MINE LINERS ...
The two main functions of a mill liner consist in protecting the mill shell against wear and in transmitting the
energy of the mill motor to the grinding charge to carry out the required size reduction in the most efficient way.
THE CHOICE
For a mill liner, the design as well as the liner material are
to be considered.
The required movement of the mill charge to carry out effi-
ciently a certain type of size reduction (for instance coarse
grinding, fine grinding,...) must be promoted by the right
mill liner design. A wrong liner design choice leads to poor
grinding (excess energy usage), higher grinding media con-
sumption and even higher liner maintenance costs.
The liner choice should therefore always be seen as one
element influencing the total grinding cost of liner, grinding
media and energy, and not as a stand-alone cost. With re-
gards to liner life/cost for a specific design it is important
to choose the correct material/alloy for that application.
DESIGN
Grinding mechanisms:
The rules that guide the design of a liner depend on the
required grinding mechanism. Three main categories of
grinding mechanisms can be highlighted:
1. IMPACT
The mechanism of reducing the big rocks is "crushing"
which requires impacts. Either by impacting of grinding
balls on the rocks (SAG mill) or by interaction between
rocks on the one side and mill shell and toe of the grinding
charge on the other side (FAG mills). The trajectories of
grinding media and rocks promote size reduction by im-
pacts. This grinding mechanism is required in SAG and FAG
mill applications.
1 2 3
2. PERMEABILITY
The main size reduction in this mechanism is carried
out in the ball charge. The liner design needs to be such
that the charge is "opened-up " (permeability) to al-
low bigger grains to be drawn into the ball charge where
they will be reduced. Limited ball trajectories allow this
opening up of the charge. This mechanism is typically
needed in coarse grinding for instance primary ball mills).
3. ATTRITION
This mechanism involves size reduction between moving
grinding balls. Adequate size reduction will require high
relative movement between the grinding balls while main-
taining the pressure within the ball load. Liner design is
such that trajectories should not occur. A compact charge
is required.
 ... THE RIGHT CHOICE

PARAMETERS EXAMPLES MATERIAL

• Mill type: SAG, FAG, Rod mill, primary ball mill, secondary FAG & SAG The selection of the liner material is linked to the applica-
ball mill, regrind, …) tion (the main parameter also considered when choosing
• Ore feed size (F80 ,F100) and required product size (P80) Main design parameters: the liner design) and the resulting working conditions.
determining the grinding mechanism to be favoured • H (effective lift)
• Mill size (diameter, length) • S (spacing between lifters) and The table below gives general resistance characteristics of
• Maximum ball top-up size • alpha (attack angle) the most common liner alloys
• Mill rotational speed (rpm, variable or fixed speed, single
or dual rotation) Iteration process to reach best-suited H,S and alpha. ALLOYS
AUST. MN PEARLITIC MART.HICR
• Ore type (abrasivity of the ore) STEELS STEELS ALLOYS

• Mill discharge type (grate discharge mill, overflow mill)

Composition Mn Cr-Moly 12-27 Cr

Matrix +
Structure Matrix Matrix Cr carb.
(30-35%)
ex SAG liner
200-450HB
Hardness after work 325-400HB 600-650HB
ex overflow mill FINE GRINDING hardening

Resistance
• Available drilling pattern Reducing small particles by attrition requires a combina- abrasion
- to + - ++
• Total filling degree (ore and balls) tion of force (F) and relative speed (v).
Resistance
corrosion
- - ± to ++

Resistance
+++ ++ +
repeated impacts

ex BM3 - RGD