PlanMax¶
Geometallurgical Blending Software for Maximum Mine-to-Mill Efficiency.
PlanMax creates constraint-aware blend and reclaim plans that align mine supply with plant needs, so planners and metallurgists can deliver stable, high-value feed.
What it does¶
- Produces executable blend and reclaim plans that reduce variability in grade, hardness, and mineralogy.
- Balances value and stability by planning within mine, ROM pad, and plant constraints.
What's broken today¶
Loss of detail on the ROM pad and in long-term stockpiles makes it impossible to create granular plans that can reduce hour-to-hour variability.
The disconnect between geology and metallurgy prevents planners from simulating realistic plant outcomes and optimizing them.
There is a lack of tools for dump-reclaim planning that consider mine, ROM pad, and plant constraints together.
How PlanMax works¶
Inputs. Required data sources:
- Inventory models (can be generated by OreMax and DynaMax)
- Short-term mine plan
- Constraints and targets
Optional data sources (nice to have):
- Lab and mineralogy updates and geomet models
- Operational constraints: equipment availability, reclaim rates, haulage limits
- Plant model response curves (hardness vs throughput, mineralogy vs recovery)
Outputs. What users receive:
- Blend and reclaim plans that meet targets while respecting constraints
- Scenario comparisons ("best value", "most stable", "lowest penalty risk") with clear trade-offs
- A ranked set of recommended pathways for feed over the next shift, day, or week, site-dependent
PlanMax updates on demand and at a daily or shift cadence, and re-runs whenever new forecasts or constraints change.
Deployment workflow¶
- Select the planning horizon (shift, day, week) and define the processing objective (value, stability, or balanced).
- Pull current material intelligence (stockpile composition and forecast reclaim outcomes).
- Set constraints and targets (mine, ROM pad, plant, penalties, throughput).
- Generate candidate blends and reclaim sequences that are feasible under constraints.
- Compare scenarios using clear trade-offs (value vs stability vs risk).
- Publish the plan as an executable blend or reclaim instruction set with assumptions visible.
- Update as conditions change (new survey, assay, equipment constraint, or forecast shift).
Top KPIs impacted¶
| KPI | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Feed stability | Fewer excursions in grade, hardness, and mineralogy |
| Throughput stability | Reduced performance volatility and fewer corrective interventions |
| Recovery stability and improvement | Improved consistency from better-aligned blends |
| Penalty and specification risk | Reduced exposure to out-of-spec feed and penalties |
| Planner efficiency | Faster scenario generation and fewer manual re-plans |
Case story¶
When ore characteristics shift, teams often re-plan manually and still miss constraints. PlanMax evaluates multiple blend and reclaim options quickly, shows trade-offs clearly, and outputs a feasible plan aligned to plant limits, reducing unplanned excursions and improving consistency.
Primary users¶
Short-term Planners, Metallurgists, Technical Service Manager, Mine Manager, Processing Manager.