OUR SERVICES:
PROCESS PLANT DESIGN
CHEMECH'S CREDENTIALS
Chemech’s mineral processing plant design experience began with site-based production and project roles in the early 1990’s where resources were very limited and there was strong accountability for positive outcomes. Site experience became a bedrock of knowledge as they progressed into plant design roles and over time gained more senior levels on larger and more complex projects. Key roles in the successful design of significant projects such as Cadia and Boddington have been career highlights and clearly demonstrate their mineral processing plant design capability.
Strong experience in metallurgical testwork, studies, plant design, construction, commissioning, optimisation, debottlenecking, plant upgrades, operations and maintenance has given Chemech a unique ability to understand the real consequences of design decisions through the entire life of mineral processing projects. This is particularly relevant as metallurgy and processing options are trending towards the more complex, while engineering is trending more towards cheaper, copy-and-paste type designs. Chemech have therefore been sought out by some of the world’s largest gold mining companies to minimise their project development and operating risks by guiding the design of their processing plants.
Increasingly Chemech are sought after to provide early-stage process design that links effective metallurgical testwork with robust, low-risk and optimised flowsheet development. These early study stages are where their strong background and solid experience in all project stages make a large impact on the success of the project going forward.
OUR EXPERTISE
HOW WE CAN HELP WITH YOUR PROCESS PLANT DESIGN
Chemech do not provide full-service design capability as they do not employ designers and draftspersons. They can however offer early-stage mineral processing plant design, typically suitable for concept and pre-feasibility studies. These engagements can save owners significant time and money as process design and option analysis can proceed in parallel with metallurgical testwork, providing a solid basis for subsequent feasibility studies. Chemech’s mineral processing plant design services include:
Metallurgical testwork interpretation for process design development.
Flowsheet option analysis and assessment.
Generation of key process design deliverables such as the Process Design Criteria and Process Flow Diagrams.
Mechanical equipment selection and generation of the mechanical equipment list for cost estimation.
Mechanical equipment specifications and equipment data sheets for procurement.
Plant layout design.
Design guidance and direction on behalf of owners.
Large HPGR and SAG mill circuit design.
SOME OF OUR PROCESS PLANT DESIGN ACCOMPLISHMENTS
In 2022, St Barbara engaged Chemech to conduct a high-level review of the historical testwork and studies for their Simberi Sulphides Project, which had failed to proceed beyond final investment decision. On Chemech’s recommendations, St Barbara undertook an extensive new metallurgical testwork program to optimise the flowsheet and improve recoveries. While the testwork program was in progress, Chemech completed a concept study looking at 3 throughput and 2 flowsheet options. This enabled selection of the preferred flowsheet and throughput, allowing more focused testwork to continue in parallel with a prefeasibility study. Chemech provided concept level design and equipment selections allowing capital cost estimation by a third party. The end result was that the Simberi Sulphide Project quickly and successfully moved into definitive feasibility study and execution based on improved recoveries and positive economics.
In 2023, Spartan (now Ramelius) engaged Chemech to manage the metallurgical testwork programs for their newly discovered Never Never orebody. In parallel with the testwork programs, Chemech completed the metallurgy and processing components of concept and prefeasibility studies for the upgraded Dalgaranga process plant. This allowed timely and efficient decision-making by Spartan on mining and processing options as soon as testwork results were available. Chemech were then able to complete the process design criteria and process flow diagrams for the selected upgrade option to allow a rapid progression into the Definitive Feasibility Study.
