Mineral processing and extractive metallurgy : 100 years of innovation

698 Pages·2014·23.42 MB·English

by  Corby G.

MINERAL PROCESSING
AND
EXTRACTIVE METALLURGY
100 YEARS OF INNOVATION
EDITED BY CORBY G. ANDERSON, ROBERT C. DUNNE, JOHN L. UHRIE
MINERAL PROCESSING
AND
EXTRACTIVE METALLURGY
100 YEARS OF INNOVATION
EDITED BY CORBY G. ANDERSON, ROBERT C. DUNNE, JOHN L. UHRIE
PUBLISHED BY THE
SOCIETY FOR MINING, METALLURGY & EXPLORATION
Copyright © 2014 Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, Inc. All rights reserved.
!SME_MPEM_100yr_Innov_TitlePg_L1.indd 1 12/17/13 6:11 PM
Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME)
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Copyright © 2014 Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration Inc.
Electronic edition published 2014.
All Rights Reserved. Printed in the United States of America.
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neither SME nor its authors and editors guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information published
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sion of the publisher.
ISBN 978‑0‑87335‑371‑7
Ebook 978‑0‑87335‑372‑4
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for.
Copyright © 2014 Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, Inc. All rights reserved.
2
This book is dedicated to Robert C. Dunne,
the originator and driving force for the symposium and this book.
2
Copyright © 2014 Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2014 Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, Inc. All rights reserved.
Contents
PREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ix
CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xi
INTROdUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Supply and Demand: Innovation Drivers in the Minerals Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Magnus Ericcson
Rules of Engagement for the Innovator in the Minerals Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Martin Kuhn and Robert C. Dunne
History of Innovations in Extractive Metallurgy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Fathi Habashi
COmmINUTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Mine to Mill Value Chain Optimization—Role of Blasting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Sarma S. Kanchibotla
Innovations in Comminution Equipment: Crushers, High Pressure Grinding Rolls,
Semi‑Autogenous Grinding, Ball Mills, and Regrind Mills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65
Mark T. Erickson
Innovations in Comminution Modelling and Ore Characterisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Stephen Morrell
Innovations in Comminution Instrumentation and Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
Brian Flintoff, Olivier Guyot, Jeff McKay, and Andre Vien
Advances in Discrete Element Method Application to Grinding Mills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Raj K. Rajamani, Samira Rashidi, and Nikhil Dhawan
The Future of Comminution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
Jens Lichter
SEPARATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Innovations in Flotation Processing Technology—The Next Hundred Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
Michael G. Nelson
Major Innovations in the Evolution of Flotation Reagents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .159
D.R. Nagaraj and Raymond S. Farinato
Innovations in Froth Flotation Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177
Peter Amelunxen and Kym Runge
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Innovations in Flotation Plant Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .193
Stephen Grano, Massimiliano (Max) Zanin, and Joe Pease
Ore Sorting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209
Bo R. Arvidson and Hermann Wotruba
Magnetic Separation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .223
Bo R. Arvidson and Daniel Norrgran
Innovations in Electrostatic Separation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235
Steve Hearn
Density‑Based Separation Innovations in Coal and Minerals Processing Applications . . . . . . . . . . . .243
Rick Honaker, Robert C. Dunne, and Kevin Galvin
Innovations in Dense Medium Separation Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265
Tim Napier-Munn, Jeremy Bosman, and Peter Holtham
Innovations in Coal Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .277
Gerald H. Luttrell
A Review of Industrial Innovations in Phosphate Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .297
Patrick Zhang, Regis Stana, Hassan El-Shall, and Brij Moudgil
Mineral Sand Separations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .317
D. Erik Spiller and C. Alex Norgren
Innovations in Liquid/Solid Separation for Metallurgical Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .333
Mick L. McCaslin, Keith J. Mounteer, and Michael Phillips
HydROmETAllURGy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Innovative Strategies for Copper Hydrometallurgy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .347
J. Brent Hiskey
Innovations in Gold and Silver Extraction and Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .361
John O. Marsden and S. Andrew Sass
Innovations in Zinc and Lead Hydrometallurgy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .389
Tim Robinson and Corby G. Anderson
Innovations in Nickel and Cobalt Hydrometallurgy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .403
Corby G. Anderson
The Bayer Hydrometallurgical Alumina Process Evolution and Innovations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .427
Joseph L. Anjier and Corby G. Anderson
Rare Earth Hydro‑ and Pyrometallurgy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .441
Karl A. Gschneidner Jr.
Biohydrometallurgy Innovations—Discovery and Advances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .447
James A. Brierley
Uranium Processing Practices, Innovations, and Trends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .457
Henry Schnell
Innovations in Hydrometallurgy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .467
Corby G. Anderson
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Copyright © 2014 Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, Inc. All rights reserved.
PyROmETAllURGy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 503
Brief Overview of Some Innovations in Pyrometallurgy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .505
Patrick R. Taylor
Innovations in Copper Smelting—Keys to Productivity and Efficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .515
Eric H. Partelpoeg
Innovations in Zinc and Lead Pyrometallurgy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .535
Len Harris
Technology Advancement in the Refining of Platinum Group Metals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .543
Neville Plint and Stephen Woollam
Metallurgical Innovations in the Iron and Steel Industry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .551
Glenn E. Hoffman
mINERAlOGy ANd ANAlyTICAl CHEmISTRy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567
Innovations in Process Mineralogy and Laboratory Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .569
Wolfgang Baum
Innovations in Measurement of Mineral Structure and Surface Chemistry in Flotation:
Past, Present, and Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .577
Roger St.C. Smart, Andrea R. Gerson, Brian R. Hart, David A. Beattie, and Courtney Young
Innovations in Analytical Chemistry—The Key to Metallurgical Advancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .603
Meg Dietrich
ENvIRONmENTAl INNOvATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 617
The Generation and Treatment of Acid Rock Drainage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .619
Thomas Wildeman, Katherine Vatterrodt, and Linda A. Figueroa
A Perspective of Innovations in Tailings Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .629
Dirk van Zyl
Innovations in Water and Brine Treatment Using Membrane Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .639
Larry A. Lien
Innovations in Chemical and Bacterial Water Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .645
Brian Park, Jay McCloskey, and Larry Twidwell
Innovations in Air Pollution Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .655
Catherine “Carrie” MacDougall, Michael D.S. Blois, and Robert W. Reisinger
INdEx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 679
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Copyright © 2014 Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2014 Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration, Inc. All rights reserved.
Preface
“We stand on the shoulders of giants” is possibly an overused phrase; however, in the production
of the raw materials necessary for our ever improving standard of living and the advancement of
society, it holds true time and again. With the eye of a historian, it is easy to see the advancement
of metallurgy, starting with such valuable historical texts as Georgius Agricola’s De Re Metallica,
widely accepted to be the first text on minerals processing, to other groundbreaking and still invalu‑
able books such as Arthur F. Taggart’s Handbook of Mineral Dressing and Norman L. Weiss’s SME
Mineral Processing Handbook, to the plethora of high‑quality journals and books of today. Through
these texts, time reveals how innovation continues to push our industry forward.
And as such, the Minerals and Metallurgical Processing Division of the Society for Mining,
Metallurgy & Exploration is very proud to publish these proceedings of the successful sympo‑
sium of the same name held in 2013: Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy: 100 Years of
Innovation.
Innovation is different than invention or improvement. Innovation represents creative think‑
ing that provides value and the capacity for a business to achieve the future it desires and hence
allows a new avenue or path for growth. Other books are available on how innovation has worked
in the commercial consumer sector, but very little information exists for the mining industry. This
volume presents a century of the innovation drivers that have changed the U.S. mining industry
with topics from experts in pyro‑, hydro‑, and electrometallurgy. In addition, current and future
trends, developments, and improvements in these areas are discussed in depth, and likely areas for
future innovations are explored.
The labors of many have gone into the preparation of this volume. We are indebted to the
individual authors for contributing their life’s knowledge, experience, and passion to this text, but
also to their respective employers for allowing them the time and resources necessary to produce
and share their work. Thanks must also be given to the employers of the organizing committee,
Newmont Mining Corporation, and Colorado School of Mines for allowing the time to develop
the idea of the symposium and to see it through to fruition.
We thank Henry Kasaini of RER for graciously and expertly stepping in on short notice to
give the rare earths presentation. Also, we thank Barney Guarnera of Behre Dolbear for his opening
keynote presentation.
The symposium could not have been possible without the direct support and sponsorship
of Tetra Tech Engineering, Cytec Industries, Weir International, Hatch Engineering, and, most
importantly, Air Products.
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