Services
Whether you need to improve your existing operations, or develop a new pyrometallurgical production technology, our experienced team of specialists can support you to reduce uncertainty and risk, so that you can make better decisions with confidence, and progress faster. We analyse and improve processes, evaluate refractory material choices, develop metallurgical process concepts, do design reviews, plan commissioning, all based on our rigorous and structured methods. Because of our independence, we are also able to act as expert witnesses in litigation and arbitration cases.
The most fundamental ingredient for progress and success in our industry is strong, well-equipped people. We actively share knowledge and understanding with our clients as we execute projects for them. In some cases, however, equipping your team through training courses may help you to build momentum faster. We offer standardised courses on topics such as thermochemistry, process kinetics, and modelling and simulation. Our rich experience with processes such as ilmenite smelting, pgm smelting, and chromite smelting is the basis for our process-specific training courses, which can be customised to suit your specific circumstances and needs.
The synergies in teams that are able to learn and solve problems together can achieve so much more than individuals that attempt to do the same. If you need to equip your team at a deeper level, we can share the principles and practices that we have developed over more than two decades. Together, we can develop and facilitate team learning and problem-solving plans that work in your circumstances, help unlock more of the potential of your team.
We do independent operational analyses to identify problems, constraints, and weaknesses, and find ways for you to improve. Based on the findings and results of our analysis, we devise operational improvement plans to assist your team to move forward with focus and confidence.
We capture parts of our knowledge and experience in software tools that we refer to as operational enhancement systems, which are deployed to and integrated with your operations. The tools are customised to suit your specific needs and circumstances, to strengthen your team and improve your business 24 hours per day and 7 days per week. This is a valuable means of capturing knowledge and experience, and mitigate risks associated with team members moving into and out of critical positions.
TOOLS
Our primary tools are the skills in our team and our structured methods that help us achieve reliable and valuable results. We also rely heavily on different types of modelling, such as computational thermochemistry, process modelling and multiphysics modelling. Our software tools enable us to develop deeper insight, so that we can help you make better decisions.
Computational
Thermochemistry
Imagine you could assess thousands of feed blends and recipes rapidly to find the ones that will help you succeed.
Decades of experimental data and models are available to describe the behaviour of different systems at thermodynamic equilibrium. Pyrometallurgical processes are ideal to take advantage of this data because the high temperatures involved provide a strong driving force for the system to achieve equilibrium. Computational thermochemistry allows us to gain a better understanding of a system’s behaviour and to predict how it would respond to changes. We routinely use large-scale computational thermochemical analyses to assess a wide range of options, which eliminates bad choices and reveals the options that will support successful operation.
Process
Modelling
Imagine you could test different process concepts and flowsheet configurations before entering detailed design.
A model is a computer-based representation of a process and a useful tool for studying likely process behaviour. Process models enable us to rapidly study numerous process configurations before embarking on a pilot campaign or finalising a basic design. By eliminating infeasible options, it allows us to design focused test campaigns, processes, and furnaces. This process decreases overall development time, reduces risk, and enables earlier start to production.