METALLURGICAL PROCESS DESIGN 1

LEVEL 3.1

QUESTION
Platinum is liberated in a milling circuit prior to concentration ; the circuit consists of a ball mill, a
discharge sump and a slurry pump followed by a hydro-cyclone classifier. Fresh gold ore that is fed
to the mill has a moisture content of 5 % and consists of 50% of class 1 (dry basis) which has a
representative size of 300 microns, 30% of class 2 (drep 200 microns), 20% of class 3 (drep 100

microns), which are mass fractions on dry basis and amounting to 800 TPH . The % solids in the mill
are set at 75% by addition of water to the mill feed. Water is also added to the sump feeding a
pump so that the feed to the hydro-cyclone is set at 45% solids. The hydro cyclone performance is
such that 80% of class 1, 50% of class 2, 5% of class 3, and 15% of the water entering the cyclone
reports to the oversize stream. It may be assumed that milling is a first order rate process. This
means that each size class is milled at a rate, which is proportional to the amount of that class in
the mill. The proportionality constants maybe expressed as a function of particle size (microns). In
this case si = [Link] ^0.6 and s1 = 35h-1 is referred to as the selection function.

A second milling function is called the breakage function. It represents the fraction from each
breaking class which ends up in the smaller classes. In this case the values for class 1 are 0.65 to
class 2. One way of sizing a mill is to estimate the amount of ore in the mill required to perform a
certain duty given values for the selection and the breakage functions and the behaviour of the
classifier.

You are required to;

1. Draw a fully annotated flowsheet diagram

2. Calculate the minimum mass of the ore (dry basis) in the mill which ensures that the amount of
class 1 in the circuit product is 5% (dry basis), assuming a plug flow mill.

3. Construct a table showing flow-rates in tph of each of the classes and water as well as the
percentages of class 1 (dry basis) and solids in every stream.
Executive Summary
As the milling process proceeds, ore is continuously fed into the mill and the finished products
continuously removed. For us to be able to estimate how much ore is needed in the mill to carry out
a specific task, given the values of breakage function, Classifier’s behavior and selection function. To
understand the ideas of milling circuit design and applicability in industry and laboratory scales, we
need to draw a fully annotated diagram for the liberation of platinum ore in a single-stage closed
grinding circuit before concentrating . Another task was to calculate the minimum mass of the ore
on dry basis in the milling circuit which ensures that the amount of class1 in the circuit product was
5% (dry basis), assuming a plug flow model is used. When the mass of ore in the mill reduced, It was
observed that the average residence time for the ore also decreased. Residence time = Mass of
ore(W)/Flow rate of ore TPH(F), so particles of size class 1 spend less time in the mill, increasing their
percentage in the cyclone product. The final assignment was to construct a table showing flow-rates
in tph of each of the classes and water as well as the percentages of class 1 (dry basis) and solids in
every stream for both cases. An excel spreadsheet was used for calculations where formulas were
entered and values were derived. The excel was set to do iterations after assuming a particular mass
and be able to find the amount of class 1 particles in circuit product at steady state in order to obtain
an 5% of class 1 particles.

Overall Aim
To determine the minimum mass of the ore in the mill that required to produce 5% of class 1
particles in a single-stage closed milling circuit product at steady state conditions, assuming a plug
flow mill.

Objectives
To monitor the milling efficiency, using size class 1 for analyzing the mill that take place in the milling
circuit and class 1 is used because it is the largest size class and also for controlling purposes. To
make sure that the amount of class 1 ore is at 5% in the milling circuit product on dry basis given
values for the breakage function, selection function and the behavior of Classifier .

Milling Theory
Milling is performed in cylindrical steel vessels that contains a charge of loose crushing bodies, the
grinding medium which is free to move inside the mill, thus communiting the ore particles.
According to the ways by which motion is imparted to the charge, grinding mills are classified into
two types which are tumbling mills and stirred mills. Grinding process is accomplished by abrasion
and impact of the ore by the free motion of unconnected media such as rods and balls and the ores
itself (attrition). In grinding it is important to exercise the close control of the product size. If the
product is left too coarse it will have a degree of liberation too low economic separation, hence poor
recovery and enrichment ratio will be achieved in the concentration stage, B. A. Wills and T.J.
Napier-Munn. (2006), said that.

However, overgrinding reduces the particles size of the substantially liberated major constituent
(gangue) and may reduce the particles size of the minor constituent (mineral value) below the size
required for most efficient separation.

In tumbling mills, the mill shell is rotated and motion is imparted to the charge via the mill shell. The
grinding medium may be steel rods, balls or ores itself. The media ball sizes, for example, range from
about 20 mm for fine grinding to 150 mm for coarse grinding. Tumbling mills are employed in which
particles between 5 and 250 mm are reduced in size to between 25 and 300 micrometres. The
tumbling mills are three basic types of rods, ball and autonomous or semi autogenous. Each type of
mill consists of a horizontal cylindrical shell, provided with renewable Wearing liners and a charge of
grinding medium.

According to B. A. Wills and T.J. Napier-Munn. (2006), in stirred mills, the mill shell with either a
horizontal or a vertical orientation is stationery and motion is imparted to the charge by the
movement of an internal stirrer. Stirred mills find application in regrinding, fine (15-40) micrometer
and ultrafine (-15 micrometer) grinding. The application is mainly in regrinding to increase liberation
and concentrate grades. Stirred mills differ from tumbling mills in how grinding energy is transferred
to the material being ground. Stirred mills use shear energy abrasion and attrition.

Motion of charge in mills

Due to the rotation and friction of the mill shell, the grinding medium is lifted along the rising side of
the mill until a position of dynamic equilibrium is reached (the shoulder), when the bodies cascade
and cataract down the free surface of the other bodies, about a dead zone where little movement
occurs, down to the toe of the mill charge. At relatively low speeds, or with smooth liners, the
medium tends to roll down to the toe of the mill and essentially abrasive comminution occurs. This
cascading leads to finer grinding and increased liner wear. At higher speeds the medium is projected
clear of the charge to describe a series of parabolas before landing on the toe of the charge. This
cataracting leads to comminution by impact and a coarser end product with reduced liner wear. At
the critical speed of the mill centrifuging occurs and the medium is carried around in an essentially
fixed position against the shell. At relatively low speed, the medium tends to roll down to the toe of
the mill and comminution occurs. This cascading leads to finer grinding and increased liner wear. At
higher speeds the medium is projected clear of the charge to describe a series of parabolas before
landing on the toe of the charge. This cataracting leads to comminution by impact and a coarser end
product with reduced liner wear.
A fully annotated diagram

Stream 1-fresh feed

Stream 2-recycle stream

Stream 3-combined 1&2

Stream 4-Fresh water

Stream 5-Mill feed

Stream 6-Mill output

Stream 7-Fresh water of the sump

Component 9-Pump

Stream 10-Cyclone feed

Stream 11-Circuit product(fine)

Component 12-Ball mill

Component 13-Sump

Component 14-Hydro-cyclone

Design Approach And Calculations

First step - determine the milling parameters, selection function and breakage function

Determination of the selection function

 It defined as the rate of breakage of particles from a discrete size class and assumed to be first order
rate of reaction. The selection function for different size classes were obtained from the given
relationship Si = [Link] ^06 and S1= 35h‐1

Si = [Link]^06

S1 = 35h-¹

S1= [Link] ^0.6

a = Si/di^0.6

= 35/(300)^0.6 = 1.142339756

S2 =[Link]^0.6= (1.142339756)(200)^0.6 = 27.44184386

S3 = [Link]^0.6 = ( 1.142339756 ) (100)^0.6 = 18.10486503

Determination of breakage function matrix

It defined as the fraction of the material broken from the particle size interval j which reports to size
class I before re-breakage of the fragments and it is a function of the ore type only.

Bij = mass of particles from class j broken to class I, t=0 / mass of particles of class j broken t=0
Item Value
Selection function for class 1, S1 (h-1) 35
Selection function for class 2, S2 (h-1) 27.44184386
Selection function for class 3, S3 (h-1) 18.10486503
Breakage function, B21 0.65
Breakage function, B31 0.35
Breakage function, B32 1
Mill size, W (dry basis) - tonnes 34.34435117

PERFORMING ITERATIONS

A certain mass is assumed and iterations are performed in order to determine the mass that gives
5% class size 1 in circuit product at steady state.

Assumptions

A plug flow model.

Fresh feed flow rate is 800 tph

Total mill feed flow rate is approximately 1143.956549 tph

Residence time(t) is 0.030022426 hours

Mass of solids in the mill (W) is 34.34435117 (t)

Generally, the grinding mill operating at steady state it represents by the following equation,

Accumulation = inflow -Outflow +Generation-Consumption

At steady state Accumulation = 0

Flowrate out + rate of destruction = flow rate in + rate of creation

For plug flow mixing: it is a continuous process but done in batches, so for each batch or size class
under consideration in the mill:

Flow rate out = 0

Flow rate in = 0

Therefore, Pi product = rate of creation – rate of destruction

Where Pi product is the mass fraction of size class i in the product after residence time, 𝜏.

Mill size determination

The mill size is the minimum mass of the ore (dry basis) in the mill which ensures that the amount of
class 1 in the circuit product is 5 % (dry basis), assuming a plug mill. Mill size is derived from the
formula for calculating residence time.

𝜏 = W/F

Where 𝜏 is the nominal residence time that the ore spends in the mill (h)

W is the mass of the ore contained in the mill (t)

F is the flow rate of the ore material i.e. flow rate of the total mill feed (t/h)

To determine 𝑊, we start off by assigning a random value for W. Then we perform iterations until
we get the minimum value which satisfies the class 1 product percentage required of 5%.

Given Data

• 5% - mill feed moisture content

• 50% - P1 feed - P1 (0) - class 1 mass fraction

• 300𝜇 - d1 - class 1 particle size

• 30% - P2 feed - P2 (0) - class 2 mass fraction

• 200𝜇 - d2 - class 2 particle size

• 20% - P3 feed - P3 (0) - class 3 mass fraction

• 100 𝜇 –d3 - class 3 particle size

• 800 TPH - total fresh feed

• 75% - % solids in the mill

- • 45% - % solids in hydro cyclone feed

• 80% - class 1 % captured into cyclone underflow

• 50% - class 2 % captured into cyclone underflow

• 5% - class 3 % captured into cyclone underflow

• 15% - % of water entering cyclone that reports to oversize stream

• 35 h-1 - 𝑆1 - class 1 selection function

• 0.65 - 𝑏 21 - breakage function of class 1 into class 2

 5% - - amount of class 1 in the circuit product

Calculations
Fresh Feed

Total fresh feed in TPH is given in the question i.e. 800TPH

For each class i: Fresh feed = Pi feed × Total Fresh Feed

For each class i: Mill Feed = Fresh Feed i + P2 (Recycle Stream) i

Total Mill Feed = Class 1 Mill Feed + Class 2 Mill Feed + Class 3 Mill Feed P6 (Mill Product)

For each class i: Mill Product = P5 i × Total Mill Feed

Class 3 = (1-(p1 product + p2 product))*total feed

P2 (Recycle Stream)
For each class i:

Recycle Stream = Class i % Captured in cyclone × Class i Mill Product

P9 (Cyclone Product)

For each class i:

Cyclone Product = (1 - Class i % Captured in cyclone) × Class i Mill Product

Cyclone Product = Class i % in Cyclone Product) × Class i Mill Product

% in Cyclone Product

For each class i:

% in Cyclone Product = 1 - % Captured in cyclone

Percentage Class 1 in Product

Percentage Class 1 in Product = Class 1 in P9 i.e. Class 1 in Cyclone Product / Total P9 i.e. Total
Cyclone Product

EXCEL RESULTS
The minimum mass of the ore (dry basis) in the mill which ensures that the amount of class 1 in the
circuit product is 5 % (dry basis), assuming a plug mill 34.34435117 tonnes

= 34.34 tonnes
Table of Streams Fresh feed
Mill Feed
Mill Output

Fresh Water to Sump

Class 1 = 0 t/h

Class 2 = 0 t/h

Class 3 = 0 t/h

Total Solids = 0 t/h

Weight of Water = Weight of Water in Cyclone Feed – Weight of Water in Mill Output

% Solids = 0

% Class 1 (dry basis) = 0

Cyclone Feed

Circuit Product
Class 1 = Class 1 % in Cyclone Product × Class 1 Mill Output

= (1 – Class 1 % Captured into Cyclone Underflow) × Class 1 Mill Output

Class 2 = Class 2 % in Cyclone Product × Class 2 Mill Output

= (1 – Class 2 % Captured into Cyclone Underflow) × Class 2 Mill Output

Class 3 = Class 3 % in Cyclone Product × Class 3 Mill Output

= (1 – Class 3 % Captured into Cyclone Underflow) × Class 3 Mill Output

Total Solids = Class 1 + Class 2 +Class 3

Weight of Water = % of water that reports to overflow × Weight of Water in Cyclone Feed

= (1 - % of water that reports to underflow) × Weight of Water in Cyclone Feed

Summary Of Results

REFERENCES
B.A. Wills, T.J. Napier-Munn, Wills’ Mineral Processing Technology, 7th Edition, 2006, pp. 146- 147.

G.B. Siddall, Proceedings of SAGSEM '89, SAG Milling Seminar, Australasian Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy, Perth, 1989, pp. 8-22 .

Chipise L (PhD) Milling Circuit Design Lecture Notes . King.R.P. Modelling and simulation of mineral

processing systems. Butterworth Heinemann, 2001.