black swan PROJECT

Project Category: Process Design
Client: Black Swan Nickel
Location: Western Australia
Capacity: 2.15 Mtpa
Commodity: Nickel

Scope of Work

Provide process design and commissioning services to Lycopodium Engineering for the brown fields upgrade of the Black Swan Nickel processing plant.

Flowsheet

New SAG and ball mills, flash flotation, upgrade existing crushing circuit to accommodate recycle pebble crushing, new rougher/scavenger flotation, reconfigure existing flotation circuit to 3 stages of cleaner flotation, new cleaner scavenger flotation, upgrade to reagents and water services, new tailings thickener, 22km overland water supply pipeline.

Notable Feature

OMC confirmed suitability of available second hand mills.  Significant mill refurbishment program.  The scope also included upgrades to Scada system. The integration into existing layout was difficult, but tie-over from existing plant to upgraded circuit was achieved with minimal downtime.   .

Outcome

Successful flowsheet selection and upgrade integration into existing plant.  Throughput tonnage and grind achieved in short ramp-up period with minimal downtime during the new plant tie-over period.