Screens and cyclones in closed grinding circuits

Hakan Dündar1, Alexander Kalugin2, Marco Delgado3, Alberto Palomino4, Ali

Türkistanlı5, Benigno Aquino6 and Alban Lynch7
1. Hacettepe University, Turkey
2. OJSC Apatite, Russia
3. Condestable Mine, Southern Peaks Mining LP, Peru
4. Catalina Huanca Mining Society Enterprise, Peru
5. Eczacıbasi Esan, Turkey
6. Sociedad Minera El Brocal S.A.A., Peru
7. University of Queensland, Australia

ABSTRACT

Dynamic separators are efficient dry classifiers because new designs during the last 50 years have
reduced the by-pass and improved the partition curve. By contrast cyclones have been used as
classifiers in wet grinding circuits for 50 years but without serious change and the early problems
which were caused by high and variable by-pass, and different mineral specific gravities, still exist.
High frequency screens are now used for wet separation and the operating characteristics of closed
grinding circuits using cyclones or screens are discussed. Data come from circuits at the
Condestable, Cerro Lindo, El Brocal and Catalina Huanca mines in Peru, the Eczacibasi mine in
Turkey, and the Apatit mine in central Kola Peninsula in Russia. All classifier data are described by
their partition curves and all mill data by their breakage rates. With cyclones the by-pass, d50, and
sharpness of the partition curve change as operating conditions change but with high frequency
screens the values vary little because the by-pass is low, the sharpness is high, and d50 depends on
the aperture size. Data from all plants indicate that lower by-pass and sharper separation improve
breakage rates and throughputs. An initial model of the screen is proposed.

1
INTRODUCTION
A size separation process can be described by its partition curve which shows the % of each size
fraction in the feed which enters the coarse product. The variables which define it are the slope or
sharpness of the linear section of the curve, the d50 value which defines its location on the graph,
and the by-pass which is the fraction of particles which are misplaced into the coarse fraction.
In both dry and wet grinding circuits cyclones have been used for decades to separate fine from
coarse particles in the grinding mill discharge, with the coarse particles being recycled to the mill
for more breakage. The recycle stream contains the by-pass as well as the coarse particles and
cyclone separators tend to have a high recycle. Dry cyclones have been used for more than 100
years in cement grinding circuits and high by-pass was a perennial problem because of its adverse
effects on d50 and on the sharpness of the curve. Since the 1950s two new generations of dry
separators have been built, both with the objective of reducing by-pass to minimise d50 and
increasing productivity. Their success is indicated in Table 1 which shows the progress in
improving classification and in Figure 1 which shows a typical partition curve for a modern air
separator.

Table 1 The progress of dry separators

Static 1st generation (1890) 2nd generation (1960) 3rd generation (1980)
d50 (m) Not applicable 20+ 15-20 10-15
Bypass % 60+ 50+ 15-35 5-15
Sharpness 0.65-0.75 0.80-0.85 0.85-0.90 0.95-1.20

100
Ideal
90
separation Real
80
separation
70
partition %

60
50
40
30
20
Fish Hook
10
Bypass
0
d50
1 10 100 1000
mean particle size (micron)

Figure 1 Partition curve for a modern air separator

By contrast wet classification has made little progress. Cyclones became the dominant classifiers in
wet grinding circuits in the 1950s because they were small, inexpensive, and able to cope well with
the high and varying flow rates which were occurring in the higher capacity circuits. They are still
commonly used in all types of wet grinding circuits although their inefficiencies due to high by-
pass and a variable partition curve which changes with change in ore type can lead to poor
classification, high recycling loads and reduction in plant capacity.

2
For years the dominance of cyclones meant that there was little use of screens in grinding circuits
but the development of high frequency mechanisms and of screen surfaces with very small
apertures, are renewing interest in them as fine classifiers. In this paper six cases are presented in
which high frequency screens are used as classifiers in grinding circuits. A simulation model of a
screen is also discussed.

CATALINA HUANCA MINE, PERU

The Catalina Huanca mine is located in the province of Victor Fajardo, Department of Ayacucho,
Peru, south east of Lima. Mining has been carried out at the site during many centuries and the
present operation started in 1964. The ore is polymetallic with the current head grade being
approximately 7% Zn, 1.4% Pb, 0.2% Cu and 1.25 oz/t Ag. Processing is by conventional grinding
and flotation. The capacity of the San Jerónimo plant has been increased on three occasions since
1964, each time by the addition of a ball mill and flotation cells, and the current throughput is 1800
t/d. For many years grinding was in primary and secondary ball mills then a 2.90x4.27 m rod mill
was installed in 2011 and secondary grinding was in three parallel ball mills with sizes of 1.83x1.83
m, 2.13x2.44 m, and 2.44x1.83 m. These mills were closed circuit and discharges went to a high
frequency screen. The oversize was ground in a 2.44x1.83 m ball mill which was operated in closed
circuit with the classifier (Figure 2). Cyclones and screens were tested in closed circuit and better
partition curves were obtained with the screen, reducing the circulating load and increasing the
breakage rates in the mill. Partition curves for the open circuit screen and for the screens and
cyclones in closed circuit, and breakage rates when cyclones and screens were used, are given in
Figures 3-5.
Cyc. OF

SC-1 feed Cyc. feed

SC-2 feed

BM-2 feed
BM-1 feed BM-3 feed Cyc. UF

SC-1 OS SC-2 OS
SC-2 US

7' x 8' BM-4 feed

6' x 6' 8' x 6'

8' x 6'

SC-1 US

Final

Figure 2 Flowsheet of the Catalina Huanca grinding circuit

3
 100
300 mic - 44 tph Feed
300 mic - 45 tph Feed
80
300 mic - 42 tph Feed
300 mic - 42 tph Feed

partition %
60 230 mic - 43 tph Feed
230 mic - 42 tph Feed
40 230 mic - 44 tph Feed
230 mic - 43 tph Feed
20

0
10 100 1000
mean p.size (micron)

Figure 3 Partition curves for open circuit screens classifying primary mill discharge at Catalina
Huanca
100 10
BM-cyclone / 126 tph BM feed
BM-cyclone / 75 tph BM feed
80 BM-screen / 41 tph BM feed
BM-screen / 27 tph BM feed
partition %

1
60
cyc. - 126 tph -

R/D
568% C.L.
40 cyc. - 75 tph -
396% C.L. 0,1
sc. 230 mic - 41
20 tph - 129% C.L.
sc. 230 mic - 27
0 tph - 88% C.L. 0,01
10 100 1000 10 100 1000
mean p.size (micron) p.size (micron)

Figure 4 Partition curves for cyclones and screens in the Figure 5 Breakage rates in the ball mill at Catalina
circuit with ball mill at Catalina Huanca Huanca when cyclones and screens were used.

CONDESTABLE MINE, PERU

The Condestable and Raúl mines are owned by Condestable SA, which is a unit of Southern Peaks
Mining SA. They are located in the Province of Cañete, Department of Lima, Peru. The principal
sulfides are chalcopyrite, bornite, pyrite and pyrrhotite. Conventional grinding and flotation
circuits are used to produce copper concentrate containing gold and silver by-products. The
Condestable mine was expanded during 2000 to 2007 to increase plant capacity from 1569 mtpd to
5500 mtpd and by 2006 the plant was operating at 4100 mtpd. At this time cyclones were replaced
by high frequency screens and the capacity of the plant increased to 6000 tpd in 2013. The reasons
were the better partition curves of the screens and the higher breakage rates in the mills and these
will be discussed using data from one of four ball mill-classifier grinding circuits. The ball mill was
3.81m by 4.72m, the cyclone was 26 in. dia, and the Derrick screen had 300 µm apertures. Data
shown in Figures 6 and 7, and the mass flows, tell the story.
 With the cyclone installed the feed rate of fresh ore to the circuit was 59 tph and the flow rate of
ore to the ball mill was 177 tph.
 When the screen was installed the rates were 68 and 131 tph respectively.
 The partition curve for the screen was sharper than for the cyclone and the by-pass was smaller.
This caused the reduction in recycling load.

4
  The screen product (15.2% +212 µm) was coarser than the cyclone product (7.4% +212 µm) but
this did not adversely affect the flotation result.
Figures 6 and 7 show the partition curves and breakage rates when the cyclone and screen were
used. The higher breakage rates with the screen indicated that higher circuit throughputs were
available if required.

100 100
cyclone BM-cyclone
80 BM-screen
screen 10
partition %

60

R/D
1
40
0,1
20

0 0,01
10 100 1000 10 100 1000 10000
mean p.size (micron) p.size (micron)

Figure 6 Cyclone and screen partition curves at Figure 7 Breakage rates for the 3.81mx4.72m ball mill
Condestable at Condestable when the cycl. and screen were used

EL BROCAL MINE, PERU

Peruvian polymetallic miner El Brocal, was established in 1956 and is a subsidiary of local precious
metals mining company Buenaventura. It engages in the exploration and production of zinc, lead,
copper and silver in Peru and works mainly in the Cerro de Pasco region which is 300 km north
east of Lima at an altitude of 4.4 km. Silver was mined in the region for 500 years but exhaustion of
the rich silver veins led to mining of the fine grained lead-silver-zinc-copper in the Colquijirca
mine and concentration in the Huaraucaca plant. In 2006 combined production from the
underground and open pit mines was 3.34 million tons, with 40 million tonnes of ore in reserves
and over 50 million tonnes in resources.
In 2004 the metallurgical processes were re-engineered to increase plant capacity, and this included
replacing cyclones with high frequency screens (Aquino B and J Vizcarra 2007). By 2007 the
grinding circuit capacity had been increased from 138 tph to 243 tph. The circuits and the operating
conditions in 2004 and 2007 are shown in Figure 8. The 2007 circuit contained 3 rod mills for
primary grinding, 2 ball mills closed with a screen for secondary grinding, and 2 ball mills closed
with cyclones for tertiary grinding which are not drawn.
Many changes were made during the re-engineering of the plant which contributed to the large
increase in feed rate with the most significant change being from cyclones to screens. The partition
curves for the cyclones and screens in 2004 and 2007, and the corresponding breakage rates in the
mill, are shown in Figures 9 and 10.
The screen fines were coarser than the cyclone fines (56.3 and 67.7% -75 µm) but the flotation results
were satisfactory. This emphasises the importance of understanding how the fine particles
produced by cyclones and screens behave in downstream processes such as flotation, gravity
concentration and leaching. A better understanding of the nature of these particles in terms of
composition and surfaces will be possible when quantitative SEM analysis from QEMSCAN or

5
MLA is available to characterise fine particles from plants in which both cyclones and screens are
used.

46 tph 46 tph 46 tph 81 tph 81 tph 81 tph

RM RM RM RM RM RM
7'x12' 7'x12' 7'x12' 7'x12' 7'x12' 7'x12'

173 tph

777 tph 390 tph

35 tph

604 tph

243 tph
BM BM BM BM BM BM 147 tph
8'x10' 8'x10' 8'x10' 8'x8' 8'x10' 8'x10'

Figure 8 Circuit configurations and operating conditions of El Brocal; 2004 on the left, 2007 on the right

100 1000
cyclone -
538 tph BM-cyclone
80 Feed 100 BM-screen
screen -
385 tph
60 10
partition %

Feed
R/D

40 1

20 0,1

0 0,01
10 100 1000 10 100 1000 10000
mean p.size (micron) p.size (micron)

Figure 9 Partition curves for cyclones and screens at Figure 10 Breakage rates in the 2.44x3.05 m ball mills
El Brocal at El Brocal when cyclones and screens were used

MINERA CERRO LINDO

Minera Cerro Lindo is one of four mines operated in Peru by Compañía Minera Milpo S.A.A. Cerro
Lindo is located in the province of Pasco, Peru, and produces copper, lead, and zinc concentrates.
The mine was established in 2007. The grinding circuit at Cerro Lindo consists of a 4.42x7.16 m ball
mill operating in closed circuit with a bank of 0.6 m cyclones and a typical circuit product at 242 tph
was 58.9% passing 75 µm. Replacing the cyclones with high frequency screens (230 and 180 µm
apertures) reduced the circulating load and the feed rate increased to 275 tph with no adverse effect
on flotation results.

6
The cyclone and screen partition curves, and the breakage rates for the ball mill when the cyclone
and screen were used are shown in Figures 11 and 12.
100 100
cyclone
80 screen
10
partition %

60

R/D
1
40

0,1 BM-cyclone
20
BM-screen
0 0,01
10 100 1000 10 100 1000 10000
mean p.size (micron) p.size (micron)

Figure 11 Partition curves for cyclones and screens in Figure 12 Breakage rates in the 4.42x7.16 m ball mill
the grinding circuit at Cerro Lindo at Cerro Lindo when cyclones and screens were used

OJSC APATIT, KOLA PENINSULA, RUSSIA

The “Apatit” company was established in 1929. It is situated in the centre of the Kola peninsula by
the foot of the Khibiny mountains and carries out mining and processing of the apatite-nepheline
ores in the Khibiny mountains deposits. Of the ten known deposits six are currently being
exploited, with ore reserves of over 2000 million tonnes (P2O5 content is 12 to 16%). The annual
output of apatite concentrate is 7.5-8 million tonnes. OJSC Apatit operates two underground mines,
two open-pits and two dressing factories. Apatite concentrate is extracted by flotation from the
crushed apatite-nepheline ore and nepheline concentrate is floated from the apatite concentrate
(Gorbachev A and Golovanov V 1998). At present two plants are in operation, ANOF-2 and ANOF-
3. In both plants spiral classifiers and cyclones are used in the grinding circuits.
At ANOF-2 there are two sizes of mills operating:
 4.5mx5.0m ball mills with average productivity of 184-188 tph fresh feed.
 3.6mx4.0m ball mills with average productivity of 90-94 tph fresh feed.
At ANOF-3 the ball mills are 5.5mx6.5m and operate with two-stage classification by cyclones
(1400mm and 1000mm). Average productivity is 300-315 tph fresh feed. This plant is currently
being modernized and cyclones are being replaced with "Derrick" high frequency screens.
Classification in ANOF-2 is carried out with spiral classifiers and cyclones as shown in Figure 13. A
typical mass balance is included. The partition curves for the spiral classifier and HC1000 primary
cyclone are given in Figure 14.

7
 186.9 tph
923.9 tph
4.5m x 5m

482.4 tph 78.9 tph

175.7 tph

737.0 tph

Figure 13 Apatit circuit flowsheet in ANOF-2 OJSC Apatit

100

80
partition %

60

40

spiral
20
HC1000
0
0,01 0,1 1 10 100
mean p.size (mm)

Figure 14 Partition curves for spiral classifier and the main cyclone at ANOF-2

The high circulating load of 400% limited the production rate. During 2005-2006 test programs to
compare cyclones and high frequency screens were undertaken. Partition curves were defined for
screens and cyclones in a mill-classifier circuit in ANOF-2 and the curves are shown in Figure 15.
The breakage rates of particles in the 3.6mx4.0m mill operating with the cyclone and with the screen
were calculated and are shown in Figure 16.
100 100
screen - 297 tph Feed BM-screen / 297tph BM feed
80 cyclone - 447 tph Feed
BM-cyc. / 448tph BM feed
10
partition %

60
R/D

40
1
20

0 0,1
0,01 0,1 1 0,1 1 10 100
mean p.size (mm) p.size (mm)

Figure 15 Partition curves for cyclones and screens in Figure 16 Breakage rates in the 3.6x4.0 m ball mill in
the circuit containing the 3.6x4.0 m mill in ANOF-2 ANOF-2 when cyclones and screens were used

The better partition curves and higher breakage rates which were obtained with the screens in the
3.6x4.0 m mill circuit indicated that the feed rate would be increased in the larger mill circuits when
screens were used, so the cyclones were replaced by screens in one circuit in which a 4.5mx5.0m

8
ball mill was used. The result was an increase of 25% in feed rate. Screens were then used in six
circuits at ANOF-3 for mills of size 5.5x6.5m with similar results. To verify the results a circuit was
sampled using cyclones as classifiers and then screens. The partition curves and breakage rates are
shown in Figures 17 and 18. The result of the work is that high frequency screens are now being
installed in ANOF-3.
100 100
screen BM-screen/400tph BM feed
80 cyclone BM-cyclone/320tph BM feed
10
partition %

60

R/D
40
1
20

0 0,1
0,01 0,1 1 0,1 1 10 100
mean p.size(mm) p.size (mm)

Figure 17 Partition curves for cyclones and screens in Figure 18 Breakage rates in the 5.5x6.5m ball mills in
the circuit containing 5.5x6.5m ball mills in ANOF-3 ANOF-3 when cyclones and screens were used

ECZACIBASI ESAN MINE, TURKEY

The Eczacibasi Esan Mine is located in the province of Balikesir, Turkey, and produces lead and
zinc concentrates. The grinding circuit at Eczacibasi Esan consists of five parallel ball mill circuits.
The ball mills were formerly operated with cyclones, then they were replaced by high frequency
screens with 210 µm apertures. The data were collected from a ball mill (3.2mx5.0m) screen circuit
and a ball mill (3.2mx4.2m) cyclone circuit. Feed rate to the ball mill cyclone circuit was about 32
tph and to the ball mill screen circuit was about 52 tph which was much higher than would be
expected from the mill lengths. Flotation results were similar. The partition curves and breakage
rates are shown in Figures 19 and 20.
100 10000
screen BM-screen
80 cyclone 1000
BM-cyclone
partition %

60 100
R/D

40 10

20 1

0 0,1
1 10 100 1000 100 1000 10000 100000
mean p.size (micron) p.size (micron)

Figure 19 Partition curves for cyclones and screens in Figure 20 Breakage rates in the ball mills at Esan
the ball mill-classifier circuit at Esan when cyclones and screens were used

DISCUSSION
Efficient classification is the key to efficient grinding. Cyclones are widely used in wet circuits
because of their small size and low cost but they are inefficient. High frequency screens are an
alternative and case studies are described in this paper in which the use of screens instead of
cyclones have resulted in better partition curves in the classifiers, higher rates of breakage in the

9
mills, and higher feed rates. It is also noted that for the same P90 screen fines are coarser than
cyclone fines which improves dewatering but may affect the results of flotation or leaching. It is
important to understand the nature of fine particles produced from cyclones and screens and this
requires detailed SEM analysis using MLA or QEMSCAN, but this is still to be done. Disadvantages
of screens are that they are larger and higher cost than cyclones, the flow distributors require
careful design, capacities are limited, and apertures can become blocked by fibres.
SCREEN MODEL
Whiten (1966) efficiency curve model was used to fit the partition curves for Apatite data. Some of
the relationships between the operating variables and model parameters are given in Figures 21
and 22.
0,04 0,5

0,4

alpha/tph water
d50/tph water

0,03
0,3

0,02
0,2

0,01 0,1
8 10 12 14 16 18 20 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
tph solids per deck tph solids per deck

Figure 21 tph solids vs. d50/tph water Figure 22 tph solids vs. alpha/tph water

CONCLUSION
High frequency screens are an alternative to cyclones as classifiers in wet grinding circuits. The
choice should be based on the capital and operating costs of the installation, and the results of tests
with cyclones and screens which cover all relevant aspects of the circuits.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We appreciate the help we received from Mr Luis la Torre (Transmin, Peru), Dr Alex Kavetsky
(Brisbane, Australia), Dr Miron Boris (Thrane Teknikk ZAO, Russia), Mr Oleg Tikhonov (St
Petersburg, Russia), Berkan Arabacılar (MTM Makina, Turkey), Inan Çağlar (Eczacibsi Esan,
Turkey), Alper Toprak and Deniz Altun (Hacettepe University, Turkey).

NOMENCLATURE
Breakage rate: Defined by R/D which relates feed size to product size (Whiten, W.J., 1974).

10
REFERENCES
Aquino B and J Vizcarra 2007 Re-engineering the metallurgical processes at the Colquirjirca mine, Sociedad
Mineral El Brocal S.A.A. Mineria 30-38.

Gorbachev A and Golovanov V 1998 Policy of JSC Apatit in improving its Apatite concentrate for consumers'
need IFA Technical Conference Marrakech Morocco 1998.

Whiten, W.J., 1974. A matrix theory of comminution machines, Chem. Eng. Sci., 29, 589-599.

Whiten, W.J., 1966. Lecture notes for winter school on mineral processing, Dept. Min & Met Eng, University of
Queensland (Lynch and Bull).

11