Removing the Bottlenecks

How to identify and remove bottlenecks in a mineral processing plant

“Optimisation of an existing process plant can deliver both immediate results and also long-term benefits for our clients. We have found that a collaborative process is extremely effective in increasing throughput – often without changing major equipment”.

John Sobolewski – Mintrex, Managing Director and CEO

Mintrex are frequently invited to collaborate with clients to optimise and increase the throughput of existing process plants. Here are some of the benefits that we have seen in the past:

• Increased throughput
• Increased recovery
• Reduced shutdown time
• Reduced replacement time and wear on components
• Safety improvements – including safer access to various plant areas.

The Bottleneck is Where the Opportunity Lies

It is important to correctly identify where the bottleneck lies in a process. This is the point where the greatest opportunity can be unlocked. If we optimise a non-bottleneck, we may improve that specific process, but such improvement does not necessarily flow to the overall system.