171-DAY OPERATIONAL TRIAL OPERATIONS UNINTERRUPTED

During operation, a SAG mill is effectively a black box, with no visibility of internal liner condition or wear progression. Within the mill, continuous impact, grinding and charge motion create a hot, humid, highly abrasive and extremely dynamic environment that drives ongoing liner wear.

Historically, liner condition has been assessed through periodic inspections conducted during scheduled shutdowns. This requires taking the mill offline and physically entering the mill to complete visual inspections, ultrasonic thickness measurements and 3D liner scans. While effective for assessing existing wear, these methods provide only a snapshot in time and offer no understanding of how wear progresses between inspections.

To address this challenge, the OPTIWEAR® monitoring system was deployed within a SAG mill at a large Western Australian gold mine, with sensors embedded directly into the shell liners to provide continuous wear measurements throughout the campaign.

Over a six-month operational trial, the 12-sensor system delivered daily wear measurements of both plate and lifter thickness, validated against ultrasonic measurements, 3D liner scans and physical inspections.

The project demonstrated the ability to continuously monitor wear progression, reduce reliance on manual inspections and provide real-time visibility of liner condition throughout the campaign. By combining measured wear data with operational insights, the system established a foundation for improved shutdown planning, increased confidence in liner performance and a deeper understanding of wear behaviour within the mill.