CEEC Director Ivan Mullaney spoke at the Mining Strategic Excellence conference in North America about the importance of energy efficiency and the need for innovation. CEEC's contribution to innovation is significant. The website provides a platform that keeps industry informed about innovative pr...
15-Jul-2016
The mining of high-grade, narrow vein deposits is an important field of activity in the precious
metal mining sector. The principle factor that has undermined the profitability and effectiveness
of mining such ore zones is the substantial dilution that occurs when blasting with explosives
d...
14-Jun-2016
Abstract
With energy costs increasing and ore grades diminishing, the role of pre-concentration in hard rock mining operations has been gaining greater interest. To maximise energy conservation, the pre-concentration process should be conducted at as coarse a grind size as possible, while minimis...
11-Jun-2016
Abstract
The comminution energy curve is a profoundly simple graphical technique that displays detailed operating efficiency information for industrial comminution processes. The database underlying the methodology has recently more than doubled, to now contain a substantial fraction of the interna...
31-May-2016
X-ray transmission (XRT) sorting has been introduced into the minerals industry in 2006 and has found various applications in diamonds, industrial minerals, and metal ore processing since. The technology offers planar projection of the atomic density of single particles similar to the principle know...
21-May-2016
Abstract
As the stirrer speed directly affects the motion of grinding media, and hence the interactions with material particles to be ground, the rotation speed of a stirred mill is well recognised as one of the most important factors affecting the grinding performance.
In this work, the effec...
09-May-2016
ABSTRACT
Simulation work was carried out to analyse how feeding a finer size distribution to a single stage SAG mill in closed circuit with hydro cyclones at Freda Rebecca Gold Mine would affect throughput and specific energy consumption using an Excel based milling process simulator developed by...
07-May-2016
Abstract
Comminution and classification circuits consume significant amounts of energy. Some estimates show that comminution processes accounts for around 40 % of the total energy consumed in mining operations and 1.5-1.8 % of the total national energy consumption in mining intensive countries such...
19-Apr-2016
Abstract
A computational model for use with DEM (Discrete Element Method) is proposed for the five mechanisms applying to particle comminution in AG, SAG and coarse feed ball mills. Chipping and rounding are mechanisms that lead to preferential mass loss from corners and edges of particles and whic...
18-Apr-2016
Abstract
This paper discusses how to effectively conduct energy efficiency studies during the design of new mineral processing plants and plant expansions. Energy management studies for new plants are ideally conducted as part of the feasibility study, but can also be done at the detailed design...
09-Apr-2016
Abstract
The Dumont deposit is a large (1,179 Mt proven and probable reserve) low grade (0.27% nickel) nickel sulphide project located in the Abitibi region 25 km west of Amos, Quebec. Royal Nickel Corporation acquired the project in 2007 and has since taken the project from a scoping study in 20...
08-Apr-2016
Abstract
AngloGold Ashanti was an early adopter of High Pressure Grinding Roll (HPGR) technology at both Tropicana Mine and the Gramalote Project. The increased energy efficiency achieved by HPGRs through confined bed breakage has been extensively researched in small scale tests, but slow industry...
01-Apr-2016
Abstract
Stirred mill technology dates back to 1928 where the idea to use "an agitator and spherical grinding media" was presented. In the context of the mining industry, interest in stirred milling technologies has grown over the last 20 years where the typical observation reported in the literatu...
20-Mar-2016
Abstract
The Detour Lake mine is located in north-eastern Ontario, approximately three hundred kilometres north-east of Timmins and 185 kilometres by road north-east of Cochrane.
The mill processes a free milling gold ore using both gravity circuit and leaching with a state of the art carbon-in...
20-Mar-2016
Abstract
This paper discusses the process design and layout of the Constancia Project comminution circuit. The circuit consists of a 60 x 113 primary crusher, two 16 MW SAG mills and two 16 MW ball mills. All four mills are twin pinion with wound rotor motor and gearbox drives. Provision for pebb...
16-Mar-2016
Abstract
Near infrared sensors can be a very useful technique for the qualitative analysis of complex ores, and thus could be useful for the preconcentration of ores. In this paper, individual particles of hydrothermally-formed copper ore sampled from a mine in the Los Pozos mining district, northe...
29-Feb-2016
ABSTRACT
Mill filling is an important operational parameter in a SAG mill circuit and by its control and optimisation it can produce significant improvements in production capacity and energy efficiency. However, it is industry practice to report mill load as the total output given by load cells, o...
20-Feb-2016
Abstract
The breakage characteristics of a two-component ore in a confined bed was studied in this work in order to predict the breakage behaviour of a multi-component ore from the properties of individual components. Bed compression tests with each single component and blended components at differ...
19-Feb-2016
Abstract
A specific energy-based size reduction model for batch grinding ball mills was reported in a previous paper (Shi and Xie, 2015). A discharge function modified from the Whiten classification efficiency equation has been incorporated in the size reduction model to extend its applications fro...
19-Feb-2016
Abstract
The slurry level in AG/SAG and ball mills has an influence on their power draw, which in some instances can be profound. This is particularly the case with so-called slurry pooling in AG/SAG mills which can result in significant lowering of power draw. From a predictive viewpoint there are...
19-Feb-2016
ABSTRACT
In 2012, a single module heavy medium cyclone plant (HMP) was installed at the Glencore Zinc’s (then Xstrata Zinc) McArthur River lead zinc mine. The HMP formed the first part of the MRM Phase 3 Project to increase run of mine (ROM) capacity from 2.4 to 5.5 Mt/a.
The purpose of the HMP...
17-Feb-2016
ABSTRACT
Over the 2012 to 2014 period, Anglo American Platinum (AAP) has been investigating the application of ore upgrading using XRF sensor technology sourced from Rados International, at Mintek South Africa. This has been in parallel with a more comprehensive sensor sorting investigation at th...
13-Feb-2016
Abstract
The Institute of Mineral Processing at the Montanuniversitaet Leoben in cooperation with the company CEMTEC has developed a pilot scale, 200 mm table diameter, vertical roller mill for energy controlled laboratory tests. The mill provides the technical options to vary process parameters li...
12-Feb-2016
Abstract
In the dry grinding industry the demand for very fine particle size distributions is increasing rapidly. At the same time a growing awareness for an economical management of our planet's resources has raised the demand for energy efficient processes.
Roller mills in general and specific...
12-Feb-2016
Abstract
Liners in grinding mills not only protect the mill shell from the aggressive environment inside the mill, but they also play a significant role in the efficiency of grinding. The design of mill liners dictates the charge trajectory and hence the grinding efficiency. The common approach in...
12-Feb-2016
Abstract
SELFRAG AG has developed a flexible pilot scale Pre-Weakening Testing Station (PWTS) using high voltage pulses (HVP). This provides a unique opportunity to investigate the machine setting conditions on ore breakage behaviour. A joint campaign was undertaken by the Julius Kruttschnitt Miner...
12-Feb-2016
Abstract
This paper compares the performance associated with both direct and reverse ball mill closed circuit configurations. Survey campaigns were carried out in both Samarco Mineração industrial plants, i.e., Concentrator I and Concentrator II. The former is equipped with a reverse-configured b...
12-Feb-2016
Abstract
Declining ore grade, leading to increased material transport and plant throughout requirements, is one of the major challenges in the current mining environment. This is accompanied by rising energy and labour costs, decreasing plant productivity and the requirement for highest plant avail...
20-Jan-2016
Abstract
Early gangue rejection or metal preconcentration at coarse scale (millimetres) based on size has been identified as a feasible operating alternative whereby energy efficiency and unit metal productivity can be greatly increased. This is achieved by understanding and exploiting ore-specific...
18-Jan-2016
Abstract
Reduction of energy consumption at Jhamarkotra Phosphate concentrator of M/s Rajasthan State Mines and Minerals Ltd was achieved in three stages (1) stabilizing the through put as per the norms of the detailed feasibility report of the project to achieve energy consumption to 53 - 56 kWh...
17-Jan-2016
Abstract
The latest state of the art on Discrete Element Method (DEM) and the increased computational power are capable of incorporating and resolving complex physics in comminution devices such as tumbling mills. A full 3D simulation providing a comprehensive prediction of bulk particle dynamics i...
12-Jan-2016
SAG 2015
A simple strategy is required for assessing the efficiency with which comminution circuits apply energy to achieve size reduction. A coherent methodology has been developed, based on well established theories, to graphically identify the opportunities for process improvement and the pote...
03-Jan-2016
Day Two of the International Mining and Resources Conference down in Melbourne opened with a bang on Wednesday 11 November 2015. After a fascinating talk from McLaren Applied Technologies on how the F1 industry has innovated by applying existing technologies in different ways, Tony O'Neill, Technica...
02-Jan-2016
The recent IMARC conference included a session on productivity in mining, addressing energy, systems and labour themes. Speakers for the session included CEEC Director Dr Zeljka Pokrajcic, and Anita Stadler from the Australian Alliance to Save Energy.
Dr Pokrajcic presented a brief profile of CEE...
07-Dec-2015
ABSTRACT
The Kansanshi copper ore body consists of distinct sulphide and oxide zones as well as a variable transitional zone containing both oxide and sulphide minerals which is referred to as the mixed ore zone. All three ores exist in exploitable quantities for the life of mine. The impact and...
02-Dec-2015
Ban Houayxai is a gold-silver mine operated by Phu Bia Mining Limited in Laos since 2012. The first two years of operation processed predominately soft oxidised ore but subsequent years were expected to process more fresh hard ore. Fragmentation of the fresh primary ores was also expected to be much...
01-Dec-2015
ENHANCED OPEN GEAR LUBRICANTS PROVIDE TANGIBLE BENEFITS FOR HEAVY INDUSTRY – THEY ARE THE ‘CLEAR’ CHOICE FOR IMPROVED OPEN GEAR RELIABILITY
ABSTRACT
The maintenance of large open gear systems at mines, power or cement plants present a significant challenge due to the heavy loads and harsh enviro...
01-Dec-2015
ABSTRACT
PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara – Batu Hijau site mine to mill program has been systematically improved and resulting in Geo-Metallurgical detailed ore characteristics is successfully being used for short and long term business planning and mill throughput predictions. Actual plant operating an...
30-Nov-2015
Abstract
The surface chemistry and mineral liberation changes of a porphyry copper ore after high voltage pulse (HVP) electrical comminution have been investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and mineral liberation analysis (MLA). Previous studies suggest that electrical comminutio...
26-Nov-2015
ABSTRACT
The total comminution and processing of hard ores to concentrate consumes a large amount of electrical energy and is theatrically reviewed. In the past two decades, research and case studies have demonstrated a beneficial relationship between explosive consumption and the grindability of...
26-Nov-2015
Abstract
As high grade ore deposits are depleted, remaining deposits are generally lower grade and require the mining and processing of larger volumes of material per tonne of product. These low grade deposits often contain a large proportion of barren gangue. Pre-concentration aims to remove this...
26-Nov-2015
Abstract
More complex ore bodies with lowering grades increase the challenges of maintaining high throughput, energy efficiency and required particle size for optimal downstream processing in grinding circuits. Continuous and often rapidly changing characteristics of the mill feed requires consta...
26-Nov-2015
Abstract
The effect of liner wear on SAG mill performance has gained much attention in recent years. It is commonly observed that the three key performance criteria of SAG milling; throughput, power and product size all improve as the liner wears.
The increase in throughput is generally ascrib...
26-Nov-2015
ABSTRACT
Mining consumes approximately 7% of the world’s energy from which almost half goes for comminution. Since the crushers are more energy efficient than mills, it is logic to push down-sizing in crushing stage(s) as far as possible. That has been Sandvik’s strategy in supplying crushers, in...
25-Nov-2015
ABSTRACT
The benefits of pre-concentration using sensor-based sorting have been widely reported with the greatest potential impacts on low grade and high tonnage operations such those mining copper porphyry deposits. Due to the non-selective nature of bulk surface mining methods, significant quan...
25-Nov-2015
ABSTRACT
A process involving pre-concentration, drum agglomeration and column leach was evaluated for nickel laterite ores from Western Australia. The result showed that pre-concentration by selective comminution followed by size classification has a potential to upgrade nickel laterites and to i...
25-Nov-2015
ABSTRACT
A novel technique using high voltage pulses (HVP) for ore pre-concentration has recently been reported. The technique utilises metalliferous grain-induced selective breakage and size-based screening to separate the feed ore by grade. Four copper-gold ore samples were tested to demonstrat...
25-Nov-2015
ABSTRACT
Blasting plays a major role in the fragmentation of rock in open pit mining, which is then crushed and processed before the final product is obtained. Tailoring the blasting method to suit rock mass characteristics can lead to significant improvements downstream. Mine to Mill is a method...
25-Nov-2015
ABSTRACT
Comminution is usually the heaviest energy-consuming process in the mine site. These days when efficiency concerns are becoming more and more important, developing a reliable and highly efficient way to grind and crush ore is a new field being explored by main industrial players. This pa...
25-Nov-2015
ABSTRACT
The inherent conservatism of the mining industry is well understood, but the current hurdles encountered with financing new projects have complicated instances when new technologies such as high pressure grinding rolls (HPGR) are considered, especially if it translates into higher capita...
25-Nov-2015