OPERATING STRATEGY UTILIZING BALL MILL CAPACITY TO MAXIMIZE PROFITABILITY CONCENTRATING PLANT PT XYZ

• Main Author: PURNOMO (NIM : 29107149), EKO
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/12050
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Concentrating Division of PT XYZ has four concentrators used for processing ore into concentrate. There are North and South ball mills, SAG#1, and SAG#2. North and South ball mills get their feed from crushing plant. Since its expansion completed in the mid year of 2008, crushing plant capacity increase from 70,000 to 80,000 ton per day. The increasing capacity is beyond downstream capacity so there's an idle capacity in crushing plant.<p>By renewing current operation strategy, with reviewing ball mill utilization in all concentrators, there is an opportunity that can be used to maximize operational plant profit.<p>From thorough research based on production data, literacy study, and characteristic performance of each concentrating plants at North South mill, SAG#1, and SAG#2, the alternatives of operation strategy that can be implemented are continue the current strategy, by increasing throughput at North South ball mills synchronized with crushing plant throughput and by distributing more throughput from crushing plant to ball mills at other concentrator.<p>The first alternative have no additional profitability, meanwhile the second alternative has a potential to increase operating profit of concentrating plant by 2.1 %, but it have operational risk and policy constraints because recovery will be reduced. The Third alternative has a potential to increase operating profit of concentrating plant by 3.5 % without any operational risk and policy constraints.<p>From this study, it is recommeded to increase crushing plant throughput then distribut it to C4 ball mill.