How can digital twins transform copper plant operations?
The mining and metallurgy industries are highly capital intensive, and it is critical that the assets be operated at their nameplate capacity for the activity to be profitable. However, the difficulty to optimize the operations increases with the complexity of the process. In this regard, the hydrometallurgical processes which combine leaching and electrowinning in the copper production industry, are particularly complex.
With the various sources of variability and the difficulty to predict them, optimizing the operations of the leaching electrowinning (SX-EW) copper plants poses significant challenges.
This is precisely where simulation-based digital twins’ step in, revolutionizing the way we predict outcomes and streamline processes in copper plants.
Before delving into the role of digital twins, it's crucial to grasp the fundamentals of a leaching electrowinning copper plant. This process involves extracting copper from ore through a sophisticated three-step process: leaching, Solvent Extraction (SX) and Electrowinning (EW).
Optimizing the operations of a SXEW copper plant involves navigating various challenges, including:
Simulation-based digital twins offer a dynamic solution to address these challenges by creating virtual replicas of the physical copper plant. Here's how they can revolutionize operations:
Simulation-based digital twins represent a paradigm shift in the optimization of leaching electrowinning copper plants. By leveraging advanced modeling techniques and real-time data integration, these virtual replicas empower operators to predict outcomes, optimize processes, and mitigate risks effectively. As the mining industry continues to embrace digitalization, the adoption of digital twins promises to drive efficiency, sustainability, and profitability in copper production like never before.
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About SimWell
SimWell Consulting and Technologies is a global company specializing simulation, optimization, and digital twin technology. Our core mission is to unlock simulation at scale. We empower leaders and operators to maximize their current resources, optimize their operations, and elevate their performance with simulation. We build models of our customers operation, test scenarios, and predict how it will perform in a risk-free environment.
With SimWell as your partner, your team will have the tools to make confident decisions, optimize your process, and press fast forward on your business.
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Alexandre Ouellet, CEO at SimWell
Aron Hayoun, Ing. M. Ing. Senior Consultant in Simulation,
Supply Chain, Industrial optimization and Data science