How much additional value can be unlocked from an existing copper operation , without building a new plant?

Our latest Mine-to-Mill study identified a pathway to increase capacity by up to 35.7% and revenue by 32.9% through targeted operational and capital improvements.

One of the recent projects undertaken by Mineser involved a comprehensive Mine-to-Mill Optimization Study for a major copper operation, with the objective of increasing production capacity, identifying operational bottlenecks, and improving the overall performance of the mine-to-plant value chain.
The study covered the entire production chain in an integrated manner, from Drilling & Blasting and Crushing to Material Handling, Grinding, Classification, Flotation, and Concentrate & Tailings Management.
Through field surveys, equipment performance assessments, bottleneck analysis, and evaluation of different scenarios, a series of operational and capital improvement measures were identified and prioritized to increase throughput and overall process efficiency.
Key Project Outcomes:

- Achievable Capacity: 19 Mt/Y – from initial 14 Mt/Y
- Required Investment: €26.46 million
- Capacity Increase: 35.7%
- Revenue Growth: 32.9%

Sustainability Potential:
Mineser estimates a potential ~20% reduction in freshwater consumption through modern water-recovery technologies at 19 Mt/y throughput.
The major areas of optimization included:

• Drilling & Blasting: Fragmentation optimization, rock characterization, and QA/QC implementation
• Crushing & Material Handling: Improvements to Crushers, Apron Feeders, Conveyors, and Transfer Chutes
• Grinding Circuit: Analysis and optimization of SAG Mills, Ball Mills, and the Pebble Circuit
• Classification: Performance assessment of Screens and Hydrocyclones
• Flotation: Circuit analysis and identification of opportunities to improve throughput and recovery
• Concentrate & Tailings Management: Assessment of Thickening, Filtration, and Tailings Pumping Systems

The study demonstrated that a combination of operational improvements and targeted capital modifications can deliver significant increases in capacity and efficiency, while offering a more economically attractive alternative to developing equivalent greenfield capacity.

Key outcomes included increased grinding capacity, improved overall process efficiency, enhanced recovery, and improved tailings management.
This project demonstrates the value of an integrated Mine-to-Mill approach, where mining and processing are not considered as separate operations, but as interconnected parts of a single value chain aimed at maximizing the value generated from existing assets.