry:
Surface Mining

• Dozer Training Simulator
• Dragline Training Simulator
• Driving Simulator (for cars and highway trucks)
• Haul Truck Training Simulator
• Shovel/Excavator Training Simulator
• Wheeled Loader Training Simulator

Underground Mining

• Continuous Miner Training Simulator
• Long Wall Training Simulator
• Roof Bolter Training Simulator

The Training Simulators are the closest thing to reality you can get. The main advantages offered by the simulator are that one does not have to use a production-capable dozer for training, that the trainee cannot damage or destroy the virtual shovel and that the trainee can be exposed to life-threatening conditions and situations without putting either the trainee or the shovel at risk. 

The following systems are currently under development:
 Sequential Coal Mining Visualizer and Management Game
 Forklift Training Simulator
 Load Haul Dump (LHD) Equipment
 Drill Rig Simulator

5DT develops custom Training Solutions to satisfy a company’s unique training requirements. The simulators have been used in operations and have a proven track record of improving operator performance and efficiency.  Even experienced operators can have developed bad habits they are unaware of and can improve their performance using a simulator.  For more detail about the individual simulators, visit http://www.mining.5dt.net on the Internet.  Contact: 5DT Inc. 15375 Barranca Pkwy, G-103, Irvine, CA 92618. Tel: +1 949 450 9044. Fax: +1 949 450 9045

ABB unveils conveyor control software
ABB Australia has developed the Mining Conveyor Control Program (MCCP) which is a software package designed for bulk materials handling and conveyor applications. The mining software allows for the setting of conveyor functions and managing of the critical and high speed conveyor communication requirements on multi-motor conveyors.
The MCC program provides management of the start/stop controls, acceleration and deceleration, mechanical brake control, alarm processing, as well as the setting of speed limits and torque limits.  The software can become the speed regulator or master control for an entire conveyor system. It has the ability to send torque reference signals to individual drives which then act as followers and transmit back to the master control. This is then used to determine speed regulation and the monitoring functions. The communication cycle time is less than five milliseconds.
Traditionally, every conveyor required these functions to be custom developed for each application in the over riding PLC program.  With the use of the MCCP, these functions are no longer required in the PLC. The software helps to reduce the effort for PLC programming, allows for conveyor parameters to be set without the need for specialised staff, and cabling is reduced to a single fibre optic connection between each drive.
For more information visit  http://www.abb.com/ on the Internet.  ABB Inc. 29801 Euclid Avenue, Wickliffe, Ohio 44092. Phone: 800-HELP-365 (US and Canada) +1 440-585-7804 (other countries).  Fax +1 440-585-8756