MIDLANDS STATE UNIVERSITY

MANICALAND COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCES

NAME(s): KELVIN MURIRA

EMMANUEL CHIKEYA

PROGRAMME: MINING ENGINEERING

MODY OF STUDY: CONVECTIONAL

LEVEL: 4.1

MODULE MINERAL PROCESSING LABORATORY

LECTURER DR CHIPISE

ASSIGNMENT 1

QUESTION 1: Copy and complete the Table 1 below

 ANSWER:

 Nominal Aperture size is the “positive “particle size value on the sieve size range.
 Total wt. (g) = 18.5 grams
 %.Wt. = wt.(g) in each size fraction ÷ Total Wt.(g)
 Undersize = Total Weight – Wt.(g) on each size fraction
 Cumulative % = Undersize ÷ Total weight

Sieve Fractions
Table 1. Particle Size Analyses.

Nominal Aperture
Size Cumulative % Cumulative %
Sieve Size range
(µm) wt. (g) %wt. (µm) Undersize Oversize
>+200 3.5 18.92 200 81.08 18.92
>-200 + 120 4.5 24.32 120 56.76 43.24
>-120 + 60 2.5 13.51 60 43.25 56.75
>-60 + 30 2.8 15.14 30 28.11 71.89
>-30 + 15 1.8 9.73 15 18.38 81.62
>-15 + 10 2.6 14.16 10 4.22 95.78
>-10 0.8 4.32

(b)

Graph for percentage size vs undersize

90
Cumulative weight percentage undersize

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
10 100 1000
Aperture size (µm)

(c) The median particle size

n+1
Median =
2
 -10 µm, 10 µm, 15 µm, 30 µm,60 µm,120 µm,200 µm

7+1
=
2
= 4 th value

The median particle size is therefore = 30 µm

(d) The weighted mean particle size

1
x= N
¿
∑ Mi
I=1

¿ 3.5∗200+ 4.5∗120+ 2.5∗60+ 2.8∗30+1.8∗15+2.6∗10+1

18.5

=82.54054054

=82.54 to 2d.p

a) i. Copy and complete the following breakage function matrix:

0 0 0
0.87 0 0
0.13 1 0
ii. Assume you are interested in the behavior of three size classes from the batch test in (i). The size
distribution of the three size classes is as follows:

Class 1: 600 to 850 m

Class 2: 300 to 600 m

Class 3: <300 m

The initial mass of the ore is 1.4 kg and consists of 25% Class 1, 40% Class 2 and the balance Class 3.

Given that S1 = 0.43, S2 = 0.23 and S3 = ?, calculate the masses of Class 1, 2 and 3 after 3.2 minutes.

ANSWER

Si=a∗di 0.25
0.43= a * 6000.25
 0.43
a=
4.949232004
a=0.086882166=0.087

Since d is a value less than 300µm for size class 3 we assume 100µm for S 3

S3=0.087*1000.35

=0.436032893=0.44

Class 1 at 25%

P1 (t )=P1 ( 0)e−st

P 1 (t) ¿ 0.25 ×e−0.43 × 3.2

=0.063147

Mass for size class 1

m = P1 (t) × initial mass of the ore (m)

=0.063147×1400g

=0.088kg

Class 2 at 40%

b 21 s 1 p1 (0) e−s 1 t b21 s 1 p1 e−s 2 t

P2 ( t ) = − + p 2(0) e−s 2 t
s 2−s 1 s 2−s1

0.87∗0.43∗0.25 e−0.43 (3.2) 0.8 7∗0.43∗0.25 e−0.23(3.2)

¿ − + 0.4 e−0.23 (3.2 )
0.23−0.43 0.23−0.43
=0.306948

Mass for size class 2

m = P2 (t) × initial mass of the ore (m)

m= 0.306948×1400g

m=0.4297272

m=0.430kg
Class 3 at 35 %

P3 (t) = [1- (P1 (t) + P2 (t))]

P3 (t) = [1- (0.063147 + 0.306948)]

P3 (t) = 0.629905

Mass for size class 3

m = P3 (t) × initial mass of the ore (m)

m=0.629905×1400g

m=0.882kg