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Using lean six sigma to evaluate the efficiency of gold processing plants
Fernandes, N. 2025. Using Lean Six Sigma to evaluate the efficiency of gold processing plants. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/512a32ed-d8f9-43d4-b1fe-e9c0315acbeb
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613878859333632 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Fernandes, Nicholas |
| author2 | Gous, Andries |
| author_browse | Fernandes, Nicholas Gous, Andries |
| author_facet | Gous, Andries Fernandes, Nicholas |
| author_sort | Fernandes, Nicholas |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Fernandes, N. 2025. Using Lean Six Sigma to evaluate the efficiency of
gold processing plants. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/512a32ed-d8f9-43d4-b1fe-e9c0315acbeb |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132348 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:09.148Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132348 Using lean six sigma to evaluate the efficiency of gold processing plants Fernandes, Nicholas Gous, Andries Van Laar, Jean Schutte, Corne Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Industrial Engineering. Lean manufacturing -- South Africa Gross domestic product -- South Africa Gold mining and processing -- South Africa Manufacturing processes UCTD Fernandes, N. 2025. Using Lean Six Sigma to evaluate the efficiency of gold processing plants. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/512a32ed-d8f9-43d4-b1fe-e9c0315acbeb Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Africa is home to the majority of the gold reserves globally, with South Africa being a major contributor. Furthermore, the mining sector, of which gold mining is the largest sub-sector, is the third highest contributor to the South African gross domestic product (GDP). It is thus critical for the growth of the South African economy. The depletion of high-grade gold deposits poses various risks for the South African economy. Therefore, it is important to keep gold mining and processing as profitable as possible to counter the declining ore grades. To determine the impact of gold processing plants’ inefficiencies, a hierarchical framework was developed. This framework was used to demonstrate the inefficiencies of gold processing plants and highlighted the potential savings that could be obtained from lower operational costs. The hierarchical framework consists of the sections within a gold processing plant that have the most room for improvement based on their current performance. By arranging these sections from the highest to lowest potential efficiency improvements, the hierarchical framework can be used to highlight which sections need to be prioritised. This investigation entails the use of Lean Six Sigma to construct a benchmarking model to be used to compare different gold processing plants. Within the sections investigated, the focus was on the following factors, namely, the energy consumption of the comminution circuits, the reagent consumptions, and the composition of the ore being treated. These factors were investigated over six different gold processing plants for a period of three years. The results obtained for each gold processing plant was first compared to itself over the three-year period, whereafter the six different gold processing plants were compared against one another. This was done to determine the most efficient processing point for each factor based on the best performing gold processing plant. The most efficient processing plant was subsequently used as a benchmark for the less efficient gold processing plants. The results indicate that improvements in efficiency could yield savings estimated between R17 million and R91 million. To ensure the continuous efficient operation of these gold processing plants, a control system was suggested to monitor the different sections within gold processing plants on a daily basis to ensure that the operations stay as efficient as possible. Furthermore, efficiencies of the more efficient gold processing plants can also be improved by comparing the current operational methods to alternative methods discussed in the literature study. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Afrika huisves die meerderheid van die goudreserwes wêreldwyd, met Suid-Afrika wat een van die grootste bydraers is. Verder is die mynbousektor, waarvan goudmynbou die grootste subafdeling is, een van die grootste bydraers tot die Suid-Afrikaanse bruto binnelandse produk (BBP). Dit is dus van kritieke belang vir die groei van die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie. Die agteruitgang van goudertsneerslae hou verskeie risiko’s vir die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie in. Dus is dit belangrik om goudontginning en -verwerking so winsgewend as moontlik te hou om die dalende ertsgrade teë te werk. Om die impak van ondoeltreffendhede in goudverwerkingsaanlegte te bepaal, is ‘n hiërargiese raamwerk ontwikkel. Hierdie raamwerk is gebruik om die ondoeltreffendheid van goudverwerkingsaanlegte te bepaal en om die potensiële besparings uit te lig wat sou spruit deur die bedryfskostes te verlaag. Hierdie hiërargiese raamwerk bestaan uit die afdelings binne 'n goudverwerkingsaanleg wat die meeste ruimte vir verbetering toon op grond van hul huidige prestasies. Deur hierdie afdelings te rangskik vanaf die hoogste tot die laagste potensiële doeltreffendheids-verbeterings, kan die hiërargiese raamwerk gebruik word om uit te lig watter afdelings geprioritiseer moet word. Die ondersoek behels die gebruik van “Lean Six Sigma” om ‘n maatstafmodel te skep wat gebruik kan word om verskillende goudverwerkingsaanlegte te vergelyk. Faktore soos die energieverbruik van die verkleiningssiklus, die reagensverbruik en die samestelling van die erts wat behandel word is van die fokuspunte binne die afdelings wat ondersoek is. Hierdie faktore is oor ses verskillende goudverwerkingsaanlegte vir ‘n tydperk van drie jaar geanaliseer. Die resultate wat vir elke goudverwerkingsaanleg verkry is, was eers oor die driejaartydperk met die aanleg self vergelyk; daarna is die ses verskillende goudverwerkingsaanlegte met mekaar vergelyk. Dit was gedoen om die mees doeltreffende verwerkingspunt vir elke faktor te bepaal, gebaseer op die goudverwerkingsaanleg wat die beste presteer. Die mees doeltreffende goudverwerkingsaanleg is toe gebruik as ‘n basislyn vir die minder doeltreffende goudverwerkingsaanlegte. Die resultate dui dat verbeterings in doeltreffendheid beraamde besparings van tussen R17 miljoen en R91 miljoen verkry kan word. Om die deurlopende doeltreffende werking van hierdie goudverwerkingsaanlegte te verseker is ‘n beheerstelsel voorgestel om die verskillende afdelings binne goudverwerkingsaanlegte op ‘n daaglikse basis te monitor. Dit is gedoen om te verseker dat die bedrywighede so doeltreffend as moontlik bly. Verder kan doeltreffendheid van die meer doeltreffende goudverwerkingsaanlegte ook verbeter word deur die huidige bedryfsmetodes te vergelyk met alternatiewe metodes wat in die literatuurstudie bespreek is. Masters 2025-06-04T12:16:09Z 2025-06-04T12:16:09Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132348 Stellenbosch University xv, 128 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Lean manufacturing -- South Africa Gross domestic product -- South Africa Gold mining and processing -- South Africa Manufacturing processes UCTD Fernandes, Nicholas Using lean six sigma to evaluate the efficiency of gold processing plants |
| title | Using lean six sigma to evaluate the efficiency of gold processing plants |
| title_full | Using lean six sigma to evaluate the efficiency of gold processing plants |
| title_fullStr | Using lean six sigma to evaluate the efficiency of gold processing plants |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using lean six sigma to evaluate the efficiency of gold processing plants |
| title_short | Using lean six sigma to evaluate the efficiency of gold processing plants |
| title_sort | using lean six sigma to evaluate the efficiency of gold processing plants |
| topic | Lean manufacturing -- South Africa Gross domestic product -- South Africa Gold mining and processing -- South Africa Manufacturing processes UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132348 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT fernandesnicholas usingleansixsigmatoevaluatetheefficiencyofgoldprocessingplants |