Enhancing Material Tracking in Copper Operations with Real-Time Elemental Analysis
Copper Ore | Open Pit Mine | Material Tracking
How a leading copper producer harnessed real-time analysis to reduce the gap between ore source and process outcome
BACKGROUND
Material tracking, or ore provenance, is becoming a critical success factor in modern mining. With rising demand for resource accountability, tighter process controls, and increasingly variable ore bodies, mines must trace and manage their material flows with greater precision. Yet many sites still depend on static sampling or historical data, leading to blending errors, misclassification, and lost value. Real-time elemental analysis offers a way to illuminate the journey of ore from pit to processing—enabling smarter decisions, better reconciliation, and ultimately stronger commercial outcomes.
THE CHALLENGE
At a large copper operation in South America, inconsistent ore classification and poor visibility of material flows were eroding profitability. Without real-time data, high-grade ore was occasionally sent to low-grade stockpiles or even waste. Feed variability into the concentrator was causing challenges with flotation performance, and planners lacked confidence in how ore was moving through the system. The mine needed a solution that could deliver continuous, in-stream insights into ore composition across key points in the value chain.
With continuous tracking across every handover point, we finally have clarity on where value is gained or lost — it’s transformed how we manage our operation.
THE SOLUTION
The operation deployed RTI’s AllScan elemental analysers at two strategic locations: the ROM pad and the conveyor to the processing plant. The analyser at the ROM pad provided real-time data on elemental content—particularly copper, iron, and silicon—as trucks delivered loads, improving ore classification and reducing dilution. A second AllScan unit was installed on the conveyor feeding the concentrator, giving metallurgists live data on feed chemistry to fine-tune reagent dosing and optimise flotation recovery. Both systems were integrated into the mine’s grade control and dispatch platforms, providing shared access to high-frequency data across operations, metallurgy, and planning.
IMPLEMENTATION & DISCOVERY
RTI’s technical team worked closely with site engineers to configure the analyser settings, calibrate based on orebody variability, and link AllScan data outputs with the mine’s existing software systems. During the early commissioning phase, daily reporting revealed misalignment between expected and actual feed grades—exposing previously hidden inefficiencies. This led to rapid changes in stockpile design and haul routes. RTI’s field specialists provided on-site training and remote support to help teams interpret and act on the new stream of data, accelerating adoption across departments.
THE RESULTS
Real-time ore data led to several measurable improvements across the site:
Reduced misclassification: 8% drop in high-grade ore mistakenly diverted to waste
Improved blending accuracy: 12% reduction in feed variability to the concentrator
Uplift in recovery: 1.7% increase in flotation recovery attributed to improved feed control
Faster decision-making: Operational teams gained access to live ore data for dynamic planning
Stronger accountability: Ore provenance data supported better reconciliation and ESG reporting
By implementing RTI’s sensor solution, operators gained access to live ore data for dynamic planning
INDUSTRY IMPLICATIONS & FUTURE APPLICATIONS
The success of AllScan at this copper site has revealed just how valuable real-time ore visibility can be—not only for day-to-day optimisation but for long-term strategic transformation. By shifting from static sampling to continuous elemental analysis, the operation has laid the foundation for a fully transparent, digitally integrated value chain. This kind of real-time provenance unlocks powerful applications across planning, processing, sustainability, and reporting—redefining how mines understand and manage their material flows.
Full pit-to-port traceability using AllScan data integrated with fleet and stockpile management systems
Digital twin simulations that model ore flows using real-time data for predictive control
Support for responsible sourcing initiatives with verified compositional records
Broader industry shift toward continuous, sensor-based grade management over periodic sampling
Competitive differentiation for operators embracing real-time material tracking as a standard practice
CONCLUSION
RTI’s AllScan elemental analysers have empowered this copper operation to close the gap between ore source and process outcome. By turning material tracking into a real-time data stream, the mine has enhanced recovery, reduced misclassification, and built a more accountable operation from the ground up.
