Case Study: Lonmin achieves improved recovery and increased smelter throughput with GE Digital's Predix OPM

Lonmin Improves Recovery and Increases Smelter Throughput with Predix OPM

Lonmin, the world’s third-largest producer of platinum group metals, faced smelter bottlenecks and needed to maximize efficiency and unlock hidden capacity. The company partnered with GE Digital and initially deployed Predix Operations Performance Management (Predix OPM) in the smelter’s filter and drying section as part of a broader digital transformation.

GE Digital expanded Predix OPM across the smelter (slag plant, gas cleaning and control-system monitoring), enabling operators to run processes optimally and delivering measurable gains: >10% throughput increase in filter/drying, 25% reduction in feed variation to the slag mill, 45% reduction in cyclone feed-pressure variation, 1.5% higher recovery in the slag plant, stabilized absorber pH, and improved PID performance. Predix OPM is now integral to Lonmin’s smelter operations, and GE Digital will extend the Predix Platform for uptime improvements and predictive monitoring of fans and blowers.

Lonmin

Percy French

Automation Manager