Some definitions

• Run-of-mine (ROM) – as mined ore which

consists of your valuable minerals and gangue

• Concentrate – enriched portion, containing

most of the valuable minerals

• Tailing – predominantly the gangue mineral

Fundamentals of Mineral
Processing
Introduction
 Recall

We NEED
Metals

10 Source:
MINERALS
 Recall : Ore
• Do we have ore
in the
Philippines?
Statistics of Philippines’ mineral production – mgb.gov.ph
 Do we have the technology? YES!
GOLD
Wohlwill Process:
• Miller Process:  Selective Deposition of Gold
– Chlorine gas is passed using REDOX
through molten gold to  >99.99% Au
ppt other metals
– >99.5% Au
CIP / CIL / CIC:
 Selective Dissolution of Gold
using cyanide
 >0.3% Au feed

Direct Smelting:
 Slag formation for Merrill-Crowe Process:
removal of Au  Zinc-Dust Precipitation of Au
impurities impurities
 Do we have the technology? YES!
NICKEL
• HPAL: Moa Bay Process:
– H2SO4 Leaching of Ni  H2SO4 Leaching of
into sulfate at ↑T, ↑P Ni into sulfate
– 0.8% Ni → 57% Ni

Sherritt Gordon Process:

 NH3 Leaching of Ni

Direct Smelting:
 Slag formation for removal of
Ni impurities
 Do we have the technology? YES!
COPPER
• Heap Leaching:
– H2SO4 Leaching of Cu Flash Smelting
into sulfate  Autogenous Fine-particle
– >0.1% Cu Feed smelting of Cu
 >30% Cu feed

Electro-Refining:
Mitsubishi Process:
 H2SO4 Leaching of Cu into sulfate
 Continuous Furnace Smelting
 99.99% Cu product
of Cu
Do we have the technology? YES!
IRON
Midrex / COREX Process:
• Blast Furnace  Direct Iron Oxide Reduction
Smelting:
– Iron Smelting

Basic Oxygen Furnace

Smelting:
 Selective oxidation of Fe
Impurities
What is the problem, then?
• TECHNICAL: Sensitivity of the
processes!

• ECONOMIC: Cut-off Grades!

VS. VS.
 What is the problem, then?
• ENERGY: high consumption of
energy, high cost
 Bridging the Gap

• Mineral Processing
“de-stresses” the
transition between
the mineral source,
to the final metal
product!
Mineral
Processing
 Mineral Processing
Treatments applied to the ore containing
valuable metallic or non-metallic minerals prior
to recovery and separation

• - also termed as ore dressing

• mineral dressing, milling
• mineral beneficiation
 Mineral Processing
• Involves the mechanical separation of
valuable minerals from the value-less material
of an ore

• The valuable mineral is collected into a smaller

bulk w/o altering physical and chemical
identity of the minerals
 Mining

MINERAL PROCESSING
???

Extraction
 Objectives of Ore Dressing
• Technical
– To bring the valuable mineral or the final
product into suitable technical condition
as required by the process

– Undesired constituents of the original

ore must be removed or reduced below
the specified levels
 Objectives of Ore Dressing
• Economic
– To remove the unwanted minerals in the
CHEAPEST WAY POSSIBLE

– To reduce unit material handling costs

 Economic Criteria
• Mineral Processing must be cost-
efficient!
– If an ore or mineral is not marketable w/o MP, the processing
operation will not be justified unless the product has a selling
price GREATER than all the costs involved in producing it

PROFIT =(Metal Price)–(Mining+MP )

+ Others)
= if (+), OK!
 Benefits of Mineral Processing
• Freight savings

• improved metal purity

• reduced treatment charges

 Benefits of Mineral Processing

• Take advantage of low cost, high

tonnage mining methods

• Makes it possible to treat material

which could never be classed as ores
Fundamental Operations
of Mineral Processing
Liberation vs Concentration
Definition
• Liberation
– Release of valuable minerals from their waste
gangue minerals

• Concentration
– Separation of valuable minerals from the gangue
 Unit Operations

• Comminution
• Sizing
• Concentration
• Dewatering
• Auxillary Operations
 Comminution
• particle size reduction by breaking,
crushing, or grinding of ore, rock,
coal, or other materials

• a critical component in most mineral

processing flowsheets
 Comminution

• Goals: LIBERATION

• Done either wet or dry

• Consumes a lot of energy (>40%

of total Mine/Mill consumption)
 Sizing
• To distinguish in a positive or
negative way between particles with
different sizes

• Includes screening and classification.

 Concentration
• Separation of valuable minerals

• Based on the physical characteristics

of minerals
 Dewatering
• Solid/liquid separation by thickeners
and filters
• Goal : produce a relatively dry
concentrate for shipment
 Auxiliary Operations
• Includes ore storage and ore
handling facilities
– Ore transport and ore feeding

• Bins, conveyors, feeders, pumps,

etc.
Unit Operations: in context

Concentration
Comminution

Sizing Dewatering