Welcome to the world-renowned series of technical monographs, published by the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC) for the practising engineer.
JKMRC publishes a unique and widely-lauded series of monographs on mining and mineral processing, designed to help practitioners do a better job in operations, consulting, engineering services and research. These books combine practical method with scientific rigour by the world-renowned expertise available at JKMRC, and its peer groups, to deliver effective solutions to problems that professionals are required to solve in the field. Because of the applied research basis of the expert knowledge captured in the monographs, the books can also be a valuable aid for undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Each book is designed as an integrated approach to a particular topic, written by top experts in the field and including many illustrative case studies.
- Mineral Comminution Circuits is the standard work on the operation and optimisation of comminution and classification circuits, and a guide to process simulation using JKSimMet.
- Open Pit Blast Design covers the blast design and monitoring methodology developed by JKMRC researchers over many years of applied research in Australia and overseas.
- Block Caving Geomechanics makes available the knowledge gained in the first International Block Caving Study.
- Guidelines on Caving Methods builds on this knowledge based on the succeeding Mass Mining Technology research program.
- Metal Balancing and Reconciliation provides metallurgists and geologists with the information necessary to practice these essential skills and complements the Draft Code of Practice developed as part of an AMIRA project.
- Statistical Methods for Mineral Engineers is a comprehensive and practical guide to collecting and analysing data, including plant trials
- Process Mineralogy is a wide-ranging treatment of principles, methods and technologies in this vital process discipline.
Explore the series below.
3. Statistical Methods for Mineral Engineers
Written by T.J. Napier-Munn. Revised edition, June 2020.
Written by a mineral engineer for mineral engineers, and packed with real world examples, this book de-mystifies the statistics that most of us learned at university and then forgot. It shows how simple statistical methods, most of them available in Excel, can be used to make good decisions in the face of experimental uncertainty. Written in accessible language, it explains how experimental uncertainty arises from the normal measurement errors and how statistics provides a powerful methodology to manage that uncertainty. It assumes only that the readers are numerate, can use Excel, and want to do a better professional job. It is aimed squarely at mineral engineers and allied professionals (such as chemists) on the mine site, in head office, in engineering and supply companies and in universities.
Most of the examples are illustrated in Excel but Minitab is also used for advanced techniques. The book includes over 100 Excel and Minitab hints.
Example spreadsheets can be downloaded from the JKMRC and JKTech websites (see book for URL).
The book is based on the author’s world-renowned professional development course on statistics for mineral engineers, but covers much more material.
Topics include:
- the presentation of data – charts, tables and PowerPoint.
- uncertainty in data – precision, accuracy, the normal distribution, sources of error.
- comparing quantities using hypothesis tests such as the t-test, F-test, chi-square test, ANOVA, non-parametric tests.
- modelling using regression analysis, including linear, non-linear and weighted regression.
- designing and analysing efficient experiments and plant trials.
- time series analysis, including variograms and time series models.
- multivariate analysis (PCA, clustering, binary logistic regression, MANOVA).
- performance monitoring and optimisation, including statistical process control and EVOP.
- statistics for chemists and mineralogists, mass balancing, sampling (Gy theory).
- Monte Carlo and bootstrap methods
- a selection scheme to choose the appropriate statistical tool for the job in hand.
See the chapter list for 'Statistical Methods for Mineral Engineers' (PDF, 215.8 KB)
Complete the order form (DOCX, 107.4 KB)
Review written by Aidan Giblett FAusIMM, Senior Technical Advisor Mineral Processing, Newmont Mining Services
"Professor Tim Napier-Munn has had a distinguished career in mineral processing operations and research, and received the AusIMM President’s Award in 2011 for services to the industry.
This book builds on the successful course in Comparative Statistics and Experimental Design that Tim has been delivering to the industry for many years through JKTech. Those that have attended Tim’s training courses will recognise some of the content of the book, although the format has allowed more detailed discussion and the addition of considerable content of relevance than that which can be covered in a short course.
Essentially the book is a practitioner’s guide aimed specifically at mineral processors, although the concepts are applicable in analytical chemistry and extractive processes. It is written by an experienced mineral processer who has spent a considerable portion of his career studying statistical methods and their appropriate use in mineral processing applications.
This text condenses practically applicable concepts in statistics and experimental design into the language of metallurgical professionals. The book format is highly readable, covering the basics of the concepts in appropriate detail and in a style as light as the content allows. The statistical methods are well demonstrated by the frequent use of worked examples reflecting a range of real-world scenarios that metallurgical engineers encounter and can readily associate with.
The book discusses statistical techniques when appropriate, and makes good use of footnotes, references and page headers to guide the reader to where to head next for more detail or worked examples. Further instruction is also available online in the form of Microsoft Excel based examples, and the text describes in detail the statistical functionality that is available within Excel.
Statistical Methods for Mineral Engineers covers a large range of tools that can be used to better design experiments and analyse experimental data at laboratory and plant scale. The many statistical concepts covered in detail include error analysis, outlier detection, regression modelling, sampling theory, mass balancing, multivariate analysis and all important experimental design techniques. All methods are practically condensed into two, single-page flowchart summaries. As a result someone with little to no knowledge of the tools can quickly be directed to the right tool and the right instruction to design good experiments, or to conduct insightful data analysis. The practitioner as a result has the considerable power to translate vague conclusions and observations into clear demonstrable facts, supporting timely and value-adding decision making.
These methods that Tim has long promoted to the minerals industry have already made a measurable improvement in the quality of metallurgical analysis performed at many operations locally and abroad. It is my expectation that the release of this book should ensure that this substantial legacy stands the test of time. Those familiar with Tim’s course will appreciate the opportunity to further build on their toolbox, and those entering this space for the first time will appreciate the speed at which they can catch up and immediately improve their technical capability. This is a book that all chemists, metallurgists, engineers and managers working in the mineral processing and extractive industries should have access to."
– Aidan Giblett FAusIMM, Senior Technical Advisor Mineral Processing, Newmont Mining Services
(Published by the AusIMM in the AusIMM Bulletin Magazine of October 2015)