The AMIRA "P9" Project - "The Optimisation of Mineral Processes by Modelling and Simulation" - is the world's largest university-based mineral processing research program. From commencement in 1962 under Prof Alban Lynch, it has re-shaped the practice of designing and optimising mineral processing plants; using mathematical modelling and computer simulation. The research team includes some of the world's leading researchers in key disciplines of mineral processing.
The AMIRA “P9” Project - “The Optimisation of Mineral Processes by Modelling and Simulation” - is the world's largest university-based mineral processing research program. From commencement in 1962 under Prof Alban Lynch, it has re-shaped the practice of designing and optimising mineral processing plants; using mathematical modelling and computer simulation. The research team includes some of the world's leading researchers in key disciplines of mineral processing.
Led by the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC), and including contributions from six universities across the world (UQ - JKMRC (Australia), UCT (South Africa), McGill University (Canada), University of Newcastle (Australia), Hacettepe University (Turkey), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, (Brazil)), the basis of P9 has been plant-based research activity.
The Project ‘Mission’ has been to enhance the performance of mineral processing plants in terms of efficiency, and provide direct value to sponsor companies. The industry has captured benefits from the program worth many hundreds of millions of dollars: through the application of software arising from the project;specialist methodologies; new products and instruments; and expertise available in various forms.The 16th extension of the Project - P9P, to commence in 2012 - will continue this tradition by building on the ground-breaking development, within P9O, of three-dimensional ore characterisation technology and its application to integrated process simulation, which has enabled predictive capability to be extended across the whole process chain. Process models will be developed to be based on mineral specific properties.AMIRA and the research team are soon to embark on a global “Roadshow” to present the program for the next 4 year extension to potential sponsor organisations. As part of this, a presentation will be given at the MEI Flotation ’11 Conference at Cape Town in November.
