Industrial Mathematics at Deswik: What Makes a Good Optimisation Problem in Heavy Industry?

Speaker: Rob Lucas
Affiliation: Deswick

Abstract

In many heavy industries, small percentage improvements in planning or performance can result in cost reductions (and thus margin increases) on the order of tens to hundreds of millions of dollars. Mathematical optimisation through linear or mixed-integer programming is a powerful method of enhancing these processes, but problems must meet a specific set of criteria to allow valid optimisation models to be built. Even in cases where the possible decisions, objectives and constraints align with the application of mathematical optimisation techniques, careful model design is still required to ensure that optimal plans can be executed from a practical standpoint while maintaining as much of the value found through the optimisation process as possible. In this seminar, Rob will draw on several case studies from the energy, logistics and mining industries to discuss what makes a good mathematical optimisation problem and the challenges in turning optimal plans into reality.

About Deswik:

Deswik is a global mining technology leader that delivers efficiency-focused solutions and industrial mathematics to all sectors of the mining industry. Our team of experienced mining professionals, software developers and mathematicians work side-by-side to provide tailored solutions that deliver measurable value for our customers across the mine planning value chain.

Biography:

Rob Lucas is an Industrial Mathematics Consultant at Deswik. After starting his career in strategic public transport planning, Rob joined Polymathian (since acquired by Deswik) where he has worked with companies in the energy, logistics and mining industries to configure and deploy mathematical optimisation models. He is currently working on the APEX strategic mine planning product, which helps complex mining operations achieve optimal outcomes during their life-of-asset planning processes.