tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post3221508201401435247..comments2024-03-26T21:47:45.016+00:00Comments on MEI's Barry Wills: Comminution '12- conference diaryMEIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834780351452765156noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-38269226089060673472012-05-21T08:10:39.124+01:002012-05-21T08:10:39.124+01:00To my point of view the conference is very useful ...To my point of view the conference is very useful for both, scientists and practicing specialists, working in this field. I would like to thank all the organizers once again for a wonderful conference.<br /> <br />TOMS is planning to participate in the conference in 2014 and to be a sponsor as well.<br />Best regards,<br />Arkady Senchenko, Managing director, TOMS institute, Irkutsk, RussiaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-83465385978921069072012-05-12T09:10:33.043+01:002012-05-12T09:10:33.043+01:00Thanks Roy. Talking to Paul at the conference, I ...Thanks Roy. Talking to Paul at the conference, I know he was having great problems downloading large PowerPoint files from Australia, but for 'normal' use, such as checking emails and web-browsing I found the system perfectly adequate, if not super-fast. I have always been frustrated by internet speed and reliability during my travels in South Africa, but the Vineyard system is about as good as it gets. Last year I was at a SAIMM conference in Phalaborwa and the internet at the Hans Merensky Hotel was so slow as to be effectively useless, so I soon gave up. I am pleased to hear that the Vineyard system will be improved in time for MEI's November conferences.MEIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14834780351452765156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-14956658909718786122012-05-12T09:04:45.662+01:002012-05-12T09:04:45.662+01:00Thank you for your comments above. During your con...Thank you for your comments above. During your conference we had two networks available, a conference network and a hotel guest network. South African internet speed is not on a par with most technically advanced countries. In the UK, for instance, I am told it is possible to get a 100mbps line into a home; in SA we are only now starting to see 8mbps lines. The internet capacity into SA has been increased over the past few years, but is expected to take a further step forward with the launch of a new 500gbps cable for South Africa on the 11th of May 2012. We are constantly looking at improving our internet offering and currently have one of the largest internet pipes for guest use installed of any Cape Town hotel. We will continue to work at improving the technology we use to deliver internet as we see this as a very important side of our business.<br /><br />Regards<br />Roy Davies, General Manager, Vineyard HotelAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-24633850168436693692012-05-11T08:38:11.970+01:002012-05-11T08:38:11.970+01:00Many thanks for your comments Aidan, particularly ...Many thanks for your comments Aidan, particularly relating to the missing drafts, which was also highlighted above by Carlos. This is a major area of concern for us, and one which we will now be addressing for future conferences.<br /><br />I am afraid we have made submission of drafts more of an option than a requirement, but from this November onwards we will take a more hard-line approach. Authors will be made aware that draft papers must accompany their presentations, and any author who fails to submit a draft by the final deadline will have the presentation withdrawn from the programme.MEIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14834780351452765156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-42703632033165864652012-05-10T20:47:55.890+01:002012-05-10T20:47:55.890+01:00Thoroughly enjoyed the conference, great venue and...Thoroughly enjoyed the conference, great venue and some very good presentations. As suggested above the conference would benefit from more industry involvement however this was clearly the case going into the event and as such the conference delivered on my expectations. A good forum to gain an appreciation of the major areas of research in the comminution field.<br /><br />One disappointment was the absence of even draft level papers for several of the presenters. This is not what would be expected from a conference of strong standing in our industry,in my opinion all presenters should be required to submit a paper for reference by the delegates.Aidan Giblettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-73143013043880025902012-05-09T10:28:16.751+01:002012-05-09T10:28:16.751+01:00In addition, I would like to reiterate that I was ...In addition, I would like to reiterate that I was impressed by the number and depth of researchers presenting at the event. To have such a strong pool of interested and motivated researchers is a real bonus for the industry. How can such a wonderful set of professionals best contribute to the industry ? We keep saying that energy is our "burning platform" in comminution, but how much longer can we delay our response ? Human history and our nature suggests that we will put-off the effort until the last possible moment. I would argue that with the available "brains-trust", we should seek every possible opportunity to engage in truly transformational research and not be content to continue analyzing the same subject matter, but in greater and greater detail. I would therefore strongly support efforts to gain greater industry participation (& direction) and also to further develop and expand collaborative ventures such as the GCC.Ted Bearmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-7441638358901604252012-05-08T11:42:42.949+01:002012-05-08T11:42:42.949+01:00Photos from the conference are available at http:/...Photos from the conference are available at http://www.min-eng.com/comminution12/photos/Amanda Willshttp://www.min-eng.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-12982216958457364822012-05-03T16:44:45.014+01:002012-05-03T16:44:45.014+01:00Many thanks for your useful comments Carlos. There...Many thanks for your useful comments Carlos. There is certainly no intended bias towards academics and vendors. The conference is open to all, and we encourage attendance no matter what the job description.<br /><br />I am pleased that you raised the question of certain authors not submitting their papers. As you can see from the timetable certain Institutes were particularly guilty in this respect and it is something we are now addressing (see my blog posting of today, 3rd May). Having had a paper accepted for presentation it is a requisite to submit a paper, but many authors are ignoring the final deadline for various reasons. We hope to have a solution to this for the November conferences, and certainly in time for Comminution ’14.MEIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14834780351452765156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-81190023689913096002012-05-03T16:28:44.221+01:002012-05-03T16:28:44.221+01:00I think the technical conferences mineral processi...I think the technical conferences mineral processing industry, are generally among other things, meetings to exchange information and operational experience. I think that Comminution '12 is very "biased" to academics and vendors. I believe that the academic and vendors must exist, but not "surround" most of the conference. Those who work designing concentrator plants or in the operation of these, attended conferences with the idea of learning new things and to be applicable in the short to medium term.<br /><br />One of the most important purposes of the conference is to exchange information. Many who attended we do not want to take notes of the presentations as in college. We believe it is a right delivery of a complete copy of the conference proceedings.<br /><br />There is a little disappointment attending a conference and did not get a copy of all submitted articles, including presentations. I think that the authors and exhibitors must submit their articles well in advance of the conference, so that they can be given to participants accordingly.<br /><br />Posted by Carlos Contreras, BHP Billiton - ChileAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-86608309185684321772012-05-02T16:53:28.112+01:002012-05-02T16:53:28.112+01:001. Because the setting is like a resort, it...1. Because the setting is like a resort, it is attractive to bring one’s spouse. We came early, stayed over for two days and turned it into a fine holiday.<br />2. The restaurant ambiance and food service was great. It was like dining out to eat at the hotel – a big plus for saving time and relaxing.<br />3. The satellite room was exceptional from my view because I had two reports to finish that would not have been completed if we could not sit apart and work while listening to the papers.<br />4. The conference summary noted the weaknesses – too much theoretical data, not validated, and not enough plant data that is always more valuable than the theoretical stuff. <br />5. More mining company presentations should be solicited to bring a more ‘operating flavor’ to the conference. That would make it even more attractive for delegates to register. People want to hear about practical ideas that work.<br /><br />John Starkey, Starkey & Associates, CanadaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-33739085499801660282012-05-02T09:28:12.667+01:002012-05-02T09:28:12.667+01:00A general comment on the venue: everything is well...A general comment on the venue: everything is well set up at the Vineyard, except for the internet access in the residential area of the hotel. This was extremely slow and unreliable - particularly at peak times such as during the day - and not up to the standard needed for an international conference. It would need to be radically improved before Comminution 2014. <br /><br />Posted by Paul Cleary, CSIRO Australia, in Minerals Engineers GroupAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-89707239592331521982012-05-01T18:08:48.474+01:002012-05-01T18:08:48.474+01:00Thanks for this John, which has opened up a second...Thanks for this John, which has opened up a seconday discussion on classification in miling circuits in the Minerals Engineers group: http://tinyurl.com/bsall83MEIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14834780351452765156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-49193853904429452612012-04-30T08:19:47.508+01:002012-04-30T08:19:47.508+01:00Hello Barry
Sounds like a good conference and than...Hello Barry<br />Sounds like a good conference and thankyou for your report. Some very interesting comments.<br /><br />I would like to raise one point for discussion that may be relevant in terms of energy efficiency and cost of energy vs capital. I am old enough to remember some of the original gold milling circuits for `new` CIP plants in Australia which used ball mills with cyclones operating at low feed density with very good classification and then the cyclone overflow going to a thickener for water removal prior to CIP. Then what happened fairly quickly was that operators and designers realised that for these types of ores you could dispense with the thickener and operate the cyclones with much less classification and accept a greater variability in cyclone O/F particle size distribution (PSD). This saved a lot of capital but led to overgrinding of fine fractions as well. I realise mills are sized on a nominal P80 or whatever particle size but surely PSD must have an impact as well? Will the cost of energy move us back the other way perhaps? Should we design our milling circuits with true classifcation and then final thickening? How important is good classification to overall energy efficiency? For example: - if we classified very well at at larger p80 (with final product thickening) would we in fact achieve the same metallurgical outcome in the end and save energy. <br /><br />Posted by John O'Callaghan, Outotec, Finland, in Minerals Engineers GroupAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-5788127334592836772012-04-30T07:07:59.640+01:002012-04-30T07:07:59.640+01:00I like this post very much, You have defined it ve...I like this post very much, You have defined it very simply for so I understand what you say, In this post your writing level is also excellent to us. This is great issue you have done on this topic really very well.circuit boardhttp://www.rushpcb.co.uk/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-24464343728410609462012-04-29T18:47:17.089+01:002012-04-29T18:47:17.089+01:00Thanks Robert. Malcolm Powell and the other collab...Thanks Robert. Malcolm Powell and the other collaborators are formalising things, after which I hope to have more information on MEI Online.MEIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14834780351452765156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-81065439034354299922012-04-29T18:45:50.220+01:002012-04-29T18:45:50.220+01:00Thanks for the conference update. I'll be look...Thanks for the conference update. I'll be looking for some of these papers.<br /><br />Are details available about the 'Global Comminution Collaborative'? This sounds like interesting effort. It'll be interesting to see what comes of it & how well outputs are actually communicated. <br /><br />Step change in outcome is an interesting objective and a necessary one! However, it's easy to overlook the cumulative effect (value) of many small changes; and the ease of making many of the small improvements. Sadly, there seems to be an increasing gap between the promise of new developments for the optimization of processing facilities and reality in operations where it's a struggle to maintain stable performance. <br /><br />Why are many operations unable to take advantage of small incremental improvements with little to no risk, where the implementation path is well defined and the results proven? There are many parts of the answer to this question. What are thoughts out there, what do you see at the operations you work at / visit?? <br /><br />Posted by Robert Seitz, Rio Tinto, USA in Minerals Engineers groupAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com