A conceptual design of an industrial production plant for activated carbon was developed to process 31.25 tons/day of industrial waste nutshells as the raw material and produce 6.6 ton/day of activated carbon using steam as an activation agent. The design considered the cost of the main equipment, the purchase price of the nutshells, basic services, and operation. A sensitivity analysis was developed, considering the price of the finished product and the volume of raw material processing varied up to ±25%. Furthermore, the total annual cost of the product was determined based on the production of 2100 tons/year of activated carbon. Two cash flows were developed and projected to periods of 10 years and 15 years of production, using a tax rate of 27%, a low discount rate (LDR) of 10% per year, and without external financing. For a 10-year production project, the net present value (NPV) was USD 2,785,624, the internal return rate (IRR) 21%, the return on investment (ROI) 25%, and the discounted payback period (DPP) after the fifth year. Considering a project with 15 years of production, the NPV was USD 4,519,482, the IRR at 23%, the ROI 24%, and the DPP after the fifth year of production.

As the mining sector undergoes rapid transformation, Industry 4.0 principles — such as data digitalization, process automation, and Big Data Analytics — are crucial for developing intelligent mineral processing plants. These principles advance processes towards an interconnected sequence of steps, each relying on high-quality data. Within this framework, low-uncertainty flowmeter data is vital for accurate metallurgical mass balance determination, efficient process control, and the correct application of advanced analytical tools. However, harsh mining conditions can cause significant deviations in flowmeter readings, necessitating robust data validation methods. This paper introduces the novel application of the radiotracer methodology, which provides certified uncertainties around 1%, to optimize flowmeter data accuracy and align with Mining 4.0 requirements. Three industrial validation examples are presented: Flow meter adjustment in leaching processes, evaluating a NaHS loop piping circuit in a molybdenum flotation plant and validating flow meters to assess the hydraulic behavior of recirculation pumping stations for water balance quantification. On-site validations at the leaching plant revealed that only 36% of the measurements were within the acceptable 5% error margin. Flow assurance was confirmed in the NaHS loop piping circuit as radiotracer velocity data showed no blockages. Deviations in the recirculation pumping stations, ranging from 6.91% to 22.55%, highlighted the need for flowmeter adjustments. These findings underscore the value of radiotracers as a validation method. This paper also provides insights for water and environmental impact assessment, metallurgical mass balance calculations, and process optimization, emphasizing the need to integrate radiotracer methodology within the Mining 4.0 framework.

This publication presents the application of radiotracers in the characterization of industrial flotation circuits. Two examples are showcased: the detection of feed flow rate imbalances and the characterization of particle size segregation in automatic mineral-cutting machines. The feed pulp...