Luleå Univ.

of Technology Simulation Mineral Proc 1(2)

Div. of Mineral Processing 2010-11-03
Bertil Pålsson

ASSIGNMENT – SIMULATION OF WET GRAVITY CIRCUIT

1 BACKGROUND
The assignment is a comparing study, where a custom circuit adapted for a specific ore
also is used to simulate the result for another ore. Materials data are on purpose
prepared in two different ways.

2 ORES
2.1 Magnetite ore
Pilot tests with Reichert cones were run on an African iron ore containing magnetite
and silicates. The ore have material properties according to Tables 1 – 3.

Table 1. Minerals data

Mineral Formula Density (g/cm³)
Magnetite Fe3O4 5.2
Haematite Fe2O3 5.1
Gangue/Silicates - 2.7

Table 2. Liberation data. Mass distributions in three size ranges.

Density (g/cm³) % Magnetite <1.07 mm 1.07 - 2.15 mm >2.15 mm
Float at 2.70 0.0 0.6 0.5 0.4
2.70 - 3.17 16.3 0.2 0.25 0.25
3.17 - 3.94 49.8 0.0 0.05 0.10
3.94 - 5.2 85.1 0.1 0.1 0.2
Sink at 5.2 100.0 0.1 0.1 0.05

Table 3. Particle size distribution

Sieve Cum %
(mm) passing
4.29 99.0
3.04 90.0
2.15 68.4
1.52 43.8
1.07 25.0
0.76 13.4
0.54 6.9
0.38 3.5
0.27 1.8
Simulation of wet gravity circuit Sim Min Proc 2
2010-11-03

2.2 Hematite ore

Some fine-grained ores are today concentrated with equipments that use increased
gravitational field in wet mechanical separation. They are fine-grained mineral sands,
tin ores, and gold ores. This type of equipment is expensive to operate, and it has
inspired the development of new designs for concentrator spirals. In the article 1 , data
from test runs with a fine particle iron ore is reported.

In the second part of the exercise data from tests with a Canadian banded-iron ore are
used. Particle sizes and analyses by fraction may be deduced from Figure 10 in the
article. Assume that all iron is in hematite and that the rest is gangue/silicates.

3 EXERCISES
3.1 Construction of a cone circuit and simulation for magnetite ore
Build a cone circuit consisting of three circuit elements: rougher cone(s), scavenger
cone, and cleaner cone. Each cone shall have the possibility to re-circulate middling,
which preferably is connected to a mixer point in front of the cone in question.

Feed material is the magnetite ore that is fed with 60 tonne/h and 60 weight % solids.
1. Design the circuit in an appropriate way so it produces a concentrate with
approx. 60 % Fe with 75 % recovery. Motivate the choice of design.
2. Document the circuit, especially the definition of materials.

3.2 Simulation for hematite ore

Give the constructed circuit a new project name with Edit – Change job name.
3. Change the materials definition to represent the hematite ore instead. The feed
rate is still 60 tonne/h with 60 weight % solids.
4. Run a simulation for the new material. Is the result realistic? Is there any reason
for this particular result? Document the circuit.

3.3 Enhancing the circuit

5. Do the improvements to the hematite ore flowsheet that you find appropriate to
have a more reasonable result. Document the circuit.

4 REPORT
The report shall for each simulation contain at least:
• Material definitions,
• Flowsheet with solids and water flows, weight % solids and an analysis,
• Table with model and machine parameters,
• Discussion of achieved results.

1
Richards, R.G., MacHunter, D.M., Gates, P.J. and Palmer, M.K., 2000. Gravity separation of ultra-fine
(-0.1 mm) minerals using spiral separators. Minerals Engineering 13, No. 1, pp. 65-77.