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Theory of Separation at the Mine

Dr Sarma S Kanchibotla
Separation: Where it Starts?

• Resource has a finite

High grade amount of mineral
Low grade • Ore is the portion of the
resource, where the
Ore
revenue from the
mineral is higher by a
Resource certain % than the costs
to separate it from
waste

Revenue Cost of separation

• price • stripping ratio
• dilution • mining costs
• throughput • milling costs
• Recovery rates

Blast results impact the cost of separation and value

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Mining Impact on Separation

High grade
Low grade
1000m Ore

Resource
Blast
induced
Dilution

100m

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What is Dilution ?

High grade
Low grade

Ore
1000m

Resource

Mineable block
Ore in the minable block (tons) = y
Mineral in the minable block (g) = x
Insitu grade in the minable block (g/ton) = x/y

100m Dilution is the decrease in the grade of a minable

block

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Fragmentation Vs Dilution and Damage

• General perception is improvement in fragmentation increases dilution

and damage
• Reasons for that are
• Increased fragmentation means increased explosive
energy
• Fragmentation and damage are two sides of the same
coin
• Increased explosive energy increases movement and
thus dilution
• Are they true ??

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Ore Loss and dilution - Causes

• In accurate estimation of in
situ ore body

Mineable block

Estimate or Model

• In accuracy or in adequate
exploration drilling data
• In accuracy in ore body modeling
• Follow the ore body while digging
• Not possible in all ore types

Actual

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Ore Loss and dilution - Causes

• Inaccurate definition of ore body

• Blast induced movement
• Improper blast design and
initiation sequence
• Inaccurate estimation of ore
body movement
• Inappropriate excavation
methods
• Excavation equipment size
• Method and direction of digging

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Blast Movement

Free face – Forward movement

Top movement

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Ore Loss and dilution - Causes

• Blast induced movement Ore

Waste

Pre-blast

• What is the cause dilution?

• Blast movement, or
Post-blast • Lack of information on blast
movement

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Blast movement and dilution

Top flitch High grade

Low grade

Bottom flitch

Top flitch
Centre Lift
Bottom flitch

Top flitch
Free Face
Bottom flitch

It is very important to know pre-blast and post blast ore body locations
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Uncontrolled Blast Movement

Uncontrolled movement Controlled movement

Uncontrolled movement makes it difficult to predict movement and hence

increases dilution and ore loss

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Blast Movement Dynamics

Waste
Low Grade

High Grade

IP

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Blast Movement - HSBM

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 25m from free face
Measurements 349
1st west Centre 1st east 2nd east

348
347
346
345
344 Free face

343
342
Buffer
341
340 Bench floor

339
75m from free face 0 5 10 5 10 0 5 10 0 5 10

349
348
347
346
345
Free face
344
343
342 Buffer
341
Bench floor
340
339
0 5 10
0 5 100 5 10
0 5 0
10 5 10

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Blast Damage

• Altering the properties of rock beyond the blast

boundaries
• Impact of damage
• Safety
• Formation of boulders
• Major problem for u/g (blockages of ore
passes)
• Difficult drilling and loading for the
subsequent blast
• Increases dilution
• Stripping ratio
• Recoveries

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Blast damage

Walls with berms

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Critical areas in final wall

Crest

Wall

Toe

Crest
Crest

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Damage mechanisms – shock induced

• Extent of damage depends on

• Explosive energy
Open joint
• Shock energy
Tensile • Distribution
wave • Rock mass properties
Spalling • Strength
• Structure
• Attenuation
Radial fracture
• Shock damage can be minimised
Compressive • Reducing the shock energy
wave Crushed zone • Decoupling
• Low shock energy
• By proper energy distribution

Damage = f (shock energy, rock breakage characteristics)

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Gas induced damage

Crack extension due

to gas penetration
Shock induced and
Gas flow natural discontinuties Gas flow
direction direction

Extent of gas
induced damage

Extent of gas damage = f (gas penetration velocity, relief)

Gas damage can be reduced by increasing the relief

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Structure

Explosive column
desensitisation and or
Disruption and or
deflagration

Gas penetration velocity – 300 – 1000 m/s

Delay timing < Adjacent explosive column disruption time = S / Gas penetration velocity

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Influence of structure

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Mineralisation - gangue rejection

• In-situ structure (major and minor - veins)

has a significant influence on the breakage
behaviour.
• Breakage occurs naturally along pre-existing
fracture planes with very little energy input
to form slabby or platy fragments.
• Are these fracture planes mineralised or
waste

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 Natural grade deportment
Gold only • How do we measure natural grade deportment ?
• How can we use the characteristic to reject waste ?
• What is the cut off size ?

Copper gold

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 • Why we blend ores ?
• To maintain consistent feed characteristics
at the concentrator
• To ensure good material flow thru the
process
• What feed characteristics impact downstream
efficiency?
Blending • Grade
• Hardness
• Size
• Mineralogy and recovery characteristics
• What happens if we mix different ores ?
• Fine grained ores with coarse grained ores
• Hard ores with soft ores
• Additional cost of blending vs. better process
performance
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 • Separation starts at the mine
• Mining activities – blasting, digging
and blending will have significant
impact on feed characteristics and
final recovery
• Minimising blast induced dilution
can minimise ore loss and waste
sent to the mill
Separation • Appropriate blending based on ore
characteristics can minimise
at the mine recovery losses
• By understanding natural grade
deportment can potentially
enhance early waste rejection and
improve downstream process
efficiency

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