Soutex’ services cover the analysis of ore concentration processes from the first drill core to the in-plant process optimization.

Soutex’ experts can intervene at any moment throughout a mine’s development, whether it be during the design phase or when help is required on the plant floor.

The concentrator design and the plant operations are intricately linked. Together, they provide a unique vision that allows us to enhance the process development during the engineering and ensure a successful operation during the plant ramp-up.

Our design experience and knowledge in fundamental ore processing principles allows us to provide innovative solutions that address production, recovery, process control and training issues.

Our implication

Exploration

Support to Exploration

  • Metallurgical testwork program definition
  • Samples selection
  • Results monitoring and analysis

Reserve definition

Reserves

  • Recovery model
  • Process flowsheet definition

Engineering

Process Engineering

  • Definition and supervision of metallurgical testwork
  • Preliminary economic assessment (PEA)
  • Prefeasibility/Feasibility
  • Process development
  • Piloting support
  • Trade-off study
  • Sensitivity analysis
  • Risk analysis
  • Operation costs (OPEX)
  • Capital costs (CAPEX)
  • NI 43 101 - Process section

Concentrator

  • Detailed Engineering
  • Procurement
  • Management

Construction

Pre Operational Support

  • Pre operational audit
  • Start-up planning
  • Risk mitigation plan
  • Operations documents
  • Training material
  • Personnel training

Start-up

Support to Start-up

  • Operator coaching
  • Performance monitoring
  • Laboratory services support

Ramp-up to commercial production

Daily Operation: accelerate the performances

  • Technical assistance for operating plants (metallurgists, supervisors, managers, etc.)
  • Remote metallurgist
  • Environmental monitoring
  • Data reconciliation
  • Process controls, alarm management

Production

Process Optimization

  • Process audit
  • Bottleneck analysis
  • Analysis by advanced statistics and simulation
  • Advanced control strategy
  • Improvement projects

End of mine

Environmental Rehabilitation

  • Tailings management
  • Site reclaiming
  • Process water management
  • Authorization certificates

Our services

Metallurgical Tests Support

Development of sampling procedures

Samples selection for metallurgical testing

Definition and supervision of metallurgical testing

Data reconciliation

Test data analysis for the definition of process flowsheets

NI 43-101 report (process related sections)

Process Engineering

Development of process flowsheets

Process simulation

Trade-off studies

Selection and sizing of equipment

Production of engineering documents

Engineering for metallurgical and analysis laboratories

Estimation of capital and operation costs (CAPEX, OPEX)

Support to other disciplines (electrical, mechanical, instrumentation etc.)

Evaluation of equipment capacity (expansion)

Evaluation of equipment throughput limitations (new plant)

Client representative

Environmental advice and expertise

Development and supervision of tailings characterisation programs

Risk analysis and contingency plan

NI 43-101 report (process related sections)

Peer review/Value engineering

Production of operation documents

Production of operation documents

  • Operation manuals
  • Operation procedures
  • Laboratory procedures
  • Control plans
  • Production report
Training of operations personnel

Production of training documents

  • Training program
  • Training presentations
  • Validation of acquired knowledge
  • Personnel evaluation

Training of operating personnel (theory, practice, coaching)

  • Plant
  • Laboratories (metallurgical and analysis)
  • Environment
Plant Start-Up Support

Readiness audit

  • Simulation and validation of production scenarios
  • Sampling strategy
  • Operation documentation
  • Personnel training program
  • Labor force requirements
  • Instrumentation and control
  • Sequence of preparatory work

Risk analysis and contingency plan

Process support (commissioning, start-up, ramp-up)

  • Inspection and approval of systems
  • Supervision of pre-operation verification
  • Supervision of pre-production verification
  • Identification and prioritization of deficiencies
  • Validation of design criteria
  • Follow-up on production

Metallurgical performance validation

Support to tax credit application for research and development

Support to tax credit application for training

Operational Metallurgical Support

Debottlenecking projects

Evaluation of equipment throughput limitations

Consumable reduction projects (energy, water, reactives)

Sampling campaigns (realisation, mass balance, analysis, recommendations)

Process simulation

In-plant testing and piloting

Temporary personnel replacement/addition for the metallurgical and analytical laboratory (attendant, technician, metallurgist, supervisor, superintendent)

Process Control and Optimization

Process audit

Process control

  • Control philosophy development
  • Review of P&ID and human machine interfaces (HMI)
  • Master plan for regulatory and advanced control architecture development
  • Regulatory and advanced control development (multivariate and expert system)
  • Soft sensor development
  • Programming specifications drafting
  • Instrumentation
  • Programming, implementation and start-up
  • Control loops tuning
  • Personnel training

Optimization projects (recovery, grade)

Our services

Development of sampling procedures

Samples selection for metallurgical testing

Definition and supervision of metallurgical testing

Data reconciliation

Test data analysis for the definition of process flowsheets

NI 43-101 report (process related sections)

Development of process flowsheets

Process simulation

Trade-off studies

Selection and sizing of equipment

Production of engineering documents

Engineering for metallurgical and analysis laboratories

Estimation of capital and operation costs (CAPEX, OPEX)

Support to other disciplines (electrical, mechanical, instrumentation etc.)

Evaluation of equipment capacity (expansion)

Evaluation of equipment throughput limitations (new plant)

Client representative

Environmental advice and expertise

Development and supervision of tailings characterisation programs

Risk analysis and contingency plan

NI 43-101 report (process related sections)

Peer review/Value engineering

Production of operation documents

  • Operation manuals
  • Operation procedures
  • Laboratory procedures
  • Control plans
  • Production report

Production of training documents

  • Training program
  • Training presentations
  • Validation of acquired knowledge
  • Personnel evaluation

Training of operating personnel (theory, practice, coaching)

  • Plant
  • Laboratories (metallurgical and analysis)
  • Environment

Readiness audit

  • Simulation and validation of production scenarios
  • Sampling strategy
  • Operation documentation
  • Personnel training program
  • Labor force requirements
  • Instrumentation and control
  • Sequence of preparatory work

Risk analysis and contingency plan

Process support (commissioning, start-up, ramp-up)

  • Inspection and approval of systems
  • Supervision of pre-operation verification
  • Supervision of pre-production verification
  • Identification and prioritization of deficiencies
  • Validation of design criteria
  • Follow-up on production

Metallurgical performance validation

Support to tax credit application for research and development

Support to tax credit application for training

Debottlenecking projects

Evaluation of equipment throughput limitations

Consumable reduction projects (energy, water, reactives)

Sampling campaigns (realisation, mass balance, analysis, recommendations)

Process simulation

In-plant testing and piloting

Temporary personnel replacement/addition for the metallurgical and analytical laboratory (attendant, technician, metallurgist, supervisor, superintendent)

Process audit

Process control

  • Control philosophy development
  • Review of P&ID and human machine interfaces (HMI)
  • Master plan for regulatory and advanced control architecture development
  • Regulatory and advanced control development (multivariate and expert system)
  • Soft sensor development
  • Programming specifications drafting
  • Instrumentation
  • Programming, implementation and start-up
  • Control loops tuning
  • Personnel training

Optimization projects (recovery, grade)