Circuit Mass Balancing

AMIT 135: Lesson 2 Circuit Mass Balancing – Mining Mill Operator Traini
ng (uaf.edu)
Mass In = Mass Out

Volume In = Volume Out

Ff = Cc + Rr
Two-Product Formula
• Given the mass and component balance equations :
•F=C+R
• Ff = Cc + Rr
• Mass yield (Y) can be solved as a function of the stream, assays which
yields the two-product  formula:
• R = F- C
• Ff = Cc + r (F – C)
Mass Yield Formula Example

Mass Yield = 1.5%

Component Recovery
• In many mineral processing applications, the focus is to maintain
maximum recovery of the valued mineral or element while also
maximizing upgrade or concentrate assay.
• Component Recovery Example

Cu Recovery, R = 73.5%

• Concentration Ratio, CR
Mass/Volume Flow Determination
• The relationship between the mass (M) and the volume flow (Q rates
in a given stream is defined as:

= the pulp density (solids and water) in lbs/ft3

X = solids concentration in % by weight

• Volumetric flow rate can be measured by flow meters, P-Q curve

relationships for pumps or directly measured.
• Pulp density can be measured using a Marcy Density of nuclear
density gauge.
• The solids concentration can be estimated using a common
expression or directly measured.
Pulp Density
• Density (ρ) is the ratio of the mass weight (M) of a substance and
the total volume (V):

• Water has a density of:

• 1.0gm/ml or 1.0gm/cm3
• 1000kg/m3 – 1tonne/m3
• 62.4lbs/ft3
• Specific gravity is the ratio of the material density over the density of
water:
Marcy Scale
• The Marcy scale is a common tool used in preparation plants to measure
pulp density.
• The scale uses a container that allows a volume of exactly 1000 ml.
•  After collecting  the sample,  the container  is hung on a weight  scale
which measures in grams.
• The printed scale reads the pulp density directly in grams/ 1ml.
• Since water density is 1.0 gm/ml, the scale also indicates the specific
gravity of the pulp.
Mass Flow Determination Example
• A classifying cyclone is being fed slurry at a volumetric flow rate of
1000 gpm. The specific gravity of the slurry is 1.1 and the solids
concentration was determined to be 15.0 % by weight. Determine the
mass feed flow rate in tons per hour:

Solution:
Volumetric Balancing Using Pulp Density
• Pulp density measurements around unit operations such as dense
medium separators and classifying, cyclones can be used to assess
volume yield.
• Consider the balance around a classifying cyclone:

• Thus, the volumetric yield to the underflow stream can be obtained

from the following expression:
Slurry Solids Concentration by Weight
• A classifying cyclone is treating 150 gallons/min of slurry. A plant
technician has measured the pulp densities of the process streams
using a Marcy density gauge and reported the following: feed = 1.08
gm/ml, overflow =  1.03 gm/ml and underflow = 1.20 gm/ml.
Determine the volumetric flow rates to each stream.
Solution:
_________%

_________ = _________ gallons/min

_________ = 150 X (1 – _________) = __________ gallons/min

• The solids concentration X of a slurry by weight can be measured
directly by:
• Collecting a sample,
• Measuring the weight of the total slurry or pulp Mp
• Drying the sample and
• Measuring the dry weight of solids Ms

Mw = water weight

• This equation is often used to determine the amount of water in a process

stream1 knowing the solids concentration by weight and the tons/hr of solids in
a process stream.
• Solids Concentration Example
• The underflow stream from the classifying cyclone bank contains 100
tons/hour of ore which represents 45% of the total slurry mass.
• The downstream concentrators require a feed solids concentration of 30% by
weight. How much water is required to be added to dilute the stream to the
required solids concentration?
% Solids & Pulp Density Relationship
• t often occurs that the knowledge of the solids content is needed within
a time frame less than the sample preparation and analysis time.
• When this situation arises, the solids content by weight can be
estimated knowing the pulp density as measured with the Marcy scale
and using the following equation:

X% = => solids density or specific gravity 2.65 for most host rock minerals.
water density (62.4 lbs/ft3 or 1gm/ml) or specific gravity (=1).
Estimation of Solid Density
Circuit Balancing
• Two-Product Formula Characteristics
• Formula only applies under steady-state conditions
• Formula very sensitive to variations in the reject assay, “r”
• Formula inaccurate when component is not separated
• Formula may calculate different yields for each assay (due to experimental
errors)
What to Do with Unbalanced Data
• Eliminate  Data
• avoid collecting or ignore data that conflicts
• most common approach in industry
• arbitrary and highly subject to user biases
• not getting full value out of your data
• Adjust  Data
• create consistent balances by adjusting data
• use method of “weighted least squares”
• adjustments should (i) satisfy all mass balances equations and (ii) be as small
as possible

AMIT 135: Lesson 2 Circuit Mass Balancing – Mining Mill Operator Training (uaf.edu)