2 - introduction to mineral processing
DESCRIPTION
Shows the steps taken to take a mineral and process it to get the desired concentrate and tailingsTRANSCRIPT
Introduction to Mineral ProcessingMIME-320 Click to edit Master subtitle style Extraction of energy resources Winter 2013
Based on presentation of Introduction to mineral processing by Prof J. Finch
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Rock to Metal: Extraction MetallurgyROCK
Mining
Ore or Run of Mine (ROM)
Extraction
METAL
Manufacturin g
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MiningORE BODYMining
ORE
WASTE ROCK
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Extraction Metallurgy
Mineral Processi ng HydroMetallur gy PyroMetallur gy
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Mineral Processing
ORE
Mineral Processing
VALUABLE MINERAL
GANGUE
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Some technical termsMineral
processing takes place at the mine site on surface The mineral processing plant is called a concentrator, or a mill The valuable mineral product is the concentrate The gangue product is the tailings6
Mineral ProcessingOre or Run of Mine (ROM)Mineral Processing
CONCENTRATE
TAILINGS
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Stages
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To prepare ore for mineral separation By reducing particle size to free valuable minerals from
Size Reduction or Comminution
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The need to size reduce
Gangu e
Valuabl e Mineral
Minerals must first be freed or liberated
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CrushingDivided
into stages:
q q q
Primary Secondary Tertiary- Few application
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Primary CrushersTo
crush ore from very big size to less than around 10 cm Large, robust machines Principal types: q Jaw crushers q Gyratory crushers
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Jaw Crusher
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Two jaws, fixed and moving Cycle of breakage/descent/discharge
Jaw Crusher
Feed opening width gape determines top feed size Discharge opening width set determines product size
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Gyratory Same Crusherconcept but designed to crush and discharge continuously
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Gyratory Crusher
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Secondary Crushers:Crush
product of primary crushers They have lower capacity compared to primary crusher Principal types: q cone crusher q hammer mills
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Cone Crusher
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Cone crusher
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The Set
Closed set Like Gyratory andjaw crushers
Open set Like cone crusher
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How to control product sizeTo
control the product size from crushing, size classification is required Crushers and classifiers are combined to form a circuitOre or ROM CrusherOver-size
Under-size Size Classification Product
Circulating Load
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Size ClassificationProcess
of separating particles into two streams:
Over-size particles Under-size particles
Main
method in crushing circuit
screening
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ScreeningScreens classify particles based on probability to pass through holes of given size in a deck
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Screening
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Screening
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GrindingProduct
of crushing is too coarse for mineral separation, and grinding is used for further size reduction28
GrindingThis
additional size reduction will produce particles fine enough to liberate the valuable mineral from the gangue
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Breakage and liberation
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A Particle Before Grinding - Unliberated or Locked
breakage planes
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Particle is Broken Along Planes
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Some Liberated (Free) Particles Produced
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Particles Types1) liberated mineral particles
2) locked particles
3) liberated gangue particles
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Relating Grind Size to LiberationQuestion: How can we measure the liberation size? Solution: By doing mineralography study by some relevant microscope
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Particles and GrainsParticl e Grain s
Microscopic image of the thin section of rock
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ObservationLiberation increases as the particle size is reduced relative to the grain sizeGrain size is the size of grain of the valuable mineral Example:The grain size of white mineral is 60 micron
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GrindingGrinding
system: wet, dry Wet grinding requires addition of water Pulp or slurry = water + ore The main grinding machine is called a Tumbling Mill
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Tumbling Mill
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Grinding Media (Charge) TypeThe
Tumbling Mill is named after the grinding media used:40
Grinding Media (Charge) Type Rod
Mill Ball Mill Autogenous Mill (AG) no steel ball Semi Autogenous Mill (SAG) - some steel balls
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Rod & Ball Mills3-6m 2.5 cm 2-4.5m2-5.5m
0.5 cm
0.5 cm
2-5.5m
0.1
cm
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Rod & Ball Mills
Grinding Action
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Rod & Ball Mills
Media Filling: About 40%
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Brekage Mechanism
Mechanism: Impact, Nipping and Friction
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Tumbling Motion
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How to control product sizeTo
control the product size from crushing, size classification is required Crushers and classifiers are combined to form a circuitCrusher product MillOver-size
Under-size Size Classification Product
Circulating Load
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Size Classification
Classification in grinding is a wet process The common classifier is a cyclone (or hydro-cyclone) Because of the tangential feed, a cyclone generates a centrifugal force that separates the feed into two streams
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Cyclone
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Grinding Circuits Open & Closed Circuits:
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Grinding Circuits Open & Closed: Rod & Ball Mills
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Ideal separation
Ideally, the concentrate should contain 100%
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Actual separation
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Principle of separationSeparation exploits differences in mineral properties, e.g.
mineral property density magnetism wet ability
technique gravity magnetic flotation56
Magnetic SeparationFee d
The Magnet Drum
Magnetic Product Non Magnetic57
Gravity SeparationMechanism
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Gravity SeparationJigLights Heavies
Water
Mechanism: Pulsation/ stratification
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Jigmechanism
Gravity SeparationJigMechanism: Pulsation /stratification
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Gravity SeparationHeavy media separator
the light particle floats the heavy particle sinks The density of liquid could be increased by adding Ferrosilicon The density of media (liquid) should be between light and heavy mineral
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Mechanism: flowing film Due to lighter density, the lighter particles would enter to splitter
Gravity SeparationCone separator
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Gravity SeparationCone separator
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Gravity SeparationComparison
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Froth flotationDefinition:Separation of one type of
particle (mineral) from another by attachment to bubbles
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Froth flotationMixed Minerals
Air Bubble
Separated Minerals
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Froth flotation
Air Bubble
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Froth flotationQuestion: Why do some particles remain wetted (by water), while others attach to a bubble?
The science of wetting will help answer this question: How surface atoms interact with water molecules
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WettingHydrophilic (water loving) Air bubbl e Hydrophobic (water hating) Water
Contact
Mineral remains
miner al
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Example
Hydrophobic surface/ teflon
Hydrophilic surface
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Simulation
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Froth
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Wetting: InteractionsSurface O H No bond O H
C
M +
Oxide mineral hydrophilic
Graphite hydrophobi c
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Wetting: InteractionsSulphide minerals Step 1- Reaction with oxygen S Cu
+
O
=
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Wetting: InteractionsSulphide minerals Step 2- Reaction with water
+
=
Sulphide minerals: weakly hydrophilic
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Wetting: Making a mineral hydrophobicCollectors: Chemical reagents that react with a surface to convert it from hydrophilic to hydrophobic
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Wetting: CollectorsGeneral structure:
hydrocarbon chain reactive head group
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Wetting: CollectorsAn example:
hydrocarbon chain head groupethyl xanthate
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Wetting: Making a mineral hydrophobicReaction (adsorption)
mineral particle
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Wetting: Making a mineral hydrophobic For sulphideminerals
+
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Wetting: Making a mineral hydrophobicFor sulphide minerals The reaction (adsorption) partially coats the surface with a hydrocarbon and the mineral becomes hydrophobic
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Froth flotationFlotation is not a chemical process Flotation separation is based on surface properties of minerals
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Inside a froth flotation cell
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Motion of a particle in a flotation cell
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Froth flotation CellMechanical Cell FeedConc. (Coal)
Column CellConc. (Coal)
FeedTail. (Ash)Concentrate
Cell bank
Tailing
Tail. (Ash)
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DewateringFilteration mechanism
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Dewateringbelt filtration
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Dewateringbelt filtration
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DewateringThickening mechanism
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Dewatering- Thickening
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Recommended TextbookWillsMineralprocessingtechnology :a n introduction to the practical aspects of ore treatment andmineralrecovery
McGill Library TN500W54 2006
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RefferencesFinch,J., Introduction to mineral processing, MIME200 R.O.Burt, Gravity concentration technology, Elsevier, 1984 N.L.Weiss, SME Mineral processing handbook, SME,1985
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