Define the reference condition and period
SAG mill performance should be read against a defined reference condition: feed, throughput, product, availability, power, and operating events for the same period. The business question determines which signals receive priority.
Separate ore, equipment, and operating variables
Grouping variables avoids explaining every performance loss with a single cause. Ore and feed, mechanical condition, control strategy, and upstream or downstream constraints should be reviewed on a common timeline.
- Dated changes and events
- Missing or non-comparable data
Review charge, media, grates, lifters, and wear
Charge, media, and internal components interact with material trajectory and transport. Inspections, measurements, and photographs should be linked to dates and operating conditions before they can support a hypothesis.
A single visual observation can guide the investigation, but it does not confirm material, mechanism, or root cause by itself.
Escalate to simulation or analytics when appropriate
When several variables change together or the effect cannot be isolated with simple trends, analytics or scenario evaluation can organize the hypotheses. The model should disclose its inputs, assumptions, and limits before it informs a decision.