How Copper Mountain Mining reduced energy and water per tonne through shovel-based ore sorting
XRF in the bucket redirects ore/waste in real time. Better routing lifts head grade and reduces plant load.
Context
Blast shift and feed variability were causing inconsistent plant performance and increasing energy usage. Bucket-level decisions made without real-time grade sensing often sent the wrong material to the wrong destination. The mine needed a real-time ore routing solution.
Solution
Bucket-mounted sensing systems were deployed to estimate grade during loading. These real-time measurements enabled operators to reroute ore and waste more accurately. The system reduced reliance on static dig plans and made routing decisions more dynamic.
Results
The approach lowered energy and water intensity while improving routing accuracy, which stabilized plant performance. Efficiency improvements were seen across both the loading and processing stages.
Data Inputs
XRF readings, fleet dispatch, grade control, shovel telemetry