Metallurgy gangue: phosphates,

chlorites, hematite,
The science and art of extracting metals from their ores, refining them, and preparing them for use magnetite

Types:

Physical metallurgy Factors which control the suitability and value of mineral deposits as sources of metal

Extractive metallurgy 1. accessibility of the deposit and proximity to fuel, power and water supplies, etc.

Adaptive metallurgy 2. The form and concentration of the metal (ex Ni ores: laterite has 0.3% Ni, limonite has 2% Ni)

Physical metallurgy 3. The demand for, and value of, the metal

The science and technology of metals and alloys and the effects of processing, composition and 4. The nature of the gangue
environment on their properties
5. The aggregation (size) and dissemination (distribution) of the valuable mineral
The desired properties may be electrical, mechanical, magnetic, or chemical in nature; all of them can be
enhanced by alloying and heat treatment 6. The nature and concentration of metallic impurities or secondary values

Extractive metallurgy Aggregation and dissemination refers to size and distribution

The practice of removing valuable metals from an ore and refining the extracted raw metals into
Minimum
purer metal content:
form
Non-ferrous ores = < 1% metal
Adaptive metallurgy
Gold may be recovered 6ppm of the metal
Casting
Low grade iron ores = <20% metal
Forming
Crystals of cassiterite, a commercially valuable mineral, in a matrix of quartz, the gangue
Machining
Classification of ores
Joining of metals
1.Native ores – the metal is present in the elementary form
Occurrence of metals
2.Sulphide ores – contain the metal in the form of a sulphide
1. Metals in the crust of the earth
3.Oxidised ores – the valuable mineral may be present as oxide, sulphate, silicate, carbonate, or some
2. sea-bed deposits hydrated form of these

-gold and platinum are found principally in the native or metallic form 4.Complex ores – contain profitable amounts of more than one valuable mineral

-Silver, copper and mercury are found native in the form of sulphides (with sulphur), carbonates
Classification
(CO2-3) of ores according to their gangues
and chlorides (Cl-)
-Calcareous or basic (lime rich)
More reactive metals
-Siliceous or acidic (silica rich)
-Oxides and sulphides
Mineral processing
(ex. Of iron)
-Also known as ore dressing, mineral dressing or milling, follows mining and prepares the ores for
-Oxides and silicates extraction of the valuable metal

(ex. Of aluminum and beryllium) -a process of physically separating the grains of valuable minerals from the gangue minerals to produce an
enriched portion, or concentrate (containing most of the valuable minerals) and a discard, or tailing
Silicates – silicon bearing anions (containing the gangue minerals)

Minerals CONCENTRATION
(enrichment process)
-Naturally occurring compounds (were given names according to their composition
-Pyrometallurgical process (extraction and refining of metals at higher temperatures)
-Ex: Galena (PbS) – lead sulphide
-Hydrometallurgical process (The treatment of metal or the separation of metal from ores and ore
Sphalerite (ZnS) – zinc sulphide concentrates by liquid processes)

cassiterite (SnO2) – tin oxide FUNDAMENTAL METHODS OF MINERAL PROCESSING

• Eight elements account for over 99% of the earth’s crust -Liberation-Liberation is accomplished by comminution

- 74.6% (Si and O) (the release of the valuable minerals from their waste gangue minerals)

- 2% (Al, Fe, and Mg) -Separation of the valuables from the gangue

- <0.1% other useful metals (ex: Cu – 0.0055%) (concentration)

ORE physical methods of separation

-Mixtures of extractable minerals and extraneous rocky material 1. Separation dependent on optical properties, etc. (ex: sorting)

Can be described briefly as an accumulation of mineral in sufficient quantity as to be capable 2.

of Separation
economic dependent on specific gravity differences (mass effects)
extraction
3. Separation utilizing the different surface properties of the minerals (froth flotation)
Galena (PbS) – Lead ore
4. Separation dependent on magnetic properties
Chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) – Copper ore
5.Separation dependent on electrical conductivity properties (high-tension, electrostatic separation)
Cinnabar (HgS) – mercury ore (mercuric sulfide)
FLOWSHEET
Galena valuable: Pb
- shows the sequence of operations in the plant
gangue: Cu, Zn, quartz,
calcite - Can be presented as a block diagram in which all operations of one character are
grouped
Chalcopyrite valuables: Ag, Cu
(+) – oversized material returned for further treatment

(-) – undersized material allowed to proceed to the next stage

ORE HANDLING

-Which may account for 30-60% of the total delivered price of raw materials, covers the
process of transportation, storage, feeding and washing of the ore en route to, or during,
its various stages of treatment in the mill

Removal of harmful materials

-Iron and steel can jam the machinery

-Wood can be ground into fine pulp and causes choking or blocking of screens, choking
flotation cell ports, consume flotation reagents by adsorption and decompose to give
depressants, which hinder valuable minerals unfloatable

-Clays and slimes will hinder screening, filtration and thickening , and consume reagents

Sampling and weighing of ore

Sampling is the means whereby a small amount of material is taken from main bulk in
such a manner that it is representative of that larger amount

Weighing and sampling should be carried out before the material is subject to losses in
the mill

Take at least 5% of the total weight if the ore as a primary sample

Moisture sampling

-Moisture samples and assay samples must be taken from a point near to the weighing
equipment

-Grab sampling is commonly used

- Least accurate but the cheapest and the most rapid

- Samples must be collected and placed in a sealed container

% moisture =

Samples should not be dried at temperatures above 105oC

Assay sampling

-The bulk sample requires thorough drying and mixing before further division to produce
a reasonable size for assay

-The bulk sample should be made as homogeneous as possible

-If complete homogeneity is achieved, every increment obtained by the sampling

method will be representative of the material

-Coning and quartering

-The oldest method

-It is used in dividing small quantities of material

-Consists of pouring the material into a conical heap and relying on its radial symmetry
to five 4 identical samples when the heap is flattened and divided by a cross-shaped
metal cutter

-2 opposite corners are taken as the sample, the other corners are discarded

-The portion chosen as the sample may again be coned and quartered

The process continued until a sample of the required size is produced

The Jones riffle

-This splitter is an open V-shaped box in which a series of chutes is mounted at right
angles to the long axis

-Sample is poured into the chute and split into equal portions by the slots, until after
repeated cycles a sample of the desired size is obtained