G D Delprat Distinguished Lecture: Models, Madness and Mill Design

Join the Adelaide Branch and the Metallurgical Society for the G D Delprat Distinguished Lecture: Models, Madness and Mill Design.

About this event

Guillaume Delprat, along with Charles Potter developed the first industrial froth flotation process in 1904 in Broken Hill to overcome the sulphide problem experienced at the BHP mines. One can only imagine the tremendous pressure Delprat (the General Manager) was under from his board and shareholders as the ore became more difficult to treat, recoveries deteriorated, and profits dwindled. He could have sought the comfort of an easy way out, but his innate curiosity, intellect and strength of character would not permit him to seek a “Jim’s mowing franchise” of the day. He had responsibilities that he had to take care of.

In Delprat’s honour, over the last 14 years we have heard from the likes of Christopher Greet, Mike Nelson, Alban Lynch, Graeme Jameson, Bill Johnson, Tim Napier-Munn, Joe Pease and Peter Munro (to name but a few) discuss the development, advances and innovations in the art and science of froth flotation.

Models, Madness and Mill Design

Our guest speaker Aidan Giblett FAusIMM(CP) current Director of Black Swan Metallurgy has over 30 years’ experience in gold and base metal processing operations, design, commissioning, management and optimisation in Australasia, Africa, North and South America.

Comminution is a key driver of mine economics and a focus point for innovation as the mining industry seeks to evolve towards reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The adoption of new technologies is however hindered at times by a lack of confidence in the ability to reliably predict the full-scale performance of even well-established comminution technologies, as evident by a laundry list of underperformed comminution circuits in recent projects.

In this lecture Aidan will explore the impact of ore characterisation and circuit modelling approaches on suboptimal comminution circuit designs. This highlights a critical need to better define good practices, to improve the competency levels of the industry’s next wave of developing comminution specialists and thereby ensure consistently high standards of professional practice.

Speaker/s

Aidan Giblett

FAusIMM(CP)

Director, Black Swan Metallurgy

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Aidan has over 30 years’ experience in gold and base metal processing operations, design, commissioning, management and optimisation in Australasia, Africa, North and South America. Currently Director of Black Swan Metallurgy, providing consulting services in mineral processing. Previously Director of Processing at Newmont Mining (2007-2021) with primary accountability for comminution circuit design and optimisation, development of global technical standards and professional training programs.

Awarded the CEEC medal in 2016 and received the AusIMM Professional Excellence Award in 2019 for service to the industry. Past committee member and Chair of the AusIMM Metallurgical Society (2015-2018). Past Chair of Global Mining Guidelines Mineral Processing Steering Committee and Industrial Comminution Efficiency working group (2015-2022).