The primary purpose of a Mining Engineer is to strike balance between economic viability of production with the product quality control while designing, managing and handling of the products. The concept of optimization of operation is what results into continuous research and development to further improve on the key areas that can improve on the business or the projects.

In mineral processing, a rock carrying a valuable mineral is believed to consist of mineral concentrate (valuable mineral), and gangues (waste). These materials are believed to be in a locked states, which will require breakage to free or liberate the minerals, thereafter, some other techniques will be engaged to concentrate the mineral in question. This whole process is referred to as mineral processing. To start with, a mineral processing engineer, comes with a design of plants or units of plants capable of getting better concentrates from a quantifiable amount of ore fed into a processing plant, to recover an amount of concentrate recoverable from the precisions of the equipment selectivity and design.

Mineral processing engineer is expected to consider the following procedure before the plant designs.

• ORE TESTING: An ore is a naturally occurring mineral containing a valuable constituent like metals, for which it is mined and worked. There is virtually no operation without considering the characteristics of the ore to be worked on. The hardness, strength, soapiness, abrasiveness, moisture, density, flow ability, friability, and crushability of the ore have to be tested before the design commences. This will additionally describe particle size distribution, and energy balance within the machine design

• PROCESSING DEFINITION: A statement of what the plant will be required to do and the framework in which it will have to accomplish it like the capacity, ore, product, feed, basic directive to the plant designer, setting of limit of operation, and targets.

• PRODUCTION OF BASIC FLOW SHEET: The flow sheet deals with the means by which the objectives are to be attained. This comes with basic explanation of the schematic diagram of the flow sheet. The correct choice of flow sheet is crucial to the technical and financial success.

• PRODUCTION OF PIPING AND INSTRUMENTS DRAWING: The design must be indicative, they should show the piping and instrument detail which is best described by the mineral processing engineers. This can also be a method of material handling process. At this stage other professional are needed to build other optional designs.

• PRODUCTION OF GENERAL ARRANGEMENT DRAWINGS AND CONCEPTUAL MODEL: At this stage a conceptual design sketch is done followed by laboratory test that includes bench, and pilot scale approach which is used to determine the effect of the design on lager scale.

• EQUIPMENT SELECTION AND SPECIFICATION: This has to be done in accordance to the test result on ore, and flow sheet design.

• COSTING AND PREPARATION OF DEFINITIVE BUDGET: This stage should be properly handled as it forms the background of the business. The choice equipment should be properly looked into to avoid unnecessary cost.

• PRODUCTION OF FINAL FLOW SHEET: This goes beyond conceptual design and analysis The final flow sheet comes with the exact operational design, capacity, and final product or desired product design.

• CONSTRUCTION: The construction stages brings in several other field engineers to be included in the construction, basically Electrical, Mechanical, and Civil Engineers.

• COMMISSIONING: The mineral processing plant design project is handed over to the company.

It should be noted that a good plant design can minimize capital expenditure and maximize long term profits, which can contribute to easy commissioning on timely manner. It should also be well designed with good capacity and high efficiency, within budget.

At Sincerity Mining we handle well the mineral plant design and consultancy of any kind in mining industry.