DISCIPLINE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

TEST: 06 MAY 2024

COURSE AND CODE: OIL AND MINERAL PROCESSING ENCH2OM

DURATION: 60 MINUTES

TOTAL MARKS: 50

INTERNAL EXAMINER: Dr. S. FASHU

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. All questions should be attempted

2. Any programmable or non-programmable calculator may be used provided it has been

cleared of any information that would subvert the purpose of the examination

3. Calculations must be shown in sufficient detail to illustrate your understanding of the

procedure

ENCH2OM: Test
 UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL Page 1 of 3
DISCIPLINE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
COURSE: ENCH2OM DATE
LECTURER: Dr. S.FASHU
TOPIC: Test (50 marks, 60 minutes) 06 May 2023

QUESTION 1

a) Define the following terms as they are used in mineral processing:

i. Mineral Resource [2]
ii. Mineral Exploration [2]
iii. Concentration [2]
iv. Classification [2]
v. Mineralogy [2]
b) Classify crushers into three stages and give two examples of crushers in each stage. [6]
c) Identify four (4) main unit operations in a mineral processing plant. [4]
[Total: 20
Marks]
Solution
a) The following definitions were required:
i. Mineral Resource-A Mineral resource is the occurrence of solid material in the earth’s
crust in a concentration that there are reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction.
[2] ii.Mineral Exploration- Determination of the size and grade of the
ore using measurements occurring after prospecting.
[2]
iii.Concentration- Concentration is the separation of minerals based on physical or chemical
properties. The purpose of concentration is to separate the wanted mineral from the unwanted
gangue. [2]
iv.Classification- Classification is the separation of mixtures of mineral particles into two or
more products by exploiting the difference in the velocity with which the grains flow through
the fluid medium. [2]
v. Mineralogy- It is how the mineral value is distributed in the rock matrix
[2]
b). Crushers are classified into primary (jaw, gyratory, harmer mill), secondary (gyratory,
roll, cone, impact, rotary) and tertiary crushers (rod mill, cone, roll, impact, rotary).
[6]

ENCH2OM: Test
 UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL Page 2 of 3
DISCIPLINE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
COURSE: ENCH2OM DATE
LECTURER: Dr. S.FASHU
TOPIC: Test (50 marks, 60 minutes) 06 May 2023

c). Unit operations in the Mineral processing plant include crushing, screening, milling
(grinding & classification), and concentration (separation). [4]

QUESTION 2
(a) A plant treats 210.0t of material during a shift, assaying 2.5% metal, to produce a
concentrate of 40% metal and a tailing of 0.20% metal. Copy and complete the table below
[5]

ITEM WEIGHT /t ASSAY /% WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION

METAL/t METAL / %
FEED 210.0 2.5 - 100
CONCENTRATE - 40 - -
TAILINGS - 0.2 - -

(b) A tin concentrator treats a feed containing 1% Sn and three possible combinations of
concentrate grade and recovery are;
High grade: 63% tin at 62% recovery
Medium grade: 42% tin at 72% recovery
Low grade: 21% tin at 78% recovery
Determine which of these combinations of grade and recovery produce the highest separation
efficiency.
[5]
[Total: 10 Marks]

Solution
(a)
ITEM WEIGHT /t ASSAY /% WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION
METAL/t METAL / %
FEED 210.0 2.5 5.25 100.0
CONCENTRATE 12.1 40 4.84 92.2
TAILINGS 197.9 0.2 0.40 7.8

ENCH2OM: Test
 UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL Page 3 of 3
DISCIPLINE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
COURSE: ENCH2OM DATE
LECTURER: Dr. S.FASHU
TOPIC: Test (50 marks, 60 minutes) 06 May 2023

F c−t 40−0.2
The ratio of concentration = = = =12.1t
C f −t 0.2.5−0.2
The tailing weight is thus 210.0−12.1=197.9 t.
The metallurgical balance for the shift is tabulated in the Table above.

100 mC ( c−f )
(b) Solution: S.E = Rm - Rg =
f ( m−f )
c R f
Rm = C ×100 C= m
f 100 c

62× 1
High grade C = =0.0098
100× 63

RMM Sn
m ¿ =78.6
RMM SnO2

100× 78.6 ×0.0098 × ( 63−1 )

S.E = =61.79 %
1 × ( 78.6−1 )

Similarly, for the medium-grade concentrate:

72 = 100×C ×42/1

∴C = 1.714×10-2 and S.E. = 71.2%.

For the low-grade concentrate:

78 = 100×C ×21/1

∴ C = 3.714 × 10-2 and S.E. = 75.2%.

Therefore, the highest separation efficiency is achieved by the production of a low-grade

(21% tin) concentrate at high (78%) recovery.

QUESTION 3
a) Describe the crushing mechanisms of a Gyratory and Jaw crusher. Under what conditions
is the Gyratory crusher selected? [4]
b) Identify harmful materials in the mineral processing plant and describe how they can be
removed. [4]

ENCH2OM: Test
 UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL Page 4 of 3
DISCIPLINE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
COURSE: ENCH2OM DATE
LECTURER: Dr. S.FASHU
TOPIC: Test (50 marks, 60 minutes) 06 May 2023

c) Identify grinding media used in SAG and AG mills and highlight the advantages of each
method. [4]
d) Distinguish between closed and open circuit crushing. [4]
e) What determines the choice of a primary crusher? Why do we use dry grinding in
crushing and wet grinding in milling?
[4]
[Total: 20
Marks]
Solution
a) A Jaw crusher consist of a pair of metallic jaws (a stationary and a moving jaw). The
moving jaw closes and opens in cycles. On the closing cycle/ stroke, the ore is
shattered between the jaws and on the opening stroke the fragments bigger than the
crusher discharge gap are retained while smaller ones are discharged.
[5]
b) Harmful materials and how they can be removed are seen in table below.

[5]

ENCH2OM: Test
UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL Page 5 of 3
DISCIPLINE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
COURSE: ENCH2OM DATE
LECTURER: Dr. S.FASHU
TOPIC: Test (50 marks, 60 minutes) 06 May 2023

c) In AG mills, the ore grinds itself, which is pebbles of the same ore are used to grind
smaller particles. In SAG mills, the grinding media includes steel balls/ rods and
pebbles of the same ore. [4]
d) Distinguishing open from closed circuit.

[4]
e) The choice of a crusher depends on the maximum size of the ore which the crusher
would take and the capacity required. The jaw crusher is preferred where the gap is
more important than the capacity. For example to crush material of a certain
maximum diameter, the gyratory crusher having equal gap has the capacity three
times higher than that of the jaw crusher. If large gap is required but not capacity, use
the jaw crusher. The jaw crusher will be a smaller and more economical machine
both. [3]

ENCH2OM: Test