Project Ascension Phase 2 Update January 2003项目提升阶段2更新一月2003.pptVIP

Can we double the energy efficiency of grinding ? Diminishing returns on research ? Radical new technologies? 10 years or longer ? The tools are already available Laboratory grinding and flotation characterisation Quantitative mineralogy Basic thermodynamics We already have the tools to double the efficiency of processing : grind the right streams, in the right place, to the right size Processing Efficiency … A common circuit Where is the lowest energy place to remove this impurity ? Mine Preconcentration Roughing Cleaning Smelting/refining Grind it out. Or add Silica and limestone, and melt it out at 13500C How can we use existing tools better ? Simplify use of quantitative mineralogy Make better use of regrinding Look at the mill-smelter interface Quantitative Mineralogy … …. See the forest for the trees What do we want to achieve in each part of the circuit, eg Primary grind and rough for recovery Look for gangue liberation, not mineral liberation Regrind and clean for grade Look for mineral liberation and entrainment Distinguish symptoms from causes Eg fines in tails may mean … … you are grinding too fine OR you are grinding too coarse ! Grind the right minerals in the right place Primary grind as coarse as you can Regrind as fine as you need Regrind cleaner feed, not cleaner tail No step change from grinding a minor stream Energy Efficient circuit Do we do enough Regrinding ? Fines are hard to float ? Not with clean surfaces and good size distributions Regrinding hurts chemistry ? Not with inert grinding Regrinding is inefficient ? Not any more Fines float very well when : 96% of recovered particles at MRM are less than 2.5 microns High Power Efficiency High Power Intensity - media size - stir small media at high speed. 3 MW IsaMill Installation A Step Change in Technology A new tool for plant design Regrinding that is energy efficient improves mineral surf