Recent advances in mineral processing plant design

587 Pages·2009·47.48 MB·English

by  Deepak Malhotra

Recent Advances in  
Mineral Processing 
Plant Design
Edited by  
Deepak Malhotra, Patrick R. Taylor,  
Erik Spiller, and Marc LeVier
Published by 
Your most  
precious resource.
© 2009 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration
All rights reserved Electronic edition published 2009
Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc. (SME)
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SME advances the worldwide mining and minerals community through information exchange and
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Copyright © 2009 Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc.
All Rights Reserved. Printed in the United States of America.
Information contained in this work has been obtained by SME, Inc., from sources believed to be reliable.
However, neither SME nor its authors guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information published
herein, and neither SME nor its authors shall be responsible for any errors, omissions, or damages arising
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permission of the publisher.
ISBN: 978-0-87335-318-2
On the cover: Photo courtesy of Taseko Mines Limited showing the SAG mill and discharge screen at
the Gibraltar Mine (central British Columbia, Canada) prior to commissioning. The SAG mill is a 34-foot
diameter, 10 MW mill that was designed and procured by Farnell-Thompson.
© 2009 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration
All rights reserved Electronic edition published 2009
C
ontents
Session Chairs ................................................................................................................................................ vi
Preface ........................................................................................................................................................... vii
Introductory Remarks .................................................................................................................................... ix
Plenary session
Plant Design: What Not to Do ........................................................................................................................ 2
A Few General Rules for Plant Design ........................................................................................................... 9
Grinding Circuits: What to Look for in Design ............................................................................................ 15
The Role of Innovation in Mineral Processing and Metallurgical Plant Design .......................................... 25
researCh and CharaCterization
A Case Study in the Flotation Characterization of an Ore Body and Its Use in Circuit Design
and Risk Assessment ........................................................................................................................... 36
High Resolution X-Ray Micro CT (HRXMT)—Advances in 3D Particle Characterization
for Mineral Processing Operations ...................................................................................................... 48
Gas Dispersion Measurements: Uses and Opportunities .............................................................................. 60
Taking Mineral Processing Plant Simulation to a New Level—Inclusion of Mine Plans
and Financial Performance .................................................................................................................. 71
Impacts of Quantitative Mineral Characterization on Processing ................................................................ 79
Benefits of Dynamic Process Simulation for the Mineral Industry .............................................................. 85
engineering Commissioning, start UP, and Case stUdies
Expansion of the Gibraltar Mill .................................................................................................................... 96
Wet Weather Design and Experience for Mineral Processing .................................................................... 107
Engineering Challenges in Today’s Dynamic Marketplace ........................................................................ 117
Gibraltar Mine Expansion—Design Consideration for a “Fast-Track” Brown-Field Project .................... 130
samPling, BenCh, and Pilot Plant test Work
The Combined Pressure Acid Leach (CPAL) Process, Batch and Piloting Testwork................................. 140
Sampling for On-Stream Analysis and Composite Samples ....................................................................... 155
The Deswik Pilot Study Regrind Mill—Benefits of an Onsite Small Scale Fine Grind Test Study .......... 164
Flotation
Design and Operation of Mechanical Flotation Machines ......................................................................... 168
The Application of Froth Flotation for Gold Recovery at Newmont Mining Corporation ........................ 190
Designing Modern Flotation Circuits Using JKFIT and JKSIMFLOAT .................................................... 197
Purposeful Instrumentation for Effective Flotation Control ....................................................................... 204
Benchmarking of Flotation Plants: A Key Element of Flotation Modelling .............................................. 211
Column and Non-Traditional Flotation ....................................................................................................... 220
Flotation of Fine Oil Droplets in Petroleum Production Circuits ............................................................... 232
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© 2009 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration
All rights reserved Electronic edition published 2009
extraCtive metallUrgy
New Chloride Based Process for the Recovery of Bismuth from Polymetallic Concentrates—
NICO Deposit, NWT, Canada ........................................................................................................... 248
Process Development Testing for Continuous Ion Exchange Applications ............................................... 258
Fundamental Procedures to Evaluate and Design Industrial Waste Water Metals Treatment
Systems, Case Study Discussions ..................................................................................................... 268
Design and Operation of Ion Exchange Process Systems .......................................................................... 280
An Update: Selection, Equipment Sizing and Flowsheet Applications in Copper Solvent
Extraction and Electrowinning .......................................................................................................... 287
ComminUtion (CrUshing and grinding)
The Importance of Water Utilization for Maximizing Grinding Circuit Classification
System Efficiency .............................................................................................................................. 320
The Bond Standard for Comminution Efficiency ....................................................................................... 328
In-Pit Crushing—The Move to Continuous Mining ................................................................................... 332
Impact on Grinding Mill Design of Recent New Discoveries .................................................................... 340
Recent Trends in the Design of Comminution Circuits for High Tonnage Hard Rock Mining ................. 347
Factors Influencing the Selection and Sizing of Crushers .......................................................................... 356
FinanCial and FeasiBility stUdies
Financing Your Mine .................................................................................................................................. 362
Early-Stage Risk Minimization in Process Flowsheet Design ................................................................... 374
Going Green in Mining Project Finance—What Does it Mean in Terms of the Engineering Study? ........ 379
Concentrated Solar Powered Mineral Processing ....................................................................................... 385
PartiCle seParation
Impact of Flash Flotation on Grinding and Main Flotation Circuits—Design by Simulation
and Case Studies ................................................................................................................................ 396
Rheology in Mineral Processing ................................................................................................................. 406
Online Slurry Particle Size Analyzers ......................................................................................................... 419
Fine Sizing with the Derrick® Stack Sizer™ Screen .................................................................................. 433
Maximum Classification Efficiency Through Double Classification Using the ReCyclone ...................... 444
Paste Thickening of Tailings: Process and Equipment Design Fundamentals Relative
to Deposition Goals ........................................................................................................................... 455
other seParation ProCesses
Installation and Operation of the Eriez Cryogen-Free Superconducting Magnet at Sibelco UK ............... 466
New Developments in Sensor-Based Sorting ............................................................................................. 476
Real Time Information Management Infrastructure—Collaboration at Mine-Mill
for Asset Optimization....................................................................................................................... 490
Gravity Recovery of Gold from Within Grinding Circuits ......................................................................... 499
Development of the ORC Coos Bay Mineral Sands Deposit in Oregon, USA .......................................... 507
iv
© 2009 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration
All rights reserved Electronic edition published 2009
ProCess develoPment
Innovative Surge Bin Design for Mineral Sands Processing Plant ............................................................. 520
Process Design Studies for Northland Resources’ Fennoscandinavian IOCG Properties .......................... 527
FRAC Sand Plant Design: A Process Solutions Provider Perspective, from Testwork to
Project Completion ............................................................................................................................ 539
The Design and Benefits of Containerised Modular Plant Design ............................................................. 544
Liners and Coatings for Mineral Processing Equipment ............................................................................ 555
Designing for a Reduced Carbon Footprint at Greenfield and Operating Comminution Plants ................ 560
Index ........................................................................................................................................................... 571
v
© 2009 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration
All rights reserved Electronic edition published 2009
s C
ession hairs
Plenary Session
Deepak Malhotra Erik Spiller
Resource Development Inc. Colorado School of Mines
Wheat Ridge, CO Golden, CO
Research and Characterization
John Herbst J. Mark Richardson
Metso Minerals Contract Support Services
Kona, HI Red Bluff, CA
Engineering Commissioning, Start Up and Case Studies
Mike Blois Matt Bender
CH2MHill CH2MHill
Englewood, CO Englewood, CO
Sampling, Bench and Pilot Plant Test Work
Will Goodal Dave Meadows
MiniAssist Pty Ltd FLSmidth Minerals
Australia Bethlehem, PA
Flotation
Jan Miller Frank Traczyk
University of Utah FLSmidth Minerals
Salt Lake City, UT Park City, UT
Extractive Metallurgy
Corby Anderson Hank Rawlins
Montana Tech of University of Montana Montana Tech of University of Montana
Butte, MT Butte, MT
Comminution (Crushing and Grinding)
Rob McIvor Ken Major
Metcom Technologies KWM Consulting
Ishpeming, MI Maple Ridge, BC, Canada
Financial and Feasibility Studies
Ryan Bennett Nick Michael
Resource Capital Funding SRK Consulting
Denver, CO Littleton, CO
Particle Separation
Erik Spiller Mark Erickson
Colorado School of Mines Newmont Mining Corp.
Golden, CO Englewood, CO
Other Separation Processes
Rob Dunne Ed Bentzen
Newmont Mining Corp. Lyntek Inc.
Centennial, CO Lakewood, CO
Process Development
Mark Jorgensen Ed Dowling
Rio Tinto Anatolia Minerals
Salt Lake City, UT Englewood, CO
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© 2009 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration
All rights reserved Electronic edition published 2009
P
reFaCe
Engineers are constantly striving to build better and more reliable plants. In order to do so, they need to keep abreast
of the new technologies and ongoing equipment improvements that can have significant impact on the plant design.
One of the functions of the professional organization is to provide a forum for the engineers in the various disciplines
to get together on a periodic basis to review the recent development in the various plant design areas. This symposium
is the platform to update the recent development in plant design since the last symposium, which was held in Canada
in 2002. Professor Andy Mular has provided a historical prospective of how this idea of plant design symposium was
born in the forward to this book. The organizing committee extends its sincere appreciation to the plenary speakers who
were the organizers for the plant design symposium in 2002; session chairs who were instrumental in finding authors
and reviewing the papers; and the authors and presenters without whom this symposium would not have been possible.
The efforts and support of the two organizations, SME and TMS, are greatly appreciated. It would not be possible to
organize an event of this magnitude without the efforts of SME’s Dave Kanagy, Tara Davis, Carol Cudworth, Jane
Olivier, AnnMarie Estrada, Heather Bonic, and others.
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© 2009 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration
All rights reserved Electronic edition published 2009
© 2009 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration
All rights reserved Electronic edition published 2009
InTRODUCTORy REMaRkS
Andrew L. Mular
P. Eng (Ret) and Professor Emeritus, Mineral Process Engineering
Norman B Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering, University of BC, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
InTRODUCTIOn
In 1963 the Chairman of Metallurgical Engineering at Queen’s University of Kingston, Ontario, Canada encouraged
me to apply for a position in his department. This led to an appointment as an Assistant Professor of Metallurgical
Engineering with a mandate to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in Mineral Process Engineering. Graduating
metallurgists take positions available to them in the mining industry and mill “metallurgists” were in strong demand.
Discussions with industry-oriented colleagues at the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources (Mines Branch) and
with senior operators and plant design personnel at conferences such as the Conference of Metallurgists provided details
of jobs available Canada-wide. This helped to fortify course content. At the undergraduate level, courses on principles
of unit operations and processes were clearly necessary. A final year course on plant design would be a useful adjunct.
Unfortunately, mineral processing plant design textbooks were not available. A graduate level course that dealt with
Experimental Design, Plant Data Acquisition and Adjustment, Mathematical Modeling, Process Optimization and
Computer Control had some relevance to plant design problems. However, a practical plant design textbook was lacking.
A plant design course should incorporate methodology to estimate major equipment costs and corresponding capital
and operating costs. Hence, as an interim measure and with financial support from the Mines Branch, data were obtained
from manufacturers and design firms. Acceptable costing techniques (for example, see American Association of Cost
Engineers Handbook) were developed via statistical methods. A notebook entitled Mineral Processing Equipment Costs
and Preliminary Capital Cost Estimations was written in 1970–71 and published by the CIM in 1972. It was updated three
times over the years. The last version incorporated Mineral Project Evaluation Techniques. It is entitled CAPCOSTS and
was released in early 1999 by the Canadian Mineral Processors of CIM. Unfortunately, this modest contribution did not
resolve the issue, namely, that we did not have a textbook on plant design.
SME-aIME PLanT DESIGn TEXTS
In 1972, I joined the Mining Department at the University of British Columbia and frequently attended SME
meetings. I spoke with university professors, senior operators, researchers and plant design specialists seeking their ideas
about the best way to generate a practical plant design text for 4th year university courses. University professors would
hesitate to teach courses on the subject unless students were provided with relevant reading material. One possibility
was to seek a 3-year sabbatical leave with a mine-mill design firm and draft a preliminary text. Thankfully, most agreed
that the symposia route would be best. Colleagues felt such compilations would be of value to engineers, designers,
manufacturers, construction firms, consultants and industry in general and that the SME-AIME would likely support
it. After joining appropriate SME committees the idea to have SME-AIME sponsor plant design symposia and publish
“practical textbooks” was discussed in earnest. In general, committee members were 100% in support!
PLanT DESIGn SyMPOSIa HELD PRIOR TO 2009
A plant design symposium held prior to 2009, always a team effort, began with a structure (sections and corresponding
“ideal” topics) which would lead to a “practical textbook” for use in Plant Design courses. Profs and students should
benefit. Benefits will undoubtedly accrue to operators, consultants, design firms, and industry because of structure
improvements made by the organizing committee, an editorial committee, section co-editors and/or session co-chairmen
and authors. A call for papers preceded a symposium date by about 1 to 2.5 years with the latter being preferred. For
the first effort a structure was drafted by a Chairman and Co-Chairman. The structure was revised and finalized by the
editorial committee. An application to hold the symposium was submitted to the AIME Board of Directors meeting in
New York in the mid-1970s and approved. The Call for Papers was mailed out by SME. The resulting symposium entitled
Mineral Processing Plant Design was held in 1978 and was a resounding success (Marianne Snedeker helped a lot).
Symposium volumes sold out and in 1980 a revised version was published.
Because of the importance of comminution circuits the second symposium, namely Design and Installation of
Comminution Circuits, was initiated in 1980 in a manner somewhat similar to the first except that members of the
editorial committee were asked to serve as Session Co-Editors. They were requested to seek evaluations of papers for
their respective sessions. Deadlines were met and in 1982 the symposium was held in Oahu, Honolulu. The attendance
was superb and the symposium was a great success!
A third symposium entitled Design and Installation of Concentration and Dewatering Circuits was initiated in 1984.
In this case, an editorial board evaluated papers with a board member chosen to chair the board and act as an umpire if
necessary. The symposium was held in 1986, and was most successful.
In late 1997 a colleague, who was to serve as an AIME trustee from SME, mentioned that the plant design series that
was started in 1978 had not been completed. In early 1998, Mr. Gary Howell, Executive Director of SME, suggested that
I chair another symposium dealing with Plant Design. Mr. Howell forwarded an application form which I filled out and
submitted to SME-AIME to hold an international symposium entitled Mineral Processing Plant Design, Practice, and
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© 2009 by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration
All rights reserved Electronic edition published 2009