Introduction to Mineral

Processing

 Scope of mineral
processing

 Definitions

 Economics

 Project Stages
 Mining Terminology - Review

Miners send their products to their customer – the mill.

 Ore : Rock that contains a mineral or minerals in sufficient
quantities as to make commercial extraction (mining –
milling) profitable.
 Grade : A measure of concentration of a mineral/metal
contained in rock (or ore). Gold and other precious metals –
g/t or oz/t, base metals - %, uranium – kg/tonne, rare earth
elements – ppm…
 Cut off Grade : The minimum concentration or grade of
mineral that is required for rock to be considered ore.
 Waste : Not Ore.
 Ore Body: A mineralized deposit (resource) whose
characteristics have been examined and found to be
commercially viable. The extents of the ore body are
determined by the cut-off grade.
 Mineral Processing

 Is the recovery of valuable minerals from ore

 Takes place in a mill, aka concentrator - because it
concentrates valuable minerals by removing unwanted
material.
The two main products are the concentrate streams
(valuable minerals) and the tailings streams (rejects).
Disciplines related to mineral processing
 Fields of Metallurgical Engineering
Description Example of topics
Field
Theory and practice of
liberation of minerals
Crushing and grinding,
Beneficiation or from ores and their
magnetic and electrical
Mineral Dressing separation by physical
methods, flotation, etc.
methods at ambient
conditions
Mineral Processing Chemical methods
sometimes at high
temperature and Leaching, precipitation,
Extractive metallurgy pressure for treating electrolysis, oxidation,
ores to recover their reduction, etc.
metal values in a pure
form
Study of physical Crystal structure, effect
properties of metals and of impurities,
Physical metallurgy
alloys, preparation of metallography, heat
alloys treatment, etc.
Processing of metals in
Engineering metallurgy Casting, welding, etc.
Metal Processing the molten state
Processing of metals in Forging, rolling,
Mechanical metallurgy
the solid state extrusion, piercing
 Engineering Terminology in
Mineral Processing

 Circuit: The path that the ore that is being

processed takes as it proceeds from one
processing point to another.
 Flow Sheet - Drawing that indicates the
path that the mineral takes within a
process. Several circuits are often
contained within a flow sheet
 Recovery Rate – The percentage of
valuable metal/mineral, by mass, in the
concentrate from the feed
 Mineral Processing

The goals of mineral processing are to:

separate economic mineral particles from

waste or gangue
subject minerals to processes in order to
concentrate them or to extract metals from
them
 Many forms of mineral processing
 Depends on feed material and desired product
 Mineral Processing Terminology

 Concentration: Another word for grade

 Heads: A term that is used to denote the mineral
found in the FEED to a circuit.
 Head Grade: aka feed concentration
 Concentrate: a purified mineral. May require
further downstream processing to convert for
end uses. Examples: Copper and nickel sulfides
 Tailings - Material rejected from a mill after the
recoverable valuable minerals have been extracted.
 Industrial mineral: is used for end purpose
without chemical alteration. Examples: gravel,
coal
 Mineralogy: Description of mineral contents
 What is mineral processing?

Mineral:
a)A solid naturally-occurring compound having
a definite chemical composition.

b) Inorganic substance that are extracted from

the earth for use by man.

c) A naturally occurring inorganic element or

compound having an orderly internal structure
and characteristic chemical composition,
crystal form, and physical properties.
 Mineral classification

Nonmetallic processing has some commonalities

with metal processing, but lots of differences
Examples of minerals
Examples of minerals
 Mineralogy determines recoverability
 Impact of mineralogy

 We mine rocks but

we concentrate
minerals.
 Gangue minerals
also important
 Understanding
mineralogy allows
design of processes
 Important for
feasibility studies
 What is mineral processing?

Processing –
Extract values, reject waste
Conversion of mined ore into usable product

More expensive/challenging with lower

grade ores
Numerous processing methods
 Mineral Processing Methods =
beneficiation + extractive metallurgy

Beneficiation aka Mineral Dressing

Overlap of physical and chemical methods, depending on product
Where extractive metallurgy leaves off, metal processing begins
 Mineral Processing Terminology

 Beneficiation: enrichment of ores and separation of unwanted

gangue minerals
 subsequent metals extraction more efficient.
 Can be divided into two distinct steps:
 Liberation: the rock is broken down by mechanical means,
mineral components become independent of each other,
detached Separation: valuable minerals are separated by
means of physical and physico-chemical methods making
use of differences in specific gravity, magnetic properties,
etc.

 Extractive metallurgy:
 Chemical reactions of the processes
 equipment where reactions take place
 Flowsheets – combinations of processes
Typical Beneficiation Steps
 Beneficiation Terminology

 Comminution: Reduction of particle size

 Starts at mine with blasting

 Two basic types of equipment used:

 Crushing – breakage by compression

 Grinding – breakage by abrasion and impact

Comminution Equipment

Shaft
Comminution Equipment

Shaft
 Beneficiation Terminology

 Classification : Separation based mainly on

particle size

 Behavior affected by size, shape, and density of

the particles

 Two common types of classifiers:

 Screens – dry method, coarser particles

 Hydrocyclones – wet method, finer particles

Classification Equipment
 Beneficiation Terminology

 Separation Techniques take advantage of the

differences in characteristics between minerals:
 Flotation: Attachment of minerals to air bubbles -
hydrophibicity
 Magnetic Separation: Apply magnetic field
 Gravity Separation: differences in specific gravity
of materials
 Electrostatic Separation: Apply electrostatic
polarity
 Particle size distribution has large influence on results
 Separation Equipment

 Flotation cell
 Separation Equipment

 Magnetic
separator
 Separation Equipment

 Gravity separation - jig

 Separation Equipment

 Electrostatic
separator
 Beneficiation Terminology

 Dewatering: To remove water from a substance.

Also refers to the circuit where this takes place.

 Dewatering Techniques:
 Thickener: Allow gravity settling
 Filter: Apply air pressure to draw water out
 Centrifuge: Apply centrifugal force
 Dryer: Apply heat to evaporate

 Slurry Density: The amount of solids in a slurry,

expressed as a percentage by weight.
 Dewatering Equipment

 Thickener
 Dewatering Equipment

 Disc filter
 Dewatering Equipment

 Rotary kiln dryer

 Beneficiation Terminology

 Waste Disposal - "Mining is waste management ..."

 The majority of tonnage mined must be disposed of as tailings
 Water used must be treated and released

 Tailings Dam: Built from ground waste rock discharged after

processing from the mill

 Acid Mine Drainage: produced by exposing sulfide minerals to air

and water, resulting in oxidation that generates acid.

 Waste Rock: Unprocessed non-mineralized / low grade mined

material

 Water Balance: Accounting of water inputs and outputs from a

mine/mill site.

 Water Treatment: The removal of harmful contaminants from

water
 Waste Disposal

 Tailings Dam
 Waste Disposal
 Waste Rock Pile
 Waste Disposal
 Acid Mine Drainage
 Waste Disposal

 Water Balance