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ACE through network of approved service providers and laboratories deliver a broad spectrum of independent quality, weight and quantity services for the value chains associated with coal and coke, bio fuels, non-ferrous metals and minerals, steel and steelmaking raw materials, fertilizers, cement, industrial minerals, as well as geochemical and metallurgical materials.

Credit Support Risk Management Services
Range of services are provided with regards to minerals starting from offering collateral management or quality and quantity guarantees on bulk cargoes, to providing process feasibility studies, our Risk Management Services protect our clients’ investments.

Other services include the installation and operation of mechanical sampling and on-line analysis systems to the management and operation of on-site laboratories as well as on weigh bridges.

Our extensive experience is available from exploration, mining and production, through to the final product sales and bi-product recycling

Summary of Credit Support Services offered

Draft Survey Building
Draft survey is a means of determining the weight of material loaded onto or discharged from a vessel by measuring the displacement of water (Archimedes Principle). By reading the initial displacement of the vessel (prior to loading or prior to discharge commencing) and then reading a final displacement (at the completion of loading or discharge), the weight of the material loaded can be determined.

Although this sounds like a very simple process, it takes an experienced and highly qualified surveyor to produce an accurate weight. As well, during the draft readings, several other key factors have to be taken into account and measured before the weight of the cargo loaded or discharged can be determined. These include the density of the sea or river water, changes in the quantity of ballast between initial and final draft readings, and changes in the consumables on the vessel between initial and final draft readings (fuel oil, potable water, etc.). Access to the vessel draft tables is also required to allow for trim and deformation corrections.

The accuracy of a weight determined by draft survey depends upon sea conditions at the time of loading or discharge (pitch and swell) and the weight of the cargo loaded when compared to the total capacity of the vessel.

Grading
The object of this service is to sort or grade materials into different classifications or to verify that such materials have been appropriately classified. The sorting may involve sampling and testing of representative samples / portions of the material being sorted or it may involve only visual observation of the materials. The service verifies that the material is suitable and in conformance with specifications.

Typically, materials may be graded by color, shape, dimension, size consistency, and material type.

The service includes identification of the material for conformance to its description in the submitted documents.

The service includes verification of conformity with contractual specifications and / or accepted practice.

Where applicable, the service includes verification of conformity of marking with contractual specifications

Hold Inspection
The hold inspection is part of a larger service that strives to provide assurance that the goods to be shipped will be received in essentially the same condition as shipped.

Specifically, the hold inspection provides assurance that the hold is free of potential contaminants prior to the loading of a bulk cargo. Performed by visual verification immediately prior to the time of loading, the inspection minimizes opportunity for the product to differ at discharge port from the description, product specification and features requested by the buyer.

The inspector will verify the suitability of the hold for receiving the intended cargo, checking for cleanliness, dryness and ventilation, and for provision for cargo separation, etc., if applicable. Inspection is made for remnants of previous cargos, pieces of packaging or wrapping from previous transport or storage operations, and from water.

Buyers and / or vendors are offered the opportunity to order a Visual Inspection of the hold prior to loading in order for the buyers and / or vendors to obtain confidence that the goods to be loaded will not be contaminated by any material in the hold, i.e., that the hold is free of potential contaminants for the material to be loaded into the carrier for transport.

The inspector will immediately report from the job site to the appropriate office any abnormalities. A camera may be used to document the circumstances

Lab Proficiency
Today's competitive markets and increasing emphasis on quality place a heavy burden on both the providers and users of laboratory data. Management at all levels must ensure that the accuracy and precision of test data is under control.

Good laboratory practice and formal registrations or certifications require:

Establishing accuracy, precision and bias of all analytical methods
The traceability of results to well documented reference materials
The routine use of Quality Control (QC) samples to verify statistical control
Regular participation in independent proficiency testing
The documentation of Quality Assurance (QA) / QC results and corrective actions

Mechanical Weighing Sampling Services
The objective of this service is to provide assurance that the number of bags and weight of goods to be shipped or received is the same as described in shipping documents such as bill of lading, Mates receipt, letter of credit or toerh documents.

Buyers and / or sellers are offered the opportunity to order a tally or count of the goods or material at the time of loading / unloading to obtain confidence that the quantity and weight of goods loaded / unloaded are the same as the number purchased, i.e., described on the purchase order’s product description, product specification and features.

Checks may also be made on packing, marking and labelling. Product marking and packing details are checked to confirm that the goods are to be shipped in suitable packaging for the transit. The inspector will check manufacture dates, batch numbers, expiry dates (when these details are available), shipping marks, and packing lists, supplier certificates and labels.

Tally
The objective of this service is to provide assurance that the number or quantity of goods to be shipped or received is the same as described in shipping documents such as bill of lading, Mates receipt, letter of credit or toerh documents.

Buyers and / or sellers are offered the opportunity to order a tally or count of the goods or material at the time of loading / unloading to obtain confidence that the quantity of goods loaded / unloaded are the same as the number purchased, i.e., described on the purchase order’s product description, product specification and features.

Visual Inspection
The objective of this service is to provide additional trust that the goods to be shipped are the same or substantially similar to those described in the order form as being the object of a transaction.

Where available, buyers and / or vendors are offered the opportunity to order a Visual Inspection of the goods after close of the sale transaction in order for the buyers and / or vendors to obtain confidence that the goods presented for inspection are the same or substantially similar to those purchased, i.e., described on the order.

This visual inspection is performed at the time of loading / unloading and determines if the characteristics of units chosen at random (chosen accordingly to the sampling plan appropriate for the product) match those which were declared on the purchase order’s product description, product specification and features.

Product characteristics or quality parameters that cannot be visually verified, e.g., steel grade, will be confirmed when the vendor supplies documentary evidence. Unless otherwise stated, at no time will such documentary evidence imply ACE approval of documents.

The object of this service is to establish that goods are loaded into carriers in sound condition and are properly stowed for safe transport.

The service is applicable for all goods that are subject to damage or weight loss because of improper handling or stowage.

The inspector typically performs the following operations:

Inspect carriers to verify suitability for receiving the intended cargo; check cleanliness, dryness, ventilation, cargo separation, etc.
Report markings, type packing (bulk, cartons/drums, etc.) and, if practical, count; check with vessel to see if a clean Mate Receipt was granted
Report how and when goods were loaded and exact location (stowage) in receiving carrier; discuss with vessel matters of stability, angle of repose, flow moisture point, shifting boards, etc.
Report type, name and/or number of receiving carrier and where goods were located prior to loading
Immediately report from the job site to the appropriate office any abnormalities such as damage, loss of material, improper stowing, delays in loading, etc.; cameras may be used to document the circumstances
Maintain a time log which should include time and date of loading, loading delays and reason for delays, description of loading gear/apparatus, weather conditions, rainfall, dust suppression, wind-waste, remainder on wharf, etc.
If goods were inspected previously, verify that ACE markings are affixed and include these markings in the report (bagged/packed goods)
Report arrival and departure dates of carrier

Stockpile Inventory Energy Minerals
In the increasingly competitive, deregulated electric-generation environment, it is of prime importance to have standard, reliable measurements of unit and system efficiency. Without timely affirmation that all monitoring systems are operating within acceptable, established parameters, further effort to determine actual unit efficiency is wasted.

At coal storage, blending and trans-loading sites, it is often necessary to determine tons in storage for technical or accounting purposes.

ACE provides the resources required to determine the quantity and quality of solid fuel (coal, petroleum coke, etc.) in storage.

Density Determination
Storage pile density is required to compute pile tonnage. ACE offers density determination via nuclear backscatter or direct measurement methods.

Volume Computation
Volume can be computed from either aerial photography (photogrammetric methods) or from data collected at the pile surface. Regardless of the data capture method used, the digital information is used to create a model of the pile. Pile volume is then computed using the same data that will subsequently be used to provide a topographic map of the coal storage area.

Tonnage Calculation
Tonnage is calculated by combining the storage pile density result with the volume result. The first of two methods commonly employed involves the combination of average pile density with total pile volume. The second tonnage calculation method sums the tonnage results from individual "isopachs" (slices of volume found within specific elevation) within the storage pile to arrive at the total pile tonnage.

Reconciliation of Inventory Results
When the physical inventory result is accepted as accurate, an adjustment will be made. To avoid repeated inventory adjustments, a complete review of all the systems used to measure fuel receipt and consumption can be initiated (at coal-fired electric generating plants). This audit will necessarily include all weighing systems; if Kcal, KJ, or mmBtu accounting is practiced, the systems and protocols used to determine the quality of fuel receipts and consumption should be included as well.

Weight Determination
Value is a function of weight, quality and price. The first step in establishing the value of a parcel that is being bought or sold, is always to determine the weight. The weight must be determined in a manner which is seen to be fair to both sides involved in the transaction, and wherever possible, the weight should be traceable to a known calibration and check weights.

How the weight is determined can depend on the requirements of the clients and / or the facilities that exist to determine weight at the designated weighing location. Means of determining weight include static weighbridges, dynamic weighbridges, belt scales, hopper scales and draft survey. Through local knowledge and past experience, ACE staff can advise clients of the best system to be used at a given location.

Once on site to determine a weight, our staff is trained to look for proper performance of the weighing system and to check this performance against known weights and recent calibration data. Detailed field records are kept of all the data that is used to determine the final declared weight and these are made available to clients upon their request.

For instances where weight is to be determined by draft survey, only trained and approved ACE draft surveyors or approved sub-contracted mariners are used, and they all work to the approved ACE Standard Procedure for the determination of weight by draft survey.

Services detailed above are provided under Minerals for

Building Materials
Fertilizers & Chemicals
Geochemistry Materials
Industrial Minerals
Steel Making Materials
Steel Products