ENHANCED LIBERATION IN HPGR CIRCUITS

*F. Heinicke1 and Dr. R. Erpelding1

1

ThyssenKrupp Polysius AG
Graf-Galen-Str.17
59269 Beckum, Germany
(*Corresponding author: Felix.Heinicke@thyssenkrupp.com)

ENHANCED LIBERATION IN HPGR CIRCUITS

ABSTRACT
High Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGR) are said to be a good option in new grinding circuits. Due
to their low energy consumption compared to other grinding systems such as SAG milling, there is a strong
incentive to check their behaviour for certain ore types. With rising energy prices the operation will
become even more beneficial in future. As published in the past, the HPGR is claimed to increase the
liberation of the valuable mineral component within an ore. An investigation at the research centre of
Polysius was conducted to substantiate the liberation behaviour in finish grinding operations. A pilot scale
HPGR test unit (POLYCOM MAGRO) with a roll diameter of 950 mm and processing capacity of 80 t/h
was used. Grinding tests were completed with a screen and a two stage drying air separation process
(SEPOL). Analysis included standard screen analysis, fractional XRF and modern MLA technology. A
technique was developed to oppose the amount of produced slimes (resuming bad flotation) against the
positive effect of producing high mass fraction at flotation-easy sizes. The paper shows how effective the
use of a dry grinding separation could be in terms of production of mass of liberated metal.
KEYWORDS
HPGR, liberation, separator, selective breakage, MLA, dry grinding, grinding efficiency
INTRODUCTION
HPGR technology applications in hard rock mining (platinum, copper and gold ores) have grown
since the fundamental research of breakage behaviour by Prof. Schnert in the 1980s [Klymowsky 2001].
Proven HPGR installations with roll diameters of 2.4 m and a motor power of 6000 kW have a throughput
capacity of 2500 t/h [Bearman 2006]. Studded tyres are known as the means of resisting the wear of the
abrasive ores. The use of variable speed drives and the ability to adjust the force during operation make the
HPGR very functional for process engineers [Patzelt 2002].
Also, in view of the rising energy prices, the energy efficiency of the HPGR compared to
conventional comminution systems like ball mills seems unbeatable [Drunick 2006]. Moreover, increased
recovery is monitored for several types of ore [Michaelis 1995]. Due to the preferred fracture under high
pressure conditions the ore weakens at the mineral boundaries inside the particle [Daniels 2007]. Also
micro-cracks have been observed which may increase the process of leaching (Figure 1) [Patzelt 2002].

Figure 1: Products of ball mill and HPGR [Patzelt 2002]

Those advantages can be launched by several flowsheet designs which may differ from ore to ore
[Solomon 2010]. Typically HPGRs in hard rock applications are operated in circuit with a screen
[Patzelt 2000]. Oversize material recycles to the HPGR as undersize material is to be ground in ball mills
until the fineness for hydrometallurgical treatment is reached. New circuit concepts devised by POLYSIUS
may spare the use of ball mills completely.
One basic idea is to switch the flowsheet to dry grinding processes using a HPGR POLYCOM
and a two stage air separator SEPOL. Those systems are common in cement applications. Due to the
process parameters air flow, rotation speed of the separator cage and position of the guide vanes, both
fineness and steepness of the product size distributions are controllable. It is possible to produce steep size
distributions. Those distributions may be ideal for flotation systems as no coarse material sediments and no
fines can be flushed out of the cells. An additional advantage of dry grinding is the possibility to store the
product and exactly define the mass feeding rate to the hydrometallurgical process.
In addition to this concept, the SEPOL separators normally produce products in several size
ranges: A course product, which is normally recycled to the HPGR, a middle and a fine product. As other
beneficiation processes for several kinds of metal such as gold or tungsten are coming into focus, an ore
optimised flowsheet is easily possible. One idea is to take the middle product and enrich it in a mechanical
step (density separation). As the SEPOL process parameters are variable during operation, a daily
adjustment to the specific ore is possible.
To evaluate those advantages the R&D center of POLYSIUS did several tests showing the effect
of the new grinding systems for a specific type of ore. Experimental setup and analytical procedures, a
theoretic method to calculate the effects and the results are detailed below. The main goal is to look for the
mass of liberated metal in the product to compare several HPGR circuits.
EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
HPGR of different sizes are available at the POLYSIUS R&D center . For this project a
POLYCOM HPGR type MAGRO was used with a diameter of 950 mm and a length of 350 mm under
variable speed conditions (Figure 2). Batch and circuits tests were conducted.

Figure 2: HPGR POLYCOM type MAGRO

HPGR batch tests

Figure 3 shows the principal setup of the batch test. 250 kg of material were filled into the feed
bunker. At the beginning of the test, the slide valve opened quickly and the MAGRO nipped the material in
between the studded rolls. The speed of the rolls was set to 0.21 m/s, although this size of machine could
be easily operated at 1 m/s or even higher. The selected speed is an acceptable compromise to limit the
amount of material to be split and analysed according to DIN EN 932-1 regulations.

Figure 3: Batch test setup

The center and edge product along the rolls axis is normally collected separately with a product
splitter. For this test series the product was combined. Representative samples of the feed and the products
were taken. The motor power and the pressures of the MAGRO were measured and recorded. Also the
throughput of the machine was quantified.
Table 1 shows the experimental test data. The material produced flakes which could easily be
disagglomerated during wet screening. Figure 4 shows the size distribution of feed and products from the
testwork. Higher pressures produce more fines.
Table 1: Batch test data
test
initial l pressure [bar] initial gas pressure [bar]
batch 1
45
40
batch 2
25
20
batch 3
15
12

specific operation pressure [N/mm]

3,31
1,95
1,64

specific energy input [kWh/t]

1,37
0,76
0,66

100

cum. percent passing [%]

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0,01

0,10

1,00
size [mm]

Feed
Product @1,95N/mm

10,00

100,00

Product @1,64N/mm
Product @3,31N/mm

Figure 4: PSD of feed and products batch tests MAGRO

HPGR circuit tests
The circuit tests were conducted with a wet screen and a two stage dry air classifier SEPOL:
Wet screen circuit
The wet screen was operated at a cut size of 1 mm. The coarse oversize material was recycled and
mixed with the original (fresh) feed to again reach the mass of the batch tests (Figure 5). To achieve stable
test conditions inside the MAGRO the choosen mass was 250 kg. This material was again comminuted
inside the HPGR to be screened out afterwards. The tests were run as long as mass stability of the systems
was proven. Then samples of the MAGRO feed (not the fresh feed!), over- and undersize were taken. Mass
flows were observed to calculate the internal circulation load. Again process parameters of the batch test
were measured and recorded.
Due to the wet screening process, the moisture in the MAGRO feed increased up to 5 %. The
HPGR handles this ore without any problems. The circulation factor was around 2.5 at a specific grinding
force of 3 N/mm. The energy consumption was 1.28 kWh/t based on Magro feed or 3.20 kWh/t based on
fresh feed. No flakes were found in the fines or coarse product. This test was the reference for the
comparison with dry grinding options.

Figure 5: Test setup for wet screen tests

Dry air classifying circuit

The product of the MAGRO was lifted by a bucket elevator to the static-dynamic air separator
SEPOL (industrial Figure 6 or Figure 7/Figure 8 as set up in R&D). An air stream is drawn through the
separator. Coarser particles drop out in the static stage (coarse ~>1mm) and a finer fraction is lifted to the
dynamic stage. The rotor of the dynamic stage separates the intermediate product of the static stage to a
middle size (~0.2mm-1mm) and final circuit product.

Exhaust Gas

SEPOL LMR

Feed material
PRODUCT

Middlings

Feed chute
Hot Gas
from Preheater

Static stage
Grit I
Figure 6: SEPOL schematic

Figure 7: SEPOL two-stage dry air classifying system

The cut size of the static stage is mainly controlled by the air velocities in the static stage, whereas
the final product characteristics are mainly controlled by the variable speed of the rotor of the dynamic
stage and the position of the guide vanes. The final circuit product leaves the separator in the process air.
The product is removed in a bag filter (baghouse) from the process air.

Figure 8: Test setup for dry separation tests with SEPOL

This two stage air classifier is also of great advantages in view of wear. The static stage separates
the highly wearing coarse particles from the material flow and thus prevents the moving parts of the
separator from excessive wear. The dynamic stage with variable speed drive and adjustable guide vanes
can be adapted to the ore characteristics in order to optimize liberation of the subsequent
hydrometallurgical process.
Samples of the fresh feed, MAGRO feed, coarse, middle and fines can be taken during operation.
Masses of the fresh circuit feed as well as the static stage grits and the dynamic stage grits are measured
and allow the calculation of the internal circulating loads.
The circulation factor was around 2.5 at a specific grinding force of 3.2 N/mm. The energy
consumption was 1.16 kWh/t based on Magro feed or 2.90 kWh/t based on fresh feed (without power of
separator and bucket elevator). No flakes were found in the fines or coarse product, but some of the fines
remained in the coarse material, as the cleaning forces of water from wet screening are not available in the
dry separation process.
ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES
To verify grinding and liberation behaviour, standard screen analysis, XRF and modern MLA
technology was used. As the steps of analysis are important to the results they generate, the details are
described below.
Screen analysis
The samples of all tests were split according to DIN EN 932-1. All samples were wet screened.
The product fractions were oven dried. Feed moisture was 4.5%. Single size fractions were split for XRF
and MLA analysis.

XRF analysis
Standard XRF analyses were conducted. Figure 9 shows the distribution of metal in the feed. High
concentrations of metal can be observed around 0.8 mm. It may be valuable to split off this fraction in a
dry air separation process and concentrate with mechanical separators. Also, some metal accumulates in

the fines fraction of 0-0.02 mm. This material is easily lost during the flotation process. So overgrinding
should be avoided.
0,8
0,7

metal content [%]

0,6
0,5
0,4
0,3
0,2
0,1
0,0
0,01

0,10

size [mm]

1,00

10,00

Figure 9: XRF analysis of the feed

MLA analysis
Mineral Liberation Analyses (MLA) were conducted to determine the liberation degree. As the
ore could easily be distinguished from the gangue by ultraviolet light, it was checked under the microscope
that material greater than 1 mm was not liberated. As the main goal was to look for the mass of liberated
metal in the product, MLA analyses were only conducted for the size fractions below 1 mm. As the metal
content was very low, multiple measurements were required. All samples were analysed according to the
following procedure:
a) Generate a gray scale image with primary electrons and identify different grains.
b) Measure size and XRF of each gray scale inside all of the particles.
c) Check database mineral standard.
d) Calculate the liberation of the metal under condition that 95 % of the grain surface are liberated.
CALCULATIONS AND RESULTS
As already mentioned, fine material under 0.02 mm causes problems during flotation. According
to the ultraviolet optical sorting tests, no metal over 1 mm was liberated for the tested ore. To compare the
different batch and circuit tests, the mass of liberated metal between 0.02 and 1 mm should be maximized
to increase the recovery of further concentrator steps.
The amount of liberated mass ml,i inside each of the size fractions xi can be calculated using the
mass of the size distribution q(xi) from wet screening, the metal content AS(xi) from XRF and the
liberation degree LIB(xi) from MLA according to equation (1). Figure 10 shows this distribution for the
feed.

ml ,i

q( xi ) * AS( xi ) * LIB( xi ) .

(1)

0,08
0,07
0,06

ml,i [%]

0,05
0,04
0,03
0,02
0,01
0,00
0,01

0,10

1,00

size [mm]

Figure 10: Amount of liberated mass in the feed according to equation (1)
The total liberated mass S in the size range can be calculated by a sum of all individual fractions
according to equation (2):
1mm

q( x) * AS( x) * LIB( x) dx .

(2)

0, 02mm

As an evaluation parameter for the effectiveness of size reduction, selective breakage and
liberation in batch and circuit tests, the relative increase I of the total liberated mass from the feed (S F) to
the product (SP) was calculated. I is defined with the mass of feed (mF) and product (mP) according to
equation (3):

SF * mF SP * mP
.
SF * mF

(3)

Grinding effectiveness, liberation and selective breakage were thereby focused into one
comparable value. The analysis and calculations were performed for all tests. To show the effect of
multiple HPGR exposure, the grinding tests in simulated circuits with screen and air separator can be
balanced to the batch test values. As discussed before, I gives the selective liberated amount in the fraction
of 0.02 mm to 1 mm. Figure 11 and Figure 12 show the comparison of different test settings.

relative increased liberated mass I [%]

200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
batch @ 1,64 N/mm

batch @ 1,95 N/mm

batch @ 3,31 N/mm

SCREEN 1mm cut size

Figure 11: Calculated values I for single pass and screen tests

relative increased liberated mass I [%]

180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
batch @ 1,64 N/mm

batch @ 1,95 N/mm

batch @ 3,31 N/mm

SEPOL 1mm cut size

Figure 12: Calculated values I for single pass and SEPOL tests
For single pass batch operation, the highest liberated mass is produced with a high specific
pressure of 3.31 N/mm. Hence this pressure setting was used in the circuit tests. This may not be the
economic optimum, as the power consumption increases with pressure. Economic evaluations remain to be
done, but are not within the scope of this paper.
The next step was to apply the pressure setting in simulated grinding circuits. The grinding
screening circuit showed a liberation increase of up to 140 % (Figure 11). This approximately increases the
liberated mass of optimum single pass tests by 5.4 times. If 100 g of metal have been liberated in the feed,
this circuit step would generate 240 g of material in the product.

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Similar results were achieved with the dynamic separator, when compared to the single pass tests
(Figure 12). To indicate the advantage of the 2 stage air separation, Figure 13 and Figure 14 show the
liberation as well as the metal concentration for the middlings and the fines.

0,7
0,6

metal content [%]

0,5
0,4
0,3
0,2
0,1
0,0
0,01

0,10

1,00

size [mm]
Middlings

Fines Product

Figure 13: Metal content for SEPOL tests

100

MLA liberation [%]

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
0,01

0,10

1,00

size [mm]
Middlings

Fines Product

Figure 14: Liberation values for SEPOL tests

Whereas the metal concentration is similar in the finer fractions below 0.05 mm, a considerable
accumulation is to be observed in the coarser fractions of the middlings. In addition, the liberation of these
coarser fractions is much higher in the middling than in the fine fraction of the product.
Due to the process parameters air flow, rotation speed of the separator cage and position of the
guide vanes, the cut sizes are controllable. Hence it is possible to react to the daily ore specifications by
changing the operating parameters of the SEPOL.
With the two-stage separator yielding two products that can be adjusted during operation, an
additional degree of freedom is available. These results show that with such innovative grinding systems, it
will become possible to adjust the grinding circuit in such a way that the beneficiation line can be

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optimized to suit the variable characteristics of the ore body. The grinding system can be operated in such a
way that hydrometallurgy extracts the maximum of the valuable metal.
The changeable cut size is of great interest for process engineers as it may allow closed-loop
control systems in the future. Additional to the pressure and speed of the HPGR flow sheets with HPGR
and SEPOL can become very flexible to solve problems which may not have been seen during investment.
CONCLUSIONS
Each ore has a particular behavior during comminution and hydrometallurgical treatment. Thus
grinding tests in a simulated closed circuit are essential not only for the design of the grinding system but
also for the optimization of the subsequent treatment. The HPGR and SEPOL equipment, as well as an
MLA Installation, is set up within the Polysius R&D center to perform service work for our clients.
This study shows that:
Fine grinding (D80 approximately 0.150 mm) is possible in an HPGR circuit.
Fine grinding in a closed circuit with an HPGR and air separator is possible without drying.
The use of a two-stage air separator gives an additional degree of freedom for the operation
and allows optimization of the process during operation.
This fundamental step in upgrading the recovery may be characteristically for each ore type.
Anyway it shows the potential of dry separation processes. Due the production of different sizes and
concentration of metal the development of new flow sheets becomes valuable. Today we can already state
that the use of SEPOL and HPGR system in the minerals industry has the potential to be the next step to an
better operation of the concentrators.
NOMENCLATURE
AS(xi)
F
I
LIB(xi)
ml,I
P
S

= metal content
= feed
= relative increase of liberated mass S
= liberation degree
= amount of liberated mass
= product
= total liberated mass in the size range
REFERENCES

Bearman, R. (2006). High-Pressure Grinding Rolls - Characterisation and defining process performance for
engineers. Advances in Comminution Technologies, S. 3-14
Daniels, M. (2007). Energy efficient mineral liberation using HPGR technology.PhD Thesis. University of
Queensland
Drunick, W., Smit, I. (2006). Energy efficient comminution - HPGR experience at Anglo Research. SAG
Conference, S. IV125-IV139
Michaelis, H. (1995). Real and potential metallurgical benefits of HPGR in Hard Rock Ore Processing,
Randol Conference, S. 1-9
Patzelt, N., Klymowsky, R. , Knecht, J. and Burchardt, E. (2002). Challenges for High Pressure Grinding
in the new Millenium. Seventh Mill Operations Conference in Kalgoorlie (2000), S. 47-55

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Patzelt, N., Klymowsky, R. , Knecht, J. and Burchardt, E. (2002). High Pressure Grinding Rolls in
AG/SAG Mill Circuits - The next step in the evolution of grinding plants for the new millennium.
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Patzelt, N., Klymowsky, R. , Knecht, J. and Burchardt, E. (2002). Selection and sizing of High Pressure
Grinding Rolls, In SME Handbook, S. 1-40
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