Chapter 9

Introduction to Mineral Processing

EBS 219

Dr. Nurul ‘Ain Jabit

School of Material and Mineral Resources Engineering
Universiti Sains Malaysia
 Learning Objectives

Able to describe the basic principle of

01 mineral processing and its application

Able to explain process flow sheet and

02
materials balance

Able to identify and apply the applications of simple operational

03 features of size reduction, screening and classification
equipment
 Table of content

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Mineral Processing

9.3 Communition and Screening

9.4 Classification

9.5 Introduction to Flowsheet and Material Balances

 1.0 Introduction
 After mining process, what’s next?

 Final product is metal or metal substances

 Mineral Processing, Extractive Metallurgy, Refining

 Important to know and remember terms and definition in Mineral

processing ,Extractive metallurgy and Refining process

 Understand the minerology of ores to design the process

 We mine rocks but we concentrate minerals

 1.0 Introduction

Fig.1 General flowchart for extraction process of metal/non-metal product

 1.0 Introduction
Before we go further let’s get to know important terms and definition:

Earth’s crust refers to the outer siliceous shell of the Earth which is about 35 km thick. Metallic ores and other mineral
products are produced from this crust. Therefore, the original source of all metals is the Earth’s crust.

Ore deposits are metal-bearing veins, beds, placer deposits and solutions, which are used to extract, metal commercially.
Geological processes result in the concentration of metals in ore deposits.

Ore is naturally occurring aggregate of minerals from which a metal or metals may be extracted at a profit.

Mineral is a naturally occurring homogeneous inorganic substance of definite chemical composition and with certain
characteristic physical properties; e.g. galena PbS, chalcopyrite CuFeS 2.

Ore minerals are those minerals that contain the valuable metals in an ore; e.g. PbS, CuFeS 2 , ZnS…etc.
 1.0 Introduction
1.Natural occurrence

Earths crust
Sea waters and beds

2.Recycling of waste metals

Primary metals: Metals extracted from ores or sea water

Secondary metals: Metals extracted from scrap
Average Concentration of Some Elements in the Earth’s Crust

Element Percent Element Percent

Oxygen 46.7 Vanadium 0.014
Silicon 27.7 Chromium 0.01
Aluminium 8.1 Copper 0.01
Nickel 0.008
Iron 5.0
Zinc 0.004
Calcium 3.6
Lead 0.002
Potassium 2.6
Silver 0.000001
Sodium 2.8
Platinum 0.0000001
Magnesium 2.1
Gold 0.0000001

8 elements are more abundant than 1% and together they account for 98.5 percent
of all the material in the crust.
Concentration of Some Elements in Solution in Sea Water

They cover nearly 70% of earth’s surface and contain, 3.5% dissolved solids. Sea water can be
considered a dilute solution containing valuable minerals. About 70 elements have been
discovered in sea waters.

Element Concentration Element Concentration

(g/ton) (g/ton)
Sodium 10 500 Aluminium 0.16 – 1.9
Magnesium 1270 Iron 0.002 – 0.02
Calcium 400 Zinc 0.005 – 0.014
Potassium 300 Copper 0.001 – 0.09
Manganese 0.001 – 0.01
Lead 0.004 – 0.005
Tin 0.003
Gold 0.000005
 Recycling of waste metals
Sn, Au, Pt, Cu,
Al,Fe Sn,etc

Scrap metal E-waste

Scrap or E-waste.. already in the metallic state and needs only purifying
(refining) and in the most favourable cases only melting.
Fewer and simpler processing operations, using less total energy and producing
less pollution.
 Types of Ores
Oxides Carbonates Halides Sulphides Sulphates

Marble or Zinc blende

limestone Fluorspar (CaF2) (ZnS) Anglesite (PbSO4)
Zincite (ZnO)
(CaCO3)
Galena (PbS)
Haematite
(Fe2O3.xH2O)
Calamine Cryolite Iron pyrites
Baryl (BaSO4)
(ZnCO3) (Na3AlF6) (FeS2)
Magnetite
(Fe3O4)
Bauxite Siderite Horn Silver Gypsum
(Al2O3.2H2O) (FeCO3) Cinnabar (HgS) (CaSO4.2H2O)
(AgCl)
Magnesite Epsom salt
Cuprite (Cu2O) Rock salt (NaCl)
(MgCO3) (MgSO4.7H2O)
 Types of Ores
Sulfide ores are ores that contain sulfides, e.g. non-ferrous ore minerals such as PbS, CuFeS2,
and ZnS…etc.

Oxide or Oxidized ores contain oxide, carbonate, sulfate, hydroxide or silicate ore minerals;
e.g. Fe2O3, PbCO3, FeCO3, PbSO4, Zn2(OH)2.SiO3…etc.

Gangue minerals are the valueless minerals found in ores, e.g. waste wall rock broken with
ore. In a typical Pb – Zn ore, we have: galena (PbS-ore mineral), sphalerite (ZnS-ore mineral)
and quartz (SiO2-gangue mineral).

Tenor (grade) of an ore is the amount of valuable metal in the ore. This is given in
percentage of metal or metallic oxide, except in precious metal ores; e.g. Au, Ag and Pt
where the analysis is reported in grams / metric ton or troy ounces / short ton. (1 troy ounce
= 31 grams, 1 short ton = 2000 lbs or 907 kg)
 Types of Ores
Placer or placer deposits are ore deposits formed by the erosion of rocks by the
action of wind and water. Rocks are broken down both chemically and mechanically,
and the action of water tends to concentrate some of the minerals, e.g. native Au, Pt
and cassiterite (SnO2)

Ferrous and non-ferrous ore: Ferrous ores are ores used in ferrous metallurgy; the
metallurgy of iron and steel. Non-ferrous ores are used in the technologies of all
metals other than iron.

Alloys: An alloy is a substance, with metallic properties, that contains more than one
element, e.g. brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; steel is an alloy of iron and carbon
(C ≤2%).
References:
1. Barry A. Wills (1992). Mineral Processing Technology: an introduction to the practical
aspect of ore treatment and mineral recovery.5th Edition, Oxford, New York : Pergamon
Press.
2. Mineral Engineering Journals.
3. E.J. Pryor (1955). An introduction to mineral dressing Includes bibliographical, 3rd ed.
Applied Science Publisher.
4. Principles of mineral processing / edited by Maurice C. Fuerstenau and Kenneth N. Han.
Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration