Continuous Online Analysis for Iron Ore Operations
GEOSCAN-M is proven in applications since early 2000s to improve iron ore quality, optimise blending and maximise plant performance with continuous online analysis of iron ore and process streams with over 65 installed to date and the leading product globally in the iron ore sector.
Every stage of an iron ore operation depends on understanding material quality and consistency. Variations in iron grade, silica, alumina, phosphorus, moisture and particle size can impact beneficiation performance, product specifications and profitability.
GEOSCAN-M continuously measures Fe, Si, Al, P, Ca, Mg, Mn, Ti, K and other elements at low concentrations, helping operators optimise blending, improve feed consistency and make informed routing decisions.
Combined with Scantech’s continuous online moisture and particle size analysis solutions, operators gain greater process visibility, supporting improved product quality, operational efficiency, resource utilisation and profitability.
Accurate ore grade information is essential for maximising resource utilisation and maintaining consistent product quality. Variations in iron grade, gangue minerals and ore type can affect downstream processing and product specifications.
GEOSCAN-M provides continuous elemental analysis throughout the iron ore flowsheet, from mined ore and crusher discharge through to plant feed applications. It measures key elements including Fe, Si, Al, Ca, Mg and phosphorus, with phosphorus measurable to levels as low as 0.01%. Ore mineralogy is considered when selecting the appropriate analyser configuration to ensure reliable performance across different ore types.
Scantech’s ReadiMoist TBM and CM200 systems provide continuous moisture measurement for dry tonnage determination, dust management, dewatering control and Transportable Moisture Limit monitoring. These technologies can be installed together over a short conveyor distance, with integrated data providing greater process insight, improved grade control, production planning and operational efficiency.
See published paper by Balzan, Beven and Harris 2015 and Balzan et al 2019 on process control in iron ore and a paper by Balzan, Nieuwenhuys, and Kalicinski, 2020 on phosphorus measurement in iron ore.
Key Benefits
Improve iron ore grade control
Optimise plant feed
Reduce ore dilution and unnecessary waste processing
Increase plant throughput
Improve production planning
Maximise resource utilisation
Efficient bulk diversion ensures the right material is directed to the most appropriate destination, whether processing, blending, stockpiling or waste. Accurate ore quality information allows operators to maximise the value of every tonne mined.
Scantech’s continuous online analysis solutions continuously monitor ROM ore, crusher discharge and transfer conveyors, enabling operators to divert material based on measured iron grade and chemistry. Continuous measurements support more informed routing decisions and improve operational flexibility.
Parcels of product quality iron ore are diverted using GEOSCAN-M measurement data to avoid unnecessary beneficiation which saves processing costs, saving product losses through process inefficiency, and frees up beneficiation capacity for additional ore requiring upgrade, effectively increasing throughput by diverted flow rate. Diversion decisions can be based on grade or on contaminant levels (refer published paper by Matthews and du Toit, 2011).
Key Benefits
Improve ore routing
Reduce unnecessary processing, reducing production costs
Increase operational flexibility
Optimise plant feed quality and product quality consistency
Maximise resource utilisation
Improve mine productivity
Correctly identifying waste, low-grade and economic ore is critical for reducing dilution and improving mine profitability. Processing uneconomic material increases operating costs, while rejecting valuable ore reduces resource recovery.
Scantech’s continuous online analysis solutions continuously monitor ROM ore, crusher feed and transfer conveyors, allowing operators to accurately separate waste, low-grade and process ore. Continuous measurements improve cut-off grade control, reduce ore loss and maximise the value of mined material. Ore recovery from mixed ore and waste zones increases resource recovery and extends mine life.
Key Benefits
Reduce ore dilution
Improve cut-off grade control
Minimise ore loss, optimise product quality consistency
Increase resource recovery
Improve stockpile management
Maximise mine profitability
Maintaining consistent stockpile quality is essential for meeting iron ore product specifications and achieving stable plant performance. Effective blending reduces feed variability and improves downstream processing.
Scantech’s continuous online analysis solutions continuously monitor ROM stockpiles, lump ore, fines stockpiles and blended ore streams, enabling operators to optimise stockpile building, reclaiming and blending based on measured ore quality.
It is common knowledge that higher variability in process feed results in process inefficiencies and poorer process performance. Irrespective of the large volumes of iron ore mined, processed, traded and consumed in steelmaking, the quality of the ore and consistency of its quality have large effects on the downstream processes.
PSD (particle size distribution) and FOD (foreign object detection) monitoring using SizeScan after crushing can assist with crusher gap control, oversize detection, downstream equipment protection and quantifying flow and stockpile volumes.
Key Benefits
Improve stockpile consistency
Optimise ore blending
Reduce feed variability
Improve product quality
Increase stockpile utilisation
Support specification compliance
Consistent plant feed is essential for achieving maximum recovery and efficient beneficiation. Variations in feed quality can impact crushing, screening, magnetic separation and concentration processes. Individual process feed and product stages can be measured to optimise recovery factors, and overall recovery and ore losses can be confirmed by measuring discard and tailings flows. Many GEOSCAN-M units are installed in these applications and have been utilised in site wide elemental balances (refer published paper by Matthews and du Toit, 2011).
Scantech’s continuous online analysis solutions continuously monitor plant feed conveyors, transfer conveyors, concentrate streams and process feed, enabling operators to identify changes in ore quality early and optimise plant operating conditions.
Key Benefits
Improve beneficiation performance, increase overall recoveries
Optimise unit process steps
Increase concentrate quality
Optimise plant throughput
Improve process stability
Reduce process variability
Increase operational efficiency
Maintaining consistent product quality during train and ship loading is essential for meeting customer specifications and reducing contractual risk. Several components are typically specified for product specification limits and examples include silica, alumina and phosphorus content.
Scantech’s continuous online analysis solutions continuously monitor lump ore, fines, concentrate, rail loading and ship loading conveyors, providing confidence that exported product consistently meets specification before delivery. Deviations from expected material quality can be quickly identified and corrected to meet average composition specifications. GEOSCAN-M monitors quality during stockpile building and reclaim, helping operators blend material from multiple stockpiles to produce train or ship loads that meet customer specifications.
Key Benefits
Verify product quality
Improve customer confidence
Reduce contractual risk
Minimise product variability
Support quality assurance
Improve shipment consistency
Moisture influences material handling, dry tonnes, blending accuracy and commercial transactions. Accurate moisture measurement improves production reporting and operational efficiency. Moisture measurement may also be important for WHS requirements in terms of dust management and TML (transportable moisture limit). Filter cake monitoring or dryer product monitoring of moisture content may assist in optimising dewatering throughput and performance.
Scantech’s continuous online analysis solutions continuously monitor ROM ore, concentrates, stockpiles, rail loading and ship loading operations, providing continuous moisture information to support process control and metallurgical accounting. For iron ore it should be noted that different moisture measurement technologies exist and some are only suitable for certain ores or products. ReadiMoist TBM200 series analysers have proven most reliable for hematite and goethite ores and ReadiMoist CM200 for magnetite ores and concentrates (with measurement precisions as low as 0.1% moisture).
Published papers include Balzan and Harris, 2015.
Key Benefits
Improve WHS aspects (managing dust, TML, etc)
Improve moisture control
Improve dry tonne calculations
Optimise blending
Improve material handling
Support commercial transactions
Increase operational efficiency
Laboratory analysis remains essential for iron ore quality assurance, providing highly accurate results from collected samples and supporting contractual certification requirements. However, sampling, preparation and laboratory analysis take time, meaning results may not be available quickly enough for effective process control.
Continuous online analysis complements laboratory testing by continuously monitoring material as it moves along the conveyor. GEOSCAN-M provides timely elemental data across the entire material stream, allowing operators to identify ore variability earlier, improve blending decisions and maintain greater control over product quality. As a Process Analytical Technology (PAT), GEOSCAN-M supports monitoring and control of ore, intermediate streams and final products. The technology has been successfully integrated into iron ore operations worldwide to improve confidence in material handling, processing and quality management decisions.
Limitations of Traditional Laboratory Testing
Periodic sample analysis
Results available after sampling, sample preparation and assay
Represents only a small portion of the material stream
Best suited for quality verification and certification
Benefits of Continuous Online Analysis
Continuous measurement across the entire material stream
Immediate actionable process information
Continuous elemental and moisture monitoring
Earlier identification of ore variability
Improved ore blending, product blending and furnace feed chemistry control
Reduced production variability
Iron ore operations differ in conveyor layout, beneficiation configuration and product handling systems.
Each mineral processing analyser is configured to align with site-specific material characteristics, control systems and operational objectives. Measurement frequency and analyser specification are tailored to suit process requirements.
Systems can measure elemental composition relevant to iron ore grade and impurity monitoring, depending on application requirements. Elements can include Fe, Si, Al, Mn, Ti, P, Ca, Mg, K and other elements depending on concentrations present and importance.
Installations are commonly positioned on run-of-mine conveyors, transfer points or plant feed belts, depending on blending and control objectives. In iron ore operations they are often also installed on product conveyors and load out systems to monitor and control product quality.
No. Online systems provide continuous operational insight, while laboratory assays remain essential for reporting and verification. Certificates of Analysis required for trading iron ore rely on laboratory assay data, however analysers can be used as real time indicators of any unexpected variances in quality so that corrective actions can be taken.
Yes. Continuous elemental measurement supports blending strategies where grade consistency is required.
Yes. Systems are engineered for continuous operation in industrial mining environments. Analysers are proven on different iron ore types including hematite, goethite and magnetite.
