01 / Grade
Consistent lithium grade
Blend ore from different sources and stockpiles to keep lithium content in plant feed steady, which stabilises processing and downstream efficiency.
Lithium · Grade and impurity control
Lithium Mining Optimisation
BlendOpt is a configurable optimisation platform for mining value chains. Configured for lithium, it starts from run-of-mine (ROM) ore and plans how ore from different pits, sources and stockpiles is blended and processed so lithium concentrate meets each customer's specification for grade and impurities, while keeping plant feed stable and making the most of every tonne mined.
Configured for lithiumBlend to specification
Powered by BlendOpt
- ROMpits & sources
- Stocksgrade & impurities
- Blendplant feed
- Plantrecovery
- Marketcustomer specs
Optimisation objective
Concentrate within specification
Meet each customer’s grade and impurity requirements at the lowest cost, with stable plant feed.
DepositsPegmatite, brine, clay
ConstraintsGrade & impurities
OutputCustomer blends
Illustrative modelParadyn Systems
What BlendOpt optimises
What BlendOpt optimises in a lithium operation
Battery-grade customers set strict specifications, and lithium ore rarely arrives consistent. BlendOpt balances feed consistency, recovery, costs and market demand together.
02 / Purity
Impurity control
Track impurity levels in every ore source and blend so final products stay within purity specifications.
03 / Products
Customer-specific products
Tailor blends to each customer's requirements for purity, size and other quality parameters, such as battery-grade specifications.
04 / Stockpiles
Grade variability and stockpiles
Manage stockpiles when grade varies widely within and between deposits, deciding what to process now and what to hold.
05 / Recovery
Recovery and reserving
Optimise reserving decisions and which ROM sources feed each blend, to improve recovery and make fuller use of the ore mined.
06 / Economics
Costs and market volatility
Weigh the cost of processing different ore grades against changing prices to find the most economic blending strategy.
Proven in other commodities
Results from BlendOpt in other operations
BlendOpt applies the same optimisation to every commodity. These results come from BlendOpt customers in copper and coal.
Cu:S 0.4 → 0.03
mill feed variability at a copper operation, with higher recovery and concentrate grade
Copper mine-to-mill optimisation →
+$24M / yr
forecast revenue from new stockpile definitions at a coal operation
Stockpile optimisation case study →
35% → <5%
product specification violations across a five-year plan at a coal operation
Coal quality consistency optimisation →
ROM to customer
Lithium in the context of the whole value chain
Battery-grade customers set strict specifications, and lithium ore rarely arrives consistent. Taking the mine plan as an input, BlendOpt plans ROM allocation, stockpiles, the processing plant and sales together, so each product decision is valued by its effect on the whole operation. Read the full lithium article below, or see critical minerals production planning, stockpile optimisation and the metals mining optimisation overview.
- 01ROMRun-of-mine ore from different pits and sources, as set by the mine plan, with grade and mineralogy that vary within and between deposits.
- 02StockpilesWhat to process now and what to hold, so higher-grade ore is not used up early.
- 03Processing plantStable feed that supports recovery and downstream efficiency.
- 04SalesProducts blended to each customer’s grade and impurity specifications.
Insight
Managing the complexity of lithium stockpiles and blending
The challenge
In the lithium mining industry, delivering a product with consistent quality, particularly in terms of lithium purity and composition, is crucial. Customers, especially those in high-end sectors like battery manufacturing, require lithium products that meet strict specifications to ensure the performance and safety of their products. Variability in ore quality can lead to fluctuations in the final product’s purity and composition.
The solution
BlendOpt from Paradyn is a configurable decision support platform. Configured for lithium, it optimises blending, stockpile and processing schedules in lithium operations.
Using advanced predictive models, BlendOpt anticipates the quality of the final product based on the characteristics of the input ores. This enables proactive adjustments to blending and processing parameters, maintaining consistent product quality that meets customer specifications.
Our sophisticated optimisation algorithms determine the best blending strategies to meet your desired quality specifications. BlendOpt helps you minimise costs and maximise resource utilisation without compromising on product quality.
BlendOpt tracks and manages impurity levels in different ore sources, allowing for precise blending to ensure that the final product meets stringent customer requirements for purity and composition.
Create customised blends tailored to the specific needs of different customers. BlendOpt ensures that your final product consistently meets the high-quality standards required for high-performance applications, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Why choose BlendOpt?
With BlendOpt you can create customised blends tailored to the specific needs of different customers. BlendOpt ensures that your final product consistently meets the high-quality standards required for high-performance applications.
- Market specifications: Deliver lithium concentrate products with reliable, high-quality consistency to meet stringent market demands. With BlendOpt your operation can produce lithium concentrates that meet specific market requirements for purity, size, and other quality parameters. BlendOpt can tailor blending strategies to meet the specific needs of your customers.
- Increased operational efficiency: Optimise resource utilisation and reduce operational costs with advanced blending strategies.
- Economic considerations: BlendOpt can analyse the costs associated with processing different ore grades, helping to determine the most economically efficient blending strategies in the presence of market volatility. The software can optimise the use of available resources by suggesting blends that make fuller use of the ore mined and improve overall recovery, while reducing costs.
- Processing requirements: BlendOpt’s predictive modelling can ensure a consistent feed to the processing plant, stabilising operations and optimising recovery rates. The software can track and manage impurity levels in different ore sources, allowing for precise blending to minimise processing issues and product contamination.
- Geological variability and reserving: BlendOpt can integrate geological data to account for variations in ore mineralogy and chemistry, helping to balance blends and manage variability effectively. Lithium ore grades can vary significantly within a single deposit and across different mining sites. This variability impacts how stockpiles are managed because higher-grade ore might be prioritised for processing, affecting the composition and quality of the stockpile. The software can mathematically optimise stockpile management, ensuring that blends are created efficiently in the presence of market volatility.
- Feed grade control: BlendOpt can use advanced algorithms to determine the optimal mix of high-grade and low-grade ores to meet target grades, ensuring consistent feed quality.
- Environmental and regulatory compliance: With BlendOpt your operation can maintain compliance with environmental and industry regulations through effective blending and waste management strategies. BlendOpt can help in planning and managing waste materials by suggesting blending strategies that minimise environmental impact and comply with regulatory requirements. BlendOpt ensures that blending practices adhere to environmental regulations, your ESG targets, and industry standards by incorporating these factors into its optimisation algorithms.
Application to different lithium deposit types
- Brine deposits: Starting from the extracted brine, BlendOpt optimises the evaporation and processing steps to enhance yield and reduce the time required. With BlendOpt your operation can manage costs related to the long evaporation periods and processing steps.
- Pegmatite deposits: BlendOpt aids in optimising the crushing, grinding, and concentration stages, ensuring efficient use of resources, and identifies the most cost-effective processing methods.
- Clay deposits: Starting from ROM clay ore, BlendOpt optimises blending and leaching to recover lithium efficiently and incorporates environmental considerations to minimise the impact of processing.
FAQ
Lithium mining optimisation FAQ
How BlendOpt, configured for lithium, keeps concentrate within specification.
What does lithium mining optimisation involve?
It covers mine planning and everything downstream of it. BlendOpt handles the downstream part: it plans how lithium ore is stockpiled, blended and processed so the operation delivers products that meet customer specifications at the lowest cost. Grade and impurities can vary widely within and between deposits, so the plan has to balance feed consistency, recovery, costs and market demand together.
How does BlendOpt keep lithium concentrate within specification?
BlendOpt predicts final product quality from the characteristics of the ore being fed, then optimises the blend and processing plan to keep that quality on target. Because blends are planned ahead rather than corrected after the fact, the operation can adjust before product falls out of specification.
Can BlendOpt manage impurities in lithium ore?
Yes. BlendOpt tracks impurity levels in each ore source and stockpile, and blends so the final product meets purity requirements. Impurity limits are treated as constraints in the optimisation, alongside grade and tonnage targets.
Does BlendOpt work for pegmatite, brine and clay deposits?
BlendOpt is configured for each operation, starting from ROM ore or extracted brine. For pegmatite it covers crushing, grinding and concentration; for brine, evaporation and processing; and for clay, blending and leaching.
How does BlendOpt handle variable lithium ore grades?
BlendOpt uses geological and stockpile data to account for grade and mineralogy variation, and works out the mix of higher and lower grade ore that meets target grades. It decides what to process now and what to stockpile, so higher-grade ore is not used up early at the expense of later products.