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By L. A. Vaisberg

"Crushing and grinding are the two most common industrial processes. These processes consume nearly 20 per cent of the entire electric power produced worldwide. This enormous amount of electric power consumed results from the fact that modern crushing and grinding machines employ the processes first introduced by the prehistoric man, namely those of compression, impact, attrition, and cutting. The material thus handled decomposes indiscriminately, and almost completely ignoring the microscopic cracks and other defects of its structure. Apart from the irrational use of the power, the crushing and grinding processes currently in use result in irretrievable loss of useful components or else in a substantial deterioration of the final products obtained, all as a result of incomplete grinding or, reversely, of overgrinding, palletizing, or fracture of particles.The principal type of equipment that has almost universally been used all over the world for more than 150 years for crushing both natural and synthetic minerals comprises unbalanced jaw and cone crushers. The driving element of crushing bodies in these machines is an unbalanced weight, which transfers the crushing body, allowing it to squeeze the material within the eccentricity value only. The maximum reduction ratio achieved by such a drive is 5, which is due to the rigid kinematic arrangement of the crusher, its dynamic unbalance, and the impossibility of increasing the number of impacts on the material being crushed. Moreover, conventional machines cannot cope with super hard materials, and their mechanism is vulnerable to damage by uncrushable objects.On the basis of fundamental research into the theories of solid body and vibration, OAO Mekhanobr- Tekhnika have developed a range of vibrating jaw and cone inertia crushers that make a reduction ratio of 30 feasible in an open-circuit operation with the reduction ratio monitored within a wide range. In these crushers, the eccentric drive is replaced with a vibrating one. In this way the rigid kinematic drive became dynamic, thus allowing pieces of material to be crushed in a thick layer due to the effect of their bumping into each other, and with the amplitude changing automatically. This results in a number of advantages as compared with conventional crushers:"

Jan 1, 2003

By Frank Cappuccitti, Stephen Chryssoulis, Stamen Dimov

Surface organic microanalysis of platinum (Pt) and palladium (Pd) minerals by TOF MS1 is an attractive complement and potential alternative to conventional collector screening methods. Its attractiveness lies on its ability to focus on individual Pt and Pd mineral particulates, therefore providing a more targeted approach. The only requirement is knowledge of the occurrence (mineral composition, grain size and association) of Pt/Pd in the feed sample. This newly developed technique can detect, and identify collectors and quantitate loadings on individual Pt/Pd mineral particulates at plant concentration levels. Using this technology, collector loadings were measured on Pt and Pd metal plates and on PtS2 and PdS particulates which had been exposed together to aqueous solutions of different collectors. Thus, data were obtained on collector selectivity, the effect of sulphur; and of depressants, the latter in combination with TOF-LIMS2 results. Staged rougher tests on North American and UG-2 ores linked Pt/Pd flotation kinetics with collector loadings and ultimately grade/recovery.

Jan 1, 2003

By Takashi Furuyama, Sukeyuki Mori, Takafumi Okuma, Norio Hashiguchi

"In order to achieve a high recovery of particles finer than 10µm, three types of dry Tower Mill (VD-1, KD-1, KD-2 and KD-3) have been developed. These mills differ from each other in the size of the comminuting part, the inside diameter and shape of the classifying part and the system involved in the collecting process. The last version (KD-3) of tower mills in which the comminuting and classifying operations has been separated, can produce particles finer than 10µm from a limestone ore sizing from 420 to 3360µm. In this tower mill, products in comminuting section are blown up and transported into the classifying column, made of an inverted cone on top of a cylinder, before they agglomerate and settle down. Fine particles are deported and recovered in a cyclone with a central spiral ribbon.Previous studies on the grinding efficiency of the tower mill KD-3 have shown how the maximum size of collected products increased with the airflow velocity, disturbing in the same way a smooth regulation of the grinding operation with the tower mill KD-3. A complete knowledge of factors that influence the maximum size of collected products is needed, therefore, to increase the efficiency of the grindingclassifying operation and ensure a better control over the collected products. The present study deals with this issue and, assuming that the structure of the classifying column could be one of these factors, its internal structure was modified (insertion of vertical plates, cone or horizontal nets) before carrying out comminution tests that would establish a relationship between the inward shape of the column and the maximum size of collected products. It was found that the weight of products collected in the cyclone decreases when a cone or some horizontal nets are inserted inside the column. At the same time, the weight of products collected in the column increases. This is due to the fact that coarse particles blown up from the comminution section collide with the base of the cone or the nets and settle down the bottom of the classifying column. Therefore, the cone and some horizontal nets inserted inside a classifying column, have the particularity to stabilize the maximum size of particles (15.1-17.5µm and 8.4-11.3µm) in the cyclone even when the airflow velocity in duct increased. These tools could of great help in the production of particles of definite size to fit for instance the paper industries requirements (production of limestone material sizing - 10µm as paper filler)."

Jan 1, 2003

By Xie Jiyuan, Hu Yuehua, Yang Songrong, Zhu Zhansheng, Qiu Guanzhou

"By the end of 2000, the first bio-oxidation plant in China that designed by ENFI come successfully into commercial operation in Yantai Gold Smeltery. Its capacity is 50t/d of refractory gold ore concentrate. After the extension, the capacity of bio-oxidation plant reached 80t/d of refractory gold ore concentrate at end of 2001.The refractory gold ore concentrate treated is from different gold mines. After proportionate feeding, the feed typically consists of Au (52.7g/t), S (24.42%), As (3.58%).The bacterial culture used in the bio-oxidation circuit is taken from a mine in south of China, and has been grown over 20 years on a variety of sulfide concentrates in a laboratory of mineral processing, and has shown to be adaptive to growth in a high concentrations of arsenic. It is a mixture of mesophilic microorganisms. The nutrients used in the bio-oxidation process are (NH4)2SO4, KH2PO4, KOH.Before feeding to bio-oxidation circuit, the concentrate would be milled to minus 43µm. The biooxidation product is fed to solid/liquid separation system that consists of a thickener and two press filters, solid from the system is fed to CCD circuit, liquid from the system is fed to neutralization area. The neutralized product is fed to another solid/liquid separation system, and the solid from the system is disposed of on a wasted quarry pit, the liquid from the system is returned to bio-oxidation circuit for reusing."

Jan 1, 2003

By P. Harris

"Comparison of the two most commonly used classes of depressant in the South African platinum industry is complicated by the fact that these polymers induce different effects on the surfaces onto which they adsorb. The use of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), which is ionically charged in solution, can lead to increased particle dispersion in addition to the effect of reduced surface hydrophobicity (depression). Guar is typically only slightly charged in solution. Comparison of these two depressants is complicated since it is uncertain whether differences in their action is a result of either depression of dispersion effects.This work investigates the role of dispersion independently to that of depression in the batch flotation of a platinum bearing ore. An inorganic dispersant, sodium hexametaphosphate (NaHMP) was added in parallel to the uncharged guar depressant to simulate the action of depressants with varying degrees of dispersion. By distinguishing between the material recovered by entrainment and the floatable gangue and by including the effects of froth stability it was possible to decouple the effects of dispersion and depression.The results show that both dispersion and depression led to increased grade of the sulphide minerals. Depression leads to a decreased recovery of floatable gangue minerals. Dispersion leads to an increased recovery rate of these minerals and an accompanying decrease in froth stability."

Jan 1, 2003

By Y. Nahmad- Molinari

We present a novel on line inductive sensor for the determination of the quality of the concentrates of iron ores. This device is coupled with a cheap USB Data Acquisition System that makes it versatile enough to simultaneously control up to seven fluxes at a very low cost (< $300 US dollars), and achieves a resolution better than 0.5 % on the determination of the magnetic iron content in the concentrate. A RLC circuit with its inductive element placed surrounding a sample of pure magnetite concentrate is tuned at its resonance frequency, by means of adjusting, the feeding voltage of a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and several samples with mixtures of different contents of silica and magnetite are placed in order to get a calibration curve. After some signal conditioning, a National Instruments USB-DAQ NI-6008, acquires the amplitude of the signal via USB port on a PC using a Lab-View program designed for such purpose, in which the calibration curve is used for on-screen data presentation directly in percent of magnetite content. The implementation of this device for control purposes on line directly placed on the concentrators would allow better efficiency of the process and higher quality of the final concentrate by con-trolling; the rotation speed, the rising or dilution water fluxes or bypasses towards milling recirculation cycles.

Jan 1, 2014

By N. Raeis Hosseiny, S. H. Bassir

"Chador-Malu iron ore is one of the most important iron mines of Iran.About 98 percent of Fe in the ore is in shape of Magnetite, Hematite, Martite, aqua oxide of Iron and the other irons are with ferrous silicates, actinolite, cholorite and ferrous dolomites. 1% of Fe has replaced in pyrite. The phosphor distribution in the ore is non-hemogenous and its average in the whole of the deposit is 94%. It is in shape of Apatite.This mine contains considerable phosphor, which makes it useless for metallurgical uses. At this mine the phosphor is reduced in the iron ore at two steps. At the first step, magnetic part of the ore is separated from the gangues and phosphors by magnetic separator. At the second step, the ore is enriched by the flotation methods. Experimental flotation methods to obtain the optimum conditions are as follows:• Effect of Starch as Hematite depressant with ATRAC as Apatite collector• Effect of Sodium silicate as Hematite depressant with ATRAC as Apatite collector• Effect of ASAM as Apatite collector with Sodium silicate as Hematite depressant• Effect of ATRAC (BEROL) as Apatite collector with Sodium silicate as Hematite depressant• Effect of ASAM & ATRAC mixture as Apatite collector with Sodium silicate as Hematite depressant• Effect of Kcarbonate as pH-modifier• Final test to Optimize pH, Collector, DepressantAt this research we have found the optimum circumstance of the flotation of Chador-Malu iron ore in order to decreasing phosphors of iron oxide and floating of Apatite to make pure Hematite.To reach the optimum conditions, some tests were done with different amounts of pH, collector and depressant. The results are as follows:"

Jan 1, 2003

By J. Tian

"BHP Billiton carried out a pre-feasibility study on the LanPing zinc deposit to evaluate the possibility to jointly develop the zinc deposit into a large-scale zinc project with their Chinese partner. The unique characteristics of the complex LanPing zinc orebody and ore are 1) smithsonite (ZnCO3) as one of major zinc bearing mineral besides sphalerite, 2) varying and irregular oxidation degree of zinc (0 ~ +90%) in the different zone and depth of the deposit, and 3) varying host gangue from limestone/calcite dominant to quartz dominant, which requires a robust and flexible flotation process to recovery zinc from both sulphide and oxide efficiently.The conventional mineral processing flowsheets have been tested on the LanPing samples taken from the various orebodies by various parties during the past 20 years that includes a sequential flotation flowsheet that was tested in a demonstration plant using the mixed ore. The results of the demonstration plant runs show that the conventional oxide flotation using Na2S and amine collectors could achieve 50 ~ 75% of oxide zinc recovery at very high sulphidiser consumption for the mixed ore but the highly oxidised ore did not satisfactorily respond to the flowsheet in terms of performance consistency and efficiency of oxide zinc recovery, which is very crucial to the overall economics of the project."

Jan 1, 2003

By Jonas Addai-Mensah

In this paper, the results emerging from the several basic and applied studies performed to provide fundamental understanding of the interplay between clay pulp chemistry, orthokinetic flocculation performance, particle interactions, applied shear and dewaterability of fine clay mineral dispersions are presented, reconciled, and discussed. Modification of pulp chemistry and behaviour was achieved by using kaolinite and Na-exchanged (swelling) smectite clay minerals, divalent metal ions (Ca(II), Mn(II)) as coagulants and high molecular weight, anionic polyacrylamide copolymers: carboxylate substituted (PAM A) and 2-amido 2-methyl propane sulphonate (PAM S) (PAM S), non-ionic polyacrylamide homopolymer (PAM N) and non-conventional, non-ionic polyethylene oxide (PEO) as flocculants. Clear links between pulp interfacial chemistry, particle interactions and dewatering behaviour, resulting from the influence of hydrolyzable metal ion, pH, temperature, polymer structure type and shear, are established. Optimum conditions for improved, orthokinetic flocculation performance of negatively charged clay particles, reflecting faster settling flocs (>10 m/h) comprised: (i) coagulation, (ii) moderate agitation rate, (iii) shorter agitation time and (iv) anionic rather than non-ionic PAM. The optimum flocculation conditions did not, however, have a significant impact on the final sediment solid content of 20 ? 25 wt%. Further application of shear to pre-sedimented pulps improved consolidation by 5 - 15 wt % solid. Application of the findings and new knowledge gained to real plant tails? case studies for marked improvement in dewaterability through thickening is demonstrated.

Sep 1, 2012

By Rogerio C. Guimarães, Antonio E. C. Peres

The production of phosphate concentrates (phosphate rock) from slimes represents a challenge to the phosphate industry worldwide. In Brazil, this challenge is particularly relevant due to the consistently low P2O5 grades and the igneous origin. The Brazilian phosphate deposits are made up mainly of apatite from alkaline chimneys, representing 80% of the Brazilian reserves; phosphorite deposits contribute 18% and the other sources (guano, phosphorous bauxite, and apatite from veins) reach 2%. The Brazilian industry beneficiates phosphate ores that are mineralogically more complex than those treated elsewhere. The low apatite grade, inherent to the igneous Brazilian ores, added to the mineralogical complexity due to the weathering of the rocks, has represented a permanent challenge to the Brazilian process engineers. The total measured, indicated and inferred reserves reach 3.2 million tonnes of ore with average grade 11% P2O5. The development of local technology for phosphate beneficiation started in the 1960’s. The first industrial experiences of producing phosphate rock from slimes (-44µm or -325#) fraction started at Arafertil, currently Bunge Fertilizantes SA, in Araxá, in the 1980’s. This production corresponds, nowadays, to 35% of the total production of concentrates in the company (830,000t/year) in a circuit consisting of desliming in 40mm microcyclones and concentration in flotation columns, corn starch and fatty acids being utilised as reagents. The performance of slimes flotation and the process control, at Bunge´s concentrator, were improved after the introduction of column flotation technology, in the first half of the nineties. The column flotation technology for slimes recovery was expanded to other Brazilian concentrators still in the nineties: Ultrafértil (Catalão – GO), Bunge (Cajati – SP), Fosfértil (Tapira – MG) and Copebrás (Catalão – GO). At present the Brazilian production of phosphate rock is approximately 4.5Mt/year, with a strong trend for a market increase. Genuinely Brazilian technology is utilised for the processing of slimes, the concentrates representing 11 to 13% of the overall production. The production of apatite concentrates from slimes was relevant to increase phosphate recovery and reduce costs, contributing to the growth of the fertilisers industry.

Jan 1, 2003

By Stoyan N. Groudev, Ioannis Paspaliaris, Plamen S. Georgiev, Irena I. Spasova, Kostas Komnitsas

"The uranium deposit Curilo located in Western Bulgaria for a long period of time was a site of intensive mining activities including both the open-pit and underground mining techniques as well as in situ leaching of uranium. The ore was rich in pyrite and, apart from uranium, contained some non-ferrous metals. The mining operations in the deposit were ended in 1990 but since that time the deposit is a permanent source of acid drainage waters. The generation of these waters is connected mainly with the oxidation of pyrite and other sulphide minerals by the indigenous acidophilic chemolithotrophic bacteria.Laboratory and pilot-scale studies revealed that an efficient clean-up of the above-mentioned waters was achieved by means of passive systems of the wetland type. In 2001 a wetland was constructed in the deposit to treat a portion of the acid drainage waters which were discharged to a small ravine. This ravine reaches into the Teina, a small river that is a tributary of the upper reaches of the Iskar river.The wetland was constructed in the ravine and its bottom was located on intrusive rocks with a very low permeability. The rocks were covered by a 30 – 50 cm layer consisting of a mixture of soil, plant compost and crushed limestone. The wetland was characterized by an abundant water and emergent vegetation and a diverse microflora. Typha latifolia, Typha angustifolia and Phragmites australis were the prevalent plant species in the wetland but species of the genera Juncus, Eleocharis, Carex and Poa as well as different algae were also well present.The acid drainage waters treated by the wetland had a pH in the range of about 2.5 – 4.1 and contained uranium, radium, some heavy metals (iron, manganese, copper, zinc, cadmium, lead), arsenic and sulphates in concentrations much higher than the relevant permissible levels for waters intended for use in the agriculture and/or industry. The watercourse through the wetland covered a distance of about 0.2 – 1.0 l/s."

Jan 1, 2003

By Rob Morrison, Andrew Scott

"Long before a modern mine commences operations it has already become a wealth of information. After start up, it can generate enormous quantities of data – especially with semi-automated data acquisition by instrumented mine equipment. Much of this data is of limited use for evaluation of (potential) performance unless it links in some way to the site business model.An underlying reason for this waste of data is that the different cultures, financial, technical, community, environmental, etc, not only have many areas of interest but also have very different conceptual models by which they evaluate performance.It is too ambitious to attempt to bring all of these cultures together – in a single step. However, the success of the Mine to Mill ™ project has demonstrated that substantial operational value can be added by using a more integrated approach to comminution. The next logical step is to integrate measured data and then to track performance from ore body model to saleable product and waste disposal.The path from resource to product also represents a path from very sparse, highly variable data to much more detailed measurement and more representative sampling. However, in both cases the data collected is usually strongly focused on the technical requirements – not on the business model.This paper emphasises the difference between data and information. There is considerable potential for confusion between the two as both data and information are often expressed as numbers. For the purpose of this paper, data and information are distinguished by their uses.A data point (or datum) is a measurement. By way of contrast, information provides a basis for decision making."

Jan 1, 2003

By Vladimir I. Ryaboy, Konstantin M. Asonchik

"At flotation of sulfide-barite ores of one of deposits sulfide and barite concentrates are obtained. In sulfide cycle potassium xantogenate as a collector in consumption of 200 g/ton, methylisobutylcarbinol (MIBC) as a foaming agent in consumption of 30 g/ton and also liquid glass are used. In barite cycle tall oil as fatty acid collector in consumption up to 400 g/ton is used.Sulfide concentrate represents mainly gold- and silver-containing pyrite. The contents of gold makes not less than 10 g per ton, silver - not less than 278 g/t. Barite concentrate contains up to 86% of barite.Factory is working in water recirculation conditions. Owing to that in barite cycle fatty acid collector is used, technological water from tailing repository contains fatty acids soap up to 25 mg/l. Before submission into sulfide cycle this water is conditioned with active carbon to delete the main part of fatty acid collector. The active carbon consumption makes 0,4-0,5 kg per 1m3 of water or 1,5-2 kg per ton of ore. The above mentioned consumption of active carbon improves reducing of contents of fatty acid collector from the initial concentration of 25-30 mg/l to 4 mg/l. At concentration 4 mg/l fatty acid collector does not render negative influence on flotation index in sulfide cycle. At the absence of active carbon pollution of sulfide concentrate and its irrevocable lost are observed."

Jan 1, 2003

By Choi Sang-Ken, Chung Hun-Saeng, Kim Byoung-Gon, Lee Jae-Jang, Park Chong-Lyuck

"Graphite has unique properties such as high thermal resistance, low thermal expansion coefficient, and good thermal and electrical conductivity, and is often utilized as coating materials for electrical conductors, TV Brown tubes, electromagnetic shields, and so on. Additionally, its excellent lubrication property is widely used in oil and solid lubricants. Finely ground graphite particles in the sub-micron range are commonly used for these applications.Sub-micron fine graphite particles are typically prepared in liquids by vibration ball mills. However, it is known that the wet process takes long periods of grinding time like 24 hours or more and requires a series of subsequent highenergy operations such as de-watering, drying, regrinding and classification. On the other hand, there would be numerous advantages if fine grinding could be done effectively in dry atmosphere. However, since crystalline graphite has a layered structure giving a high lubrication property, its dry grinding, especially when obtaining sub-micron size particles, is extremely difficult. The shape of the graphite particles is also important for its utilization since particles with flaky shape can maintain relatively high electrical and thermal conductance as well as lubrication ability. Therefore, it would be necessary to reduce the size of graphite particles into fines with flaky shape while grinding proceeds. Dry grinding characteristics of natural graphite under various atmospheric conditions with gases using different mills were studied, and fine flaky particles by grinding the graphite intercalation compounds and the exfoliated graphite were produced. However, there were no sufficient investigations on the size reduction of natural graphite at low atmospheric pressures in attritional milling conditions. The main purpose of this paper is to provide sub-micron fine grinding characteristics of natural crystalline graphite at various degrees of low atmospheric pressure, and to discuss the size reducing models in an attrition mill"

Jan 1, 2003

By ?. ?. Zimin, B. A. Kutlin, X. Baddamsuren

"The ore features of Mongolian fluorspar deposits are shown in the paper. The possibilities of the technological of ore processing on the Bor-Undur combine scheme improvement are analyzed there. Some recommendations are done for scheme development: spare output technologies, the usage large-sized ore separation, flotation by columnar flotation cells, leaching and concentrate agglomeration.New evaluation and usage of mineral sources approach was developed for Mongolian fluoride ores. The conception allows using maximally available mineral resources for getting of metallurgical and acid fluoride concentrates while mining and technological processes: mining (as well as quarrying) -storing, blending-crushing, grinding-combined processing methods-metallurgical using preparation It has been established mining and processing technological schemes should include:• spare blasting technologies providing minimum effect on fluorite crystals which follows ore selective excavation;• large-sized ore separation methods resulted in maximum recovery for these operations in respect to metallurgical fluorite concentrates;• grinding and flotation regimes providing high-quality flotation concentrates getting for their usein chemical industry;• fluorite concentrates agglomeration technologies for providing ability of their use in metallurgical and cement industriesThe results of industrial usage of jugging machines, columnar and pneumomechanical flotation machines for fluospar dressing.The technological approaches implementation in “Bor-Undur” plant maintenance within 1993-2002 years leaded to:• change plant status from just flotation one to gravitational-flotation characterized by technological process stages which are traditional for metallurgical industry and plant capacity increase from 400 to 600 thousand tones of treatment ore as well as concentrate production increase from 120 to 150-170 thousand tones including 120-140 thousand tones of acid grade concentrates with 97% CaF2 ."

Jan 1, 2003

By Johan C. van Dyk, Johan W. van Zyl, Martin J. Keyser

"Coal is a crucial feedstock for South Africa’s unique synfuels and petrochemicals from coal industry and it is used as the main feedstock to produce synthesis gas (CO and H2) via the Sasol-Lurgi Fixed Bed Dry Bottom gasification process. Detailed coal characteristics are essential to predict gasification behaviour when a specific coal source is to be gasified.The principle aim of this paper is to highlight and discuss those specific coal characteristics, which affect gasification behaviour and stability.In order to determine the suitability of a coal source for gasification purposes, the coal is characterized and the results compared with historical data. Benchmark data, where it was possible to operate the gasifier with ease and relatively high stability, is used as a reference.Coal sources with extreme properties (i.e. low reactivity, ash content <10% as is used by Dakota Gasification Company, or “brown coal” with moisture >30%) can probably be gasified in a Sasol-Lurgi Fixed Bed Dry Bottom gasifier provided that certain operational changes are implemented. Other properties, like high caking and extreme ash content for example, require blending to acceptable levels."

Jan 1, 2003

"The Merensky Reef is a platinum group minerals (PGM) bearing reef in the Bushveld Igneous Complex in South Africa. The reef has been treated by bulk PGM and sulphide flotation with the aim of maximisingthe valuable minerals recovery and gangue minerals rejection.Synthetic water with a calcium concentration of 80 ppm and 500 ppm was prepared and the flotation results obtained were compared to a simple electrolyte in order to determine the effect water quality has on pentlandite and pyroxene surface alteration and, ultimately, floatability. During the study, the possible effect of interactions between the minerals investigated and Ca2+ ions in the presence of sodium isobutyl xanthate was studied at pH 6 and pH 9 by means of zeta potential determinations, microflotation tests and ToF-SIMS analysis.The results obtained on 1:1 pentlandite-pyroxene mixtures showed that the quality of process water plays an important role in flotation. The flotation recoveries of pentlandite and pyroxene were lower in synthetic process water compared to those obtained in a simple electrolyte solution."

Jan 1, 2003

By J. Y. Liu

The comminution in a high-pressure roller mill is modeled by an energy-based population balance approach considering three aspects of breakage taking place in the active zones of the mill: the interparticle breakage in the high-compression zone, the breakage at the edges of the rolls, and the pre-breakage in the acceleration zone. Together with an appropriate model of classification, this model can be used to simulate steady-state performance of closed-circuit grindings with high-pressure roller mill. After a brief description of the basic modeling approach, the algorithm of the steady-state calculation for a generalized grinding-classification circuit is presented, from which the circuit configurations commonly met in industrial practice can be derived. With an iron ore as feed material for example, simulation results are shown and discussed in respect of circulating load, specific energy consumption and product fineness for closed-circuit grindings under various operating conditions. The effects of stressing intensity, working gap, classifier parameters as well as circuit configuration on the overall circuit performance are investigated systematically by means of computer simulation.

Jan 1, 2014

By Elzbieta Mielczarski, Jerzy A. Mielczarski

"It is well documented that xanthate adsorption on sulphide minerals is electrochemically controlled process. Under well controlled potential conditions the adsorption of xanthate takes place at different potential on each mineral, hence, each mineral component can be selectively separated from ore. This was demonstrated in the past for single mineral systems. In real flotation this concept never works out for two reasons: the potential of single mineral particle results from its interaction with solution as well as from galvanic contact with other particles present in the flotation pulp. Thus, the potential of a single particle results from complex surface reactions controlled by solution chemistry and the presence of other mineral particles that also interact with the solution. In flotation it is not possible to control mineral particle potential as it was demonstrated in voltametric studies of single mineral.In this study adsorption of xanthate on pyrite, galena and chalcopyrite has been investigated in the presence of those minerals. The second mineral was in solution: (i) without any physical contact with the first one, (ii) in direct contact (non-liberated grain or connected by wire), (iii) in collision type contact similar to that observed in real flotation.The adsorption of amyl xanthate on pyrite, galena and chalcopyrite was monitored by infrared external reflection technique directly on mineral surfaces. Type of the adsorbed species and their amount were concluded from the recorded reflection spectra. The presence of second mineral in solution without any physical contact does not influence adsorption. The minerals behave as if they were separated (at least during 30 min of the experiment). However, any type of galvanic contact between grains of two different minerals has tremendous consequence on the adsorption of collector on the both minerals. The detected changes are dramatic, from no adsorption to a few monolayer coverage formation.For example, pyrite that adsorbs amyl xanthate strongly in single mineral system in its galvanic contact with galena practically shows no adsorption of the collector in the same solution conditions. On contrary adsorption of xanthate on galena is tremendously enhanced during the galvanic contact with pyrite. The observed changes in the surface reactions are discussed and mechanisms of xanthate interactions in different galvanic contact are proposed."

Jan 1, 2003

By Wayne I. van Drunick

"Energy balance modeling has recently been shown to be a competent tool in the estimation of SAG mill discharge rheology. Work performed by van Drunick and Moys (2001) validated the ability of an energybalance filter to estimate the slurry density from an operating SAG mill. The importance of rheological data is highlighted by several authors who show the effects on load behaviour and thus mill performance. Energy balance models were developed to account for the dynamic energies in the mill discharge sump. The models then made it possible to infer the mill discharge density. A sampling campaign was performed and the errors from the sump energy balance were within tolerable limits.Since the initial results were published, it has been decided to further develop the modeling techniques in order to focus on balancing the energies around the entire mill. The critical measurements for the energy balance will be the temperatures of all the streams entering and leaving the mill, including energy losses to the environment. Metso’s OCS© (Optimising Control System) currently controls the 3 SAG mills at Anglogold’s Mponeng Gold Plant (South Africa). The OCS has built-in Kalman filtering tools to effectively handle variances and noise in the models and the mill circuit data respectively. The new models are therefore constructed in the OCS platform, and will be run in parallel with Metso’s current modeling and filtering systems. The work is a collaborative effort between Anglogold, the University of the Witwatersrand and Metso. The benefits of energy modeling, compared to mass modeling, are that energy data are more accurately measurable than mass data. The inferred mill parameters can therefore be improved provided that a competent set of models is produced to process the (accurate) thermal measurements."

Jan 1, 2003