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Mining

Mining autoclave and tailings surveillance

2026-08-12 · Pressure-oxidation autoclaves, leach tanks, mills & tailings facilities (MSHA / GISTM)

Measured outcomeAutoclave and slurry-circuit wear trends updated on sync from remote pits, with GISTM surveillance records ready for the Engineer of Record.

A mining and mineral-processing complex operating far from urban connectivity ran high-wear slurry piping, leach tanks, grinding mills, pressure-oxidation autoclaves, and tailings storage facilities across tens of square miles.

Field crews worked in autoclave bays and on tailings embankments with no cellular or Wi-Fi signal, recording ultrasonic wear readings and geotechnical checks on paper clipboards that took days to reach the reliability office.

Current state before intelliSPEC

  • Severe erosion-corrosion surprises: High-velocity slurry lines and autoclave brick/shell zones wore faster than spreadsheet averages predicted, causing unscheduled lineouts between planned shutdowns.
  • Paper-bound remote rounds: Tailings dam visual walks, piezometer checks, and MSHA 30 CFR structural inspections were transcribed at the end of the week, losing photo location context.
  • Fragmented shutdown execution: Short mill and autoclave reline stops relied on whiteboard schedules that did not link findings back to the asset register.

Configured path

The operation rolled out intelliVISION, intelliEDGE, intelliINSPECT, intelliNDT, intelliINTEGRITY, intelliPROJECTS, and intelliCOMPLY.

  1. 30-day offline checkout: Inspectors checked out remote plant and tailings sectors on tablets, capturing photos, GPS-tagged observations, and Bluetooth UT readings with zero signal.
  2. Abrasive-service wear math: and tracked localized slurry erosion rates per spool and autoclave zone, projecting remaining life against the next scheduled mill stop.
  3. GISTM governance trail: Tailings surveillance walks, corrective actions, and Engineer of Record review sign-offs were held per facility in .

Measured outcome

  • Spool replacements staged before failure: High-wear slurry spools and elbows are fabricated and staged in before wall thickness reaches minimum allowable limits.
  • Defensible GISTM and MSHA records: Accountable Executives and regulators review timestamped, signed field evidence from one system.
  • Zero transcription lag: Remote field rounds land on the central asset record the moment crews return to the truck or office Wi-Fi.