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A zinc mine in north-west Queensland has completed a full year of operation using an AI-powered system that has lifted recovery rates and paid back its investment in under three months.
MMG Dugald River commissioned the system – developed in partnership with global engineering and professional services firm Hatch – to automatically fine-tune its flotation process in real time using digital twin technology.
The system combines process models, machine learning and advanced process control to adjust plant operations based on incoming feed, working as a continuous optimisation layer on top of what was already a well-performing operation.
How the system works
Hatch’s AI-Assisted Process Control (AIPC) platform creates a digital twin of the flotation process at the mine site. Rather than relying on manual adjustments, the system autonomously calibrates plant settings to extract more zinc from each tonne of ore processed.
The technology represents a new approach in minerals processing, where AI-driven plant control at this level of autonomy has rarely been deployed.
Analysis of the first 12 months of operation shows the investment was repaid in less than three months after commissioning.
Building on existing performance
Dugald River General Manager Tim Akroyd described the adoption of digital twin technology as a logical progression for a team that had already delivered consistent improvements through conventional methods.
“We’ve been running a successful zinc processing operation with clearly defined goals to deliver continuous improvement, and our team has delivered strong outcomes over many years,” Dr Akroyd commented.
“As an operation, we are focused on identifying and implementing the right technology that can continue to drive safety and performance improvements. This is effectively like an always-on assistant that continuously adjusts how the plant runs to get the most zinc out of every tonne of ore processed.”
Consistency gains on site
Senior Metallurgist Alec Malcolm, who led the onsite implementation, pointed to the consistency the system has brought to the plant’s operations.
“The results have been positive, exceeding our previous performance benchmarks. I’m also encouraged by the flexibility of the system and how it can be tailored to different process goals,” Malcolm explained.
Industry-wide implications
Warwick Smith, Global Practice Lead for Digital Twins at Hatch, indicated that the project’s success is generating interest from other mining operations looking to adopt similar technology.
“Their successful adoption is giving confidence to others who want to explore how technology step-changes can enhance their operations,” Mr Smith observed.
“MMG has the right team on the ground who trusted the process and understood the long-term view of the company. We invested considerable time to explain how the technology would support their decision-making processes in real time and partnered closely with them to help them take the leap.”
Smith added that the staged approach to implementation was central to managing risk throughout the project.
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“By applying an incremental and metallurgically focused approach to the application of digital twin technology in a complex process, from initial feasibility through to staged implementation, the site team were able to closely advise the development process and de-risk the overall implementation,” he outlined.
“Through steady confidence building with site metallurgical and operational teams over time, Dugald River have achieved a level of autonomous, AI-driven plant control rarely seen in minerals processing.”
A phased rollout
The project followed a structured path from feasibility assessment through to full deployment, with site-based metallurgical and operational staff involved at each stage. That collaborative model allowed the team to build trust in the technology incrementally rather than deploying it in a single step.
MMG Dugald River is a zinc mining operation located in north-west Queensland. Hatch is a global engineering and professional services firm that works across the mining, energy and infrastructure sectors.
Last Updated on July 21, 2026 by Nick Ross
