Abstract
The net-zero goal of the mining industry inevitably involves a drastic reduction in its fossil energy supply in favour of cleaner and renewable energy sources. In addition, energy usage and efficiency in mining are the main drivers in operation cost and emission of greenhouse gases. Therefore, efforts toward the development of resource efficient processes are critical to achieving the net-zero goal.
Globally, the demand for critical and strategic minerals will increase toward 2050 to provide cleaner and more sustainable technologies such as on-shore and off-shore wind turbines, solar panels, zero-emission vehicles, batteries for mobile usages and smarter grid usages, and many more. These clean technologies simultaneously require an increased production of critical minerals and a reduction in energy and emission intensity.
To provide the mining industry with enabling technologies to tackle these challenges, the Sensor Hub of the NRC Clean Energy Innovation research centre is developing and adapting multiple sensors to the needs and reality of the mines. Within the Sensor Hub, the Large-Scale Mining Laboratory houses the Lumine sensor that provides real-time elemental and mineral composition of ore on conveyor. The current test phase of Lumine is taking advantage of multiple collaborations to assess the performances on various ore types, notably critical mineral ores. The Lumine sensor can measure virtually all elements including lighter elements not easily seen with conventional techniques such as carbon and lithium, as well as detrimental elements such as sulfur and arsenic. Real-time ore feed characterization can be used in various process control applications such as feed monitoring and sensor-based bulk ore sorting.
The presentation will provide an overview of the Sensor Hub capabilities and activities with a focus on the current development of Lumine, and how mining companies and OEM provider can take advantage of the Sensor Hub and the Large-Scale Mining Laboratory.