Sampling & Analysis: Best-practice in African Mining 2013

Sampling and Analysis:
Best-practice in African mining
Reducing operational risk using sampling and assay

4-6 June 2013 | Misty Hills, Muldersdrift

The most important commodities in the African mining industry are platinum group metals, coal, gold, iron ore, diamond, copper, manganese ore and mineral sands. For all of these commodities sampling is required at all stages in the value chain, from exploration, through face sampling, blast-hole sampling and in-mine grade control, ore processing and handling, metallurgical sub-sampling, sub-sampling in the laboratory and finally quality control and standards used in the analyses of the final samples.

Poor practice at any of these stages would lead to erosion of value. All companies have their own procedures based upon operational experience informed either by sampling theory, or, for commodities like iron ore, non-ferrous metals, sulphide concentrates and coal, by procedures based upon ISO (International Organization for Standardization) Standards.

Recently various codes have been introduced to ensure adherence to good sampling and analytical practice.

For Minerals Resource and Reserve estimates the SAMREC Code (South African Code for reporting of Mineral Resources and Reserves), presents guidelines for sampling governance.

In 2007 a Code of Practice for Metal Accounting was produced by AMIRA. This was sponsored by international mining companies and covered metal accounting from ore deliveries to final product. This Code has been adopted by several companies and used as a basis for auditing metallurgical operations.

With regard to quality control and accreditation, one requirement is the use of certified reference materials to ensure that the final analyses are accurate and have an acceptable level of precision.

In the wake of various financial scams, Sarbanes Oxley legislation was passed in the USA requiring publicly listed companies to be transparent in reporting factors impacting on their financial statements and this includes year-end stocks. This requires reporting of these stocks within a Confidence Interval, which, in turn necessitates estimates of the uncertainties in sampling, mass measurement and analysis of these stocks.

Sponsors

Premium Sponsor	Premium Sponsor
Premium Sponsor	Premium Sponsor
Exhibition Sponsor	Exhibition Sponsor
Exhibition Sponsor	Networking Function Sponsor
Lanyard Sponsor	Conference Bag Sponsor
Pen & Pads Sponsors	Delegate Bag Insert Sponsor

 
Sponsorship Opportunities
Companies wishing to sponsor or exhibit should contact the Conference Coordinator

Caron Kos
Conference Co-ordinator
SAIMM, P O Box 61127
Marshalltown
2107
Tel: (011) 834-1273/7
Fax: (011) 833-8156 or (011) 838-5923
Email: caron@saimm.co.za

Technical Visits
The organising committee are pleased to announce the following Technical Visits that have been arranged for Friday, 7 June 2013.

The cost involved for participating in the technical visit is: R500-00

Kindly note:
1) In order for the visits to be sustainable we will require a minimum number of 15 participant to partake per visit
2) Visits will be confirmed or cancelled by close of business Thursday 23 May 2013

Technical Visit Details:

ATCOM & ALS Coal Laboratory Technical visit - Witbank
ATCOM coal is mined from the no1, 2 and 4 seams using opencast methods, crushed to
The ALS coal laboratory, was purchased by ALS from Witlab (Pty) Ltd in 2007. A new premises was acquired on which the current laboratory was constructed, and which enabled the expansion of the laboratory to undertake the full spectrum of coal analyses. The facility is equipped to analyse coal exploration bore hole samples, as well as plant production samples, export shipment and domestic train samples. ALS coal division also conducts on site work and analysis for combustion optimisation, plant efficiency performance, and sampling plant bias testing.

Provisional programme:
08h00 - 10h00    Depart from Misty Hills Conference Centre to ATC (Witbank)
10h00 - 12h00    Visit to plant and sampling
12h00 - 12h30    Transfer to ALS Witlab
12h30 - 13h30     Finger lunch at Witlab
13h30 - 15h00     Tour of Witlab coal laboratory
15h00 - 17h00    Return to Misty Hills Conference Centre

OR

Anglo American EBRL Laboratory - Mokopane
The EBRL is a fully automated ISO 17025 analytical laboratory, analyzing 8 000-18 000 underground, blast hole and RC drilling grade control samples for Anglo American Platinum and select JV mines. Samples are analysed for PGM's though Lead Fire Assay and OES, Base metals though dry pellets pressing and XRF, and specific density through gas Pycnometer.

The equipment, plant and 14 Robots are controlled through and monitored through PLC and SCADA computerized monitoring systems, and results reported through an integrated LIMS system.

Provisional programme:
05h00 - 09h00    Depart from Misty Hills Conference Centre to EBRL Laboratory
09h00 - 10h00    Induction
10h00 - 10h30    Operational Overview
10h30 - 11h00    Laboratory Walk Thru
11h00 - 11h30    Question Session
11h30 - 12h30    Light Lunch
12h30 - 16h30    Return to Misty Hills Conference Centre

OR

Anglo American - Mogalakwena Platinum Mine - Mokopane
Mogalakwena Platinum Mine is Anglo American Platinum's and the world's biggest open pit platinum mine. Mogalakwena is located in Mokopane , Limpopo on the Bushveld Complex's Northern Limb. The mine exploits the Platreef, a thick suite of pyroxenitic rocks with economic concentrations of Platinum Group Metals (PGEs), Copper and Nickel.
The Platreef is overlain by Gabbronorites and underlain by the Transvaal Supergroup (Quartzites, Shales, Banded Iron Formation (Penge), Dolomites (Malmani Subgroup) and Archaean basement granites and gneisses. The Platreef comprises different rock types including Pyroxenite, Serpentinised Pyroxenite, Serpentinite, xenolithic calcsilicates and remobilised granites (granofels).

The Platreef is N-S trending with a 45o westerly dip. Mineralisation wrt PGEs, Cu and Ni is unevenly distributed within the Platreef in all dimensions and requires intensive sampling for evaluation. Vertical Diamond drillholes at 50m by 50m grids define Measured Resources. Further infill drilling with Reverse Circulation (RC) at 10m by 10m and/or Blast Holes (BH) at 5m by 5m help further delineate the Reserves for final muck destination definition.

Some >800 000m (and still counting) of diamond drilling core has helped define a resource of about 2.5 billion tons of ore for Mogalakwena. About 10 000 samples are generated monthly on the production front (RCs and BHs). Sample analysis is carried out at Anglo American Platinum's Eastern Bushveld Laboratory in Polokwane, nearby. The mine handles about 10 million tons of ore and waste per month and processes about 1 million tons of ore monthly at 3.0 g/t PGEs.

Provisional programme:
05h00 - 09h00    Depart from Misty Hills Conference Centre to Mogalakwena Mine
09h00 - 11h30    Mine Visit
11h30 - 12h30    Light Lunch
12h30 - 16h30    Return to Misty Hills Conference Centre

Preliminary Programme

Tuesday 4 June 2013

07:00 - 08:00      Registration and Coffee

08:00 - 08:05      Emergency procedures of Misty Hills

08:05 - 08:15      Welcome by Conference Chairman:
                             Dr Hugh Bartlett

08:15 - 08:30      SAIMM Presidential Address:
                             Dr Gordon Smith

08:30- 09:05        Keynote Address:
                              State of Sampling in African Mining 
                              Prof Richard Minnitt, University of the Witwatersrand

COMPLIANCE AND GOVERANCE ISSUES

Session Chair: Prof Richard Minnitt

09:05 - 09:30      The Understanding and Importance of Sampling with regard to
                             SAMREC codes
                             K Lomberg, Coffey Mining South Africa (Pty) Ltd

09:30 - 09:55      International Reporting Standards for Exploration Results, Mineral
                             Resources and Mineral Reserves with Particular reference to sampling
                             techniques and data
                             R Dixon, SRK Consulting (South Africa) Pty Ltd

09:55 - 10:05      SPONSOR Presentation - Multotec

10:05 - 10:25      Mid-Morning Refreshments

10:25 - 10:50      Metal Accounting and Corporate Governance
                             P. Gaylard, M.Wortley and N.Randolph

10:50 - 11:15      From Metal to Money: the importance of reliable metallurgical
                            accounting
                            Dr Daudet Seke, Lonmin Plc

11:15 - 11:40      Sampling- a critical component of delivering accurate and
                            representative test results as the basis of trade incommodities and
                            the role of relevant international standards and conformity
                            assessment procedures and infrastructure
                            G Visser, Busmterix Pty Ltd

ANALYTICAL PRACTICE AND QUALITY CONTROL

Session Chair: Mr Neville Randolph

11:40 - 12:05      An overview of SGS Minerals Services global geochemical laboratory
                            quality management system
                            R Calow, J Bowden, S Khan, M Labuschagne, V Murphy,
                            SGS Minerals Services

12:05 - 13:05      Lunch

13:05 - 13:30      Between laboratory biases; same sample, different answers. What do
                             you do?
                             M.McWha, African Mineral Standards

13:30 - 13:55      Current practices in analytical laboratory QAQC
                             N Mackenzie, Set Point Laboratories

13:55 - 14:05      Sponsors Presentation - IMP

14:05 - 14:30      Mid Afternoon Refreshments

14:30 - 14:55      Quality control and Quality Assurance Case Studies for the Analysis
                             of Precious and Base Metals
                             K Lomberg Rachel Mckinney, Coffey Mining South Africa (Pty) Ltd

14:55 - 15:20      A new control Chart for QAQC Analysis
                            D.F Bongarcon, AGORATEK International

15:20 - 15:45      The Evaluation of Sampling & Assay data via customised programs
                             H de Roos, Octoplus Information Solutions (Pty) Ltd

15:45 - 16:10      The use of XRD analysis in sampling and material balance of low
                             grade iron ores and sinters
                             Prof JPR de Villiers, University of Pretoria

16:10 - 16:35      Advances in automated wet Chemistry technology to enhance
                             process control
                             A van der Westhuizen, IMP Automation (Pty) Ltd

16:35 - 17:00      Closing Remarks

17:00 - 19:00      Networking 'Cocktail' Function

Wednesday 5 June 2013

07:00 - 08:00      Registration and Coffee

08:00 - 08:05      Emergency procedures of Misty Hills

08:05 - 08:15      Welcome - Dr Hugh Bartlett

08:15 - 08:50       Keynote Address:
                             Critical Importance of Sampling in Trading Mineral Commodities
                             Prof Ralph Holmes

ANALYTICAL PRACTICE

Session Chair: Mr Peter Gaylard

08:50 - 09:15      Best practice for sampling methods to obtain the final aliquot for
                             laboratory analysis
                             P Qeqe and E van Tonder, Anglo American Platinum

09:15 - 09:40      Best Practise for weighted compositing: Introducing the VSSD
                             E van Tonder and Z Marais, Anglo American Platinum

09:40 - 10:15      Platinum Group Metals: Best Practice Sampling Methods, Assay
                            Techniques and Quality Control
                            K Lomberg, Coffey Mining South Africa (Pty) Ltd

10:15 - 10:25     SPONSOR Presentation - AMIS

10:25 - 10:45      Mid Morning Refreshments

10:45 - 11:10      Best Practise in Quality Assurance: Determination of the Sampling
                             Fundamental Variance
                             Geoff Lyman, Materials Sampling Solutions ;Robert Schoustra,
                             Erika van Toner, Anglo American Platinum

11:10 - 11:35      Comparison of Carius Tube and Microwave digestion of PGM
                             Concentrate and ICP-OES Analysis
                             Damini Surender, Anglo American Platinum

11:35 - 12:00      Managing a Fully Automated Robotic Laboratory: Experiences from
                             Anglo American
                             Johan Le Roux, Anglo American Platinum

12:00 - 13:00      Lunch

EXPLORATION AND RESOURCE DEFINITION SAMPLING

Session Chair: Mr Mike McWha

13:00 - 13:25      An overview of sampling best practice in African mining
                            C Spangenberg, Anglo Gold Ashanti, Prof R Minnitt, University of
                            Witwatersrand

13:25 - 13:50      Uranium exploration sampling and analysis
                             D Young, The Mineral Corporation

13:50 - 14:15      Sample Support Size and Spacing Determination for Resource
                             Development of a Marine Placer Gold Deposit
                             P Saravanakumar, G Brown and G Van Eck, AuruMar CapeTown

14:15 - 14:40      The Simulated Chip-Sample Model as a method for quantifying error
                             and bias in sampling thin Carboniferous reef type
                             D Fourie Harmony Gold, Prof R Minnitt, University of Witwatersrand

14:40 - 15:00      Mid-Afternoon Refreshments

15:00 - 15:25      Quality Control and Assurance of underground Chip Sampling
                             Kopanang Mine - South Africa 
                             B Freese, A Pillay, T Flitton Anglo Gold Ashanti

15:25 - 15:50      Sampling for resource and reserve definition