This is the second in a planned series of three papers reviewing metallurgical test work practices and outcomes. The first paper focused on the ‘before phase’ and was presented to the 14th Mill Operators’ Conference in Brisbane, (Newell, Munro and Fiedler, 2018). This paper covers the issues that are commonly encountered ‘during’ a metallurgical test work program.
Test work is the foundation upon which the success of projects and subsequent operations is laid, reflected in Arthur Taggart’s pithy observation: ‘Make your mistakes on the small scale and your profits on the larger scale’. Indeed, Allen Trench has succinctly noted that ‘Get the metallurgical characteristics wrong and you don’t have a project’.
This paper provides some observations and guidelines for the period when metallurgical testing is being conducted, noting preferred practices as well as precautions and mitigations. This includes the key characteristics of metallurgical test work programs, such as quality control and associated outcome drivers, and most importantly, managing test work facilities.