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Minitab’s simulation and process mapping software enables operations to see outcomes before changes are carried out on sites.
Adding more equipment to a mine does not automatically guarantee more ore production.
While it may seem straightforward on paper, many factors influence whether a new investment is deemed effective.
Unexpected breakdowns, equipment efficiency and changing cycle times all pose threats to desired productivity and can often lead to higher operating costs without moving any additional ore.
That’s why Minitab believes it’s important to understand the impact of scenarios like these before making a new investment or a change in processes.
Through its Simul8 process simulation software, the statistical analysis software provider can help mining operations test the viability of proposed changes in a virtual environment before committing any capital.
Simul8 recreates the movement of ore, activity and resources through an operation while accounting for the variability that can affect real-world performance.
This allows teams to test different scenarios, such as experimenting whether additional haul trucks would increase tonnes moved per shift or adversely create longer queues at the crusher.
Stockpile and ore-routing rules can also be tested against changing ore routes, stockpile capacity limitations and plant feed requirements, while virtual models of increased processing capacity can determine whether a larger crusher, mills or processing line would increase overall output or whether production may be constrained elsewhere in the process.
In addition, the software can help mining operations prepare for disruptions by testing the potential impacts of severe weather, maintenance shutdowns, labour shortages or delayed material arrivals, so contingency plans can be created without interfering with live operations.
By modelling these scenarios before they occur, Simul8 replaces guesswork with backed-up evidence – helping choose the best path forward.
It all starts with building a virtual model of how an operation works, before using it as a foundation for ongoing decision-making.
Simul8 can also be connected to live operational data to help keep simulations up to date as conditions change, rather than acting as a one-time project.
Once an operational change has been decided on, Minitab can help mining operations implement the new process from planning to execution with its Minitab Workspace tool. Minitab Workspace includes nearly 100 visual tools to help teams map processes, identify opportunities and solve problems along the way. These include process maps, fishbone diagrams, Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEAs), value-stream maps, Five Whys, Monte Carlo simulation, forms and project roadmaps.
One of the key elements of the Minitab Workspace is process mapping, which provides a blueprint of steps, activity, decisions and everything that needs to be considered in the lead-up to the change.
Importing Minitab Workspace process maps directly into Simul8 can help identify potential delays, bottlenecks and inefficiencies while removing unnecessary steps that could add cost without adding value.
According to Minitab, seeing the entire process visually makes it easier to identify and target improvements, as shown by miners who have used process mapping to reveal wait times between haulage and crushing, blending steps and misaligned stockpile management.
This was demonstrated by a large open pit metals mine in Mexico, which was facing high haulage costs with low truck utilisation. It previously measured performance through the number of tonnes hauled by each truck in a shift, but after conducting a deeper analysis, it found the fleet was contributing far more by maintaining a consistent stockpile and reducing the impact of crusher downtime. By shifting its focus from a single metric to a broader view of process performance, the mine decided to expand its fleet, which reduced unplanned downtime and improved throughput, according to Minitab.
In another example, a processing plant was consistently producing ore above required grade specifications, without a positive uplift. To determine the cause of this issue, the processing plant undertook a root cause analysis using Minitab Solution Centre and Minitab Statistical Software, which revealed overly conservative grade targets, inconsistent ore blending and unreliable sampling and measurement practices. After conducting a measurement systems analysis, setting accurate targets and standardising the blend process, the plant improved grade recovery.
By using Minitab Statistical Software, Minitab Workspace and Minitab Simul8 together, Minitab’s customers were able to understand the challenge before implementing the change.
For mining operations with similar challenges hidden within their data and processes, Minitab said all they needed were the right tools.
This feature appeared in the November 2026 edition of Australian Mining.