Mining & Metals

Mining and metals operations generate a huge amount of process data, but performance only improves when that data leads to better day‑to‑day decisions. Digital mining and process optimization are about reducing variability, stabilizing critical processes, and helping operators respond to changing ore characteristics and operating conditions.
Spartan Controls supports digital mining initiatives by integrating process control systems, advanced process control, and analytics across the operation. These solutions help improve consistency in grinding, flotation, thickening, and material handling, while supporting operators during process upsets rather than adding unnecessary complexity. The focus is practical optimization that improves recovery, throughput, and energy efficiency in real operating environments.

Flow control in mining can be unforgiving. Abrasive slurries, high solids content, corrosion, and extreme wear conditions place constant stress on valves and actuators. Innovation in severe‑service flow control is measured by reliability, service life, and maintainability not theoretical performance.
Spartan applies application specific valve technologies designed for mining and minerals processing. By selecting the right valve design, materials, and actuation for each service, Spartan helps operations reduce unplanned downtime, protect downstream equipment, and extend maintenance intervals. These solutions are focused on critical applications such as slurry isolation, thickener underflow, cyclone feed, and high‑consequence control points.

In mining operations, rotating equipment such as pumps, motors, and fans, often dictates plant availability. Failures driven by vibration, misalignment, bearing wear, or imbalance can escalate quickly, leading to unplanned downtime, collateral damage, and safety risk.

Spartan Controls supports reliability‑centered automation by helping operations monitor and understand the health of critical rotating equipment. Through vibration monitoring, condition‑based measurement, and integration with automation systems, operators gain early insight into developing mechanical issues before they result in failure. This approach allows maintenance teams to move away from reactive repairs and toward planned, condition‑based maintenance.
By tying vibration and equipment health data into the control and monitoring layer, Spartan helps mining operators improve reliability, extend equipment life, and reduce the operational impact of rotating equipment failures, particularly in slurry pumping, water handling, and energy‑intensive processes where uptime is critical.

At Spartan Controls, innovation comes from time spent in operating plants, not from theory. For decades, Spartan teams have worked alongside mining operations, gaining first‑hand experience with the realities of mineral processing, variable ore bodies, and continuous production demands.
That experience is built into SpartanPRO™ Mining Industry Solutions. These are application‑ready process control and optimization solutions developed through years of collaboration with operating mills. Each solution targets areas where performance has a direct impact on recovery, throughput, energy use, and process stability—such as grinding circuits, flotation, thickening, and material handling.
SpartanPRO™ solutions are designed for real mining environments. They are implemented using proven mining process control strategies and are supported by a solid control foundation, reliable instrumentation, and practical operator interfaces. The focus is on delivering results that can be sustained over time, not short‑term gains that fade once the project is complete.
By combining mining automation expertise, advanced process control, and field‑tested solutions, Spartan helps mining operators apply innovation in a way that is practical, maintainable, and aligned with long‑term operational goals.

Mining companies are at various stages of digitalization, often facing challenges in generating timely, actionable data from diverse, siloed sources. Department heads need an integrated solution to make informed decisions across plant, machinery, and software, regardless of data formats.

AspenTech’s integration layer enables mining companies to implement best-of-breed technology with minimal complexity, facilitating automated or semi-automated data and process workflows as operations scale.

Clarkson knife gate valves are well-suited for the mining industry due to their robust design and reliable performance in handling slurry and abrasive materials. These valves utilize advanced elastomeric sleeve technology, ensuring a tight shutoff and preventing leakage under demanding conditions. Clarkson valves support bi-directional flow and provide unobstructed passage, which helps eliminate turbulence and pressure drops, making them efficient for slurry isolation.

The Fisher V150SD control valve, designed for severe service applications like thickener underflow in mining, extends service life by combining Spartan Controls' valve health monitoring services with durable materials. This solution helps prevent unrepairable damage by advising timely replacement of wear parts.

Spartan Controls' SpartanPRO™ Industry Solutions for mining offer advanced process control (APC) applications designed to tackle the toughest challenges in the industry. With over 20 years of expertise, these solutions focus on improving safety, production, recovery, efficiency, and reducing environmental emissions. Pre-engineered for quick deployment, SpartanPRO™ solutions ensure sustainable performance through thorough instrumentation reviews, expert design, and ongoing support. Benefits include up to 10% reduced operational costs, 10% increased throughput capacity, 5% improved energy efficiency, and up to 90% reduction in process trips

Mining operations often need to give corporate teams access to process and operational data; but doing so without exposing critical OT systems to IT-based cyber threats is a challenge. Working with site operations, Spartan Controls redesigned the network architecture with secure segmentation and controlled access, delivering a solution that reduces risk while maintaining visibility and usability.
Challenge | Solution | Value