Autogenous Grinding at Rana Mines (4a8236df-3cff-48f1-8bfc-ec7b310e8347)

The lean, but extensive iron ore deposits of the Dunderland Valley north of Mo i Rana, Norway, are the raw material base for Rana Mines, a division of the state-owned A/S Norsk Jernverk steel mill. The iron bearing minerals are magnetite and specular hematite. The magnetite/hematite ratio varies considerably both within each deposit and from one deposit to another. The ore bodies that lend themselves to mining have generally a thickness of 30-60 m grading 30-35% Fe and 0.15-0.25% P. The grain size varies from 0.05 to 2.5 mm. The fine grained ores are hard while the coarse grained ores are soft and easy to grind. The A/S Norsk Jernverk steel mill operates both a sinter and a pellet plant, and this necessitates production of two types of concentrates. The present flowsheet is shown in [Fig. 1]. The crude ore from the pits is crushed in a 1.07-m gyratory crusher with an open side setting of 12.7 cm. The crusher product is transported by rail to the concentrator located 25 km from the mines. The ore is fed by twelve 1.22 X 1.83 m vibratory feeders onto conveyor belts which carry the ore to a surge bin ahead of the autogenous mills. The feed rate is automatically adjusted to maintain a set power load at a level suitable for the ore type being processed. The mills operate in closed circuit with twelve dual-drum screens equipped with a 0.8-mm screen cloth. Oversize is returned by gravity to the mill feed while undersize flows to the gravity separation section which consists of Humphrey spirals in three stages. The ores are very heterogenous and analysis may vary quite considerably. The quantitative need for concentrate in the steel mill may also change rapidly. The process in the concentrator must therefore be easily changed, and consequently alternative process lines have been established. This is indicated with the dotted lines in the flowsheet. Apatite is removed by flotation by fatty acids to give a final sinter concentrate of 63% Fe and 0.020% P or less. Pellet concentrate contains about 65% Fe and less than 0.020% P. The fineness is about 1500 Blain.