Calculators / Mill & concentrator capital cost estimator
Free screening calculator — published models
Mill & concentrator capital cost estimator
Enter the mill feed rate and get an order-of-magnitude capital for a conventional concentrator — crushing, grinding, flotation or leach circuit, thickening — from O'Hara's published capacity relation (CIM Bulletin, 1980), the classic six-tenths scaling of process plants.
How this estimate is computed
Published power-law screening model, evaluated at your capacity:
Capital = 110,000,000 $ × (A / 10,000)0.6
with A = mill feed rate in t/d feed, valid 1000–100000
- Model form & exponent: O'Hara, T.A. (1980), Quick Guides to the Evaluation of Orebodies, CIM Bulletin; Mular (CIM) equipment correlations.
- Anchor value: Costonomics assumption pending recalibration on publicly filed
studies (NI 43-101 / JORC) — flagged, never silent.
- Scope: full initial capital of the facility. Basis: 2026 USD, generic developed-market conditions, direct facility capital — owner's costs, EPCM and location factors excluded (project-level adjustments).
- Accuracy: AACE Class 5 screening (−35 % / +65 %), contingency
40% per AACE RP 18R-97 guidance.
- Cost basis: open cost book
mining-open-screening v1.0.0
(2026 USD).
Screening is level 1. Negotiation needs level 2.
This free tool runs on published, citable models — order-of-magnitude by design (AACE Class 5).
The Costonomics engine adds market-calibrated cost books, OPEX & TCO, and full AACE traceability.
Explore the costing engine