Mineral Processing

Mineral Processing is the process where raw mined materials are refined to become
useful components for industry. Image 1 is a picture of some of the many minerals that are
mined and processed. Mineral Processing is involved in production of three main products:
aggregates (stone and rock), minerals (gold, lead, and iron), and coal. Mineral Processing is also
used in the recycling industry.
There are 4 main steps in Mineral Processing:
1. Characterization,
2. Liberation,
3. Separation,
4. Disposition.
Figure 1

Image from http://www.bgsd.k12.wa.us/hml/jr_cam/science/rocks/images/minerals.jpg

Characterization
Characterization is the first step of mineral processing. It is when the material being
processed is identified and its chemical/physical properties are noted. Characterization answers
two basic questions: What am I processing? and What property can I use to help process the
material?
 In the Characterization step, Sampling is often performed. Sampling answers the first
question; what am I processing? There are a variety of sampling techniques but each involves
taking a representative sample which is analyzed to identify the components of the feed material.
When the feed material is identified, important chemical/physical properties of the material can
be identified. The most important property is size. Other important properties are density,
magnetic susceptibility, and electrical conductivity.

Liberation
Liberation is the 2nd step in the process where dissimilar elements in the feed material are
freed from one another. This is often accomplished by size reduction.
There are two classes of size reduction machines: Crushers and Grinders. Crushers deal
with large particles usually particles greater than 1 mm diameter while grinders deal with
particles smaller than 1mm diameter.

Crushers handle particles larger than 1mm diameter.

Grinders handle particles smaller than 1 mm diameter.

There are many types of crushers but all either crush by Compression or Impact.
Particles are compressed or impacted until they break into smaller pieces. Typical crushers have
a reduction ratio of 40/6. This means that if you put a 40 mm diameter particle in them they will
give you a range of particles about 6 mm in diameter. Figure 2 is an image of a particular type of
crusher called a Jaw Crusher. It uses compression to crush the material.
Figure 2

Image from http://www.penncrusher.com/images/imagelib/content/PIC_jaw_crushers_1.jpg

 As with crushers, there are a variety of grinders but they all use the same concept for
grinding. They either have the feed particles smash against themselves or the feed particles
smash against stronger material for size reduction. When the feed particles grind against
themselves it is called an Autoginous Mill. When particles grind against a stronger material, it is
called a Ball or Rod Mill; depending on the shape of the stronger material used. Image 3 is a
picture of how a ball mill works.
Figure 3

Image from http://www.ktf-split.hr/glossary/image/ball_mill.gif.

The mineral processing industry has created a Work Index Value to help understand the
hardness of the feed material. This index assigns values to minerals based on their difficulty to
grind. Therefore a high work index means the mineral is hard to grind. The coal industry also
assigns values based on the coal’s hardness. Theses values are called the Hardgrove
Grindability. However, in the Hardgrove Grindability Index higher values signify softer, easily
ground coal.

Work Index Value-Higher Values are harder to grind.

Hardgrove Grindability-Higher Values are softer and easier to grind.

Separation
Separation is most important step of mineral processing. It is when the different
components of the feed material are separated from each other. Separation uses chemical and
physical properties to achieve this. Particles are most often separated by size, density, magnetic
susceptibility, and electrical conductivity. Aggregate mineral processing usually skips this step
and continues directly to disposition.
Size separation is primarily done by Screening. Figure 4 is an image of a series of
different Mesh Size screens. Screening is often done in series, so multiple streams of different
size ranges can be created. There are two systems of mesh sizing: Tyler and U.S. series. In both
systems, larger mesh sizes correspond to smaller hole sizes.

Tyler Series- Larger Mesh Sizes mean smaller holes in the screen.
U.S. Series- Larger Mesh Sizes mean smaller holes in the screen.

Figure 4

Image from http://www.rtg.wa.edu.au/loanpool/belmont/sieves.jpg

Density separation is performed by Hydrocyclones and Dense Medium Separations.

Dense Media Separation involves pouring the material into a specially prepared fluid that has a
density between the components of the feed material. Material that floats has a lower density
than the fluid while material that sinks has a density greater than the fluid. Figure 5 shows how
particles react in a dense media separation. Hydrocyclones work on the same premise as dense
media separators but the material and prepared fluid are spun around utilizing Centrifugal
Forces. Feed material that comes out of the top of the hydrocyclone is the less dense material.
Feed material that comes out the bottom of the hydrocyclone is the dense material. Figure 6 is
an image of how a hydrocyclone works.
 Figure 5 Figure 6

Image from http://www.coleparmer.com/techinfo/images/centrifugation-4.gif Image from http://flotrend.com/images/hydrocyclone2.jpg

Hydroclones are used extensively with feed particles smaller than 100 micrometer
diameter. Dense media separation is used with larger particles. Hydrocyclones are used with
small particles because small particles need the centrifugal force to speed separation.

Dense Media Separation is used for particles 100 micrometers diameter and greater.
Hydrocyclones are for particles 100 micrometers diameter and smaller.

Magnetic susceptibility separation is done by exposing the feed material to a magnet.

Feed material that is attracted to the magnet is magnetic and falls into one bin. Feed material
that is unaffected by the magnetic is non-magnetic and falls into another bin. Magnetic materials
include iron and magnetite. Figure 7 shows how the process of magnetic susceptibility
separation.
 Figure 7

Image from http://www.steinert.com.au/img/photos/magdrum.jpg

Electrical conductivity separation is achieved by using a High Tension Separator. A

high tension separator charges the feed particles. Feed Particles that retain an Electrical Charge
fall into one bin while those that do not fall into another bin. Depending on which bin the
particle falls into it is classified as a Conductors or Resistor. Conductors retain an electric
charge. Examples include iron, copper, silver and aluminum. Resistors do not hold an electric
charge. Examples include soil, sand, plastic, and lead. Figure 8 shows how a high tension
separator works.
Figure 8

Image from http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6797908-0-large.jpg

 Disposition
Disposition is the final step of mineral processing. It involves the removal of waste in an
environmental acceptable manner and the sale of the product.
 Glossary
Autoginous mill- a type of grinder where particles smash against each other causing a
size reduction in the particles.
Ball mill- a type of grinder where particles smash against a harder sphere-shaped material
causing a size reduction in the particles.
Centrifugal force- the apparent force associated with rotation that pushes objects away
from the center of rotation
Characterization- the first step of mineral processing where the material being processed
is identified and its chemical/physical properties are noted.
Compression- the force associated with a particle being “squeezed.”
Conductor- a material that retains an electrical charge.
Crusher- a name given to a group of machines in mineral processing that reduce the size
of 1 mm diameter and larger feed particles.
Dense Media Separation- a process where materials are separated by density using a
special created fluid.
Disposition is the final step of mineral processing. It involves the removal of waste in an
environmental acceptable manner and the sale of the product.
Electrical Charge- when a material holds a surplus of negatively charged electrons.
Grinders- a name given to a group of machines in mineral processing that reduce the size
of 1 mm and larger feed particles.
Hardgrove Grindability- a system of measuring the hardness of coal where higher values
signify softer material.
High Tension Separator- a machine that uses electricity to separate particles by electrical
conductivity.
Hydrocyclone- a machine that separates based on density. It does this by utilizing the
centrifugal force associated with rotation.
Impact- a force caused by a particle “smashing” into a hard surface. Particles experience
this force while they rapidly decelerate by hitting a hard immovable surface.
 Liberation- the 2nd step of mineral processing where dissimilar elements in the feed
material are freed from one another.
Mineral Processing- the process where raw mined materials are refined to become useful
components for industry.
Mesh size- a value corresponding to the size of the holes in screens.
Resistor- a material that does not hold an electrical charge.
Rod mill- a type of grinder where particles smash against a harder cylinder-shaped
material causing a size reduction.
Sampling- a test where a small portion of a material is taken. The small portion is then
analyzed.
Screening – a process where material is poured threw a wire mesh. Feed particles that
are retained on the screen are larger than the holes in the screen. Feed particles that pass through
the screen are smaller than the holes in the screen.
Separation- the 3rd step of mineral processing when the different components of the feed
material are separated from each other.
Tyler series- a group of meshes that have varying hole sizes. Larger mesh sizes
correspond to smaller openings in the mesh.
U.S. series- a group of meshes that have varying hole sizes. Larger mesh sizes
correspond to smaller openings in the mesh.
Work Index Value- a system of measuring material hardness where higher values signify
harder material
Source
M.S. Klima, F.F. Aplan, and P.T. Luckie. Elements of Mineral Processing: Lecture
Notes. The Pennsylvania State University. ProCopy CourseWorks. 2010.