Introduction

Introduction

The practice of minerals processing is as old as human civilisation. Minerals and products derived from minerals have formed our development cultures from the flints of the Stone Age man to the uranium ores of Atomic Age.
The ambition with this handbook, Basics in Mineral Processing Equipment, is not to give a full coverage of the subject above. The intention is to give technicians involved in mineral operations practical and useful information about the process equipment used, their systems and operational environment. The technical data given are basic, but will increase the understanding of the individual machines, their functions and performances.

Basic Definitions
It is important to know the definitions of mineral, rock and ore as they represent different product values and partly different process systems Mineral Na
+

Rock

Ore

Mineral

Mineral

Mineral

CO22- Fe2+ OHHeat Pressure

Heat

Pressure

Heat Deformation

Rock

Ca Co3

Fe2 O3

SiO2

Rock

Rock

Ore

Ore

Rock
Pressure Chemical activity

Ca2+ Si4+ O2-

Natural components of chemical elements

Compounds of minerals

Rocks containing minerals or metals which can be recovered with profit

Artificial minerals Man made minerals are not minerals by definitions. But from processing point of view they are similar to virgin minerals and are treated accordingly (mainly in recycling processes).

Slag

Concrete

Mill scale

Glass & Ceramics

BASICS IN MINERAL PROCESSING

Ore

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Introduction

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Minerals by Value
Minerals

Introduction

Industrial Minerals
Abrasives Corundum Quartz Diamond a.o. Glass Quartz Feldspar Calcite Dolomite a.o. Plastic Calcite Kaolin Talc Wollastonite Mica a.o. Ceramics Quartz Kaolin Feldspar a.o. Fertilisers Phosphate Potash Calcite Dolomite a.o. Refractories Wollastonite Calcite Dolomite Corundum a.o.

Mineral Fuels

Rock
Non-ferrous
Base Metals Copper Lead Zinc a.o. Light Metals Aluminium Magnesium Titanium Precious Metals Gold Silver Platinum a.o. Rare Metals Uranium Radium Beryllium a.o.

Ores
Ferrous Alloy
Alloying Metals Chromium Vanadium Molybdenum Tungsten a.o.

Coals Oil shale (Oil sand)

Ferrous
Iron

Aggregate, Sand & Gravel Concrete ballast Asphalt ballast Rock fill Industrial sand a.o.

Fillers and Pigment Barite Bentonite Calcite Dolomite Feldspar Talc a.o.

Introduction
The goal in mineral processing is to produce maximum value from a given raw material. This goal can be a crushed product with certain size and shape or maximum recovery of metals out of a complex ore. The technologies to achieve these goals are classical, complementary and well defined. Below they are presented in the Process Frame of Minerals, classified according to their interrelations in product size and process environment (dry or wet).
Introduction

The Process Frame of Minerals

Size

1m

100 mm

10 mm

1 mm

100 micron

10 micron

1 micron

Drilling (and blasting) is the technology of achieving primary fragmentation of in situ minerals. This is the starting point for most mineral processes with the exception of natural minerals in the form of sand and gravel. Crushing and screening is the first controlled size reduction stage in the process. This is the main process in aggregate production and a preparation process for further size reduction. Grinding is the stage of size reduction (wet or dry) where the liberation size for individual minerals can be reached. By further size reduction filler (mineral powder) is produced. Slurry processing includes the technologies for wet processing of mineral fractions. Pyro processing includes the technologies for upgrading of the mineral fractions by drying, calcining or sintering. Materials handling includes the technologies for moving the process flow (dry) forward by loading, transportation, storage and feeding. Compaction of minerals includes the technologies for moving and densifying minerals by vibration, impaction and pressure, mainly used in construction applications.

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Introduction
Introduction

Mineral Processing and Hardness

All deposits of minerals, rock or ores have different hardness depending on the chemical composition and the geological environment. Mohs numbers are a simple classification: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Talc Gypsum Calcite Fluorite Apatite Feldspar Quartz Topaz Corundum Diamond Crushed by a finger nail Scratched by a finger nail Scratched by an iron nail Easily scratched by a knife Scratched by a knife Hardly scratched by a knife Scratches glass Scratched by quartz Scratched by a diamond Cannot be scratched Graphite, Sulphur, Mica, Gold Dolomite Magnesite Magnetite Granite, Pyrite Basalt Beryl

In 1813 an Austrian geologist, Mr. Mohs, classified minerals according to their individual hardness.

In operation we naturally need more information about our feed material. See information on work index and abrasion index, section 3 page 2.

Size and Hardness

All operations have different process environments due to mineral hardness and size range. It is important to know in which range we are operating as this will affect many process parameters, (wear rate, uptime, operation costs etc.). Size and hardness together give interesting information.
Hardness Mohs 10 METALLIC MINERALS 9 8
BALLAST

ROCK

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

7 6
AGGREGATES SAND

5 4
MICRO FILLER SAND

3 2

INDUSTRIAL MINERALS
Size 1m 100 mm 10 mm
8

1
COARSE FILLER FINE FILLER
1 mm 100 micron 10 micron 1 micron

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BASICS IN MINERAL PROCESSING

Introduction
Beside size and hardness, the classical stress forces of rock mechanics are the fundamentals in most of what we do in mineral processing. They guide us in equipment design, in systems layout, in wear protection etc. They are always around and they always have to be considered.
Introduction

The Stress Forces of Rock Mechanics

Tensile

Compression

Impaction

Shearing

Attrition

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