Blending methodologies in talc operations

Abstract

The problem posed by Western Mining Corporation involves finding a way of improving or optimising the utilisation of batches of lower grade talc when making up orders for products of different grades. During the MISG a number of Linear Programming models were developed. These models addressed the problems of blending batches of talc for a single order and of blending to meet a series of orders for different products over a specified planning horizon. Preliminary versions of the models were tested using data supplied by Western Mining Corporation.