Following a long-standing relationship, an Indian mining customer has awarded FLSmidth with what the OEM claims is the largest single order for the world’s largest size steel media tower mills.
The mills are to be delivered at what is set to become one of the largest and most efficient iron ore beneficiation plants globally, reinforcing FLSmidth’s global leadership in energy-efficient grinding technology, FLS says.
The order includes the delivery of 18 vertical tower mills (called FTM-5000) to be used in both the secondary and tertiary grinding circuits, directly downstream from two of the world’s largest high-pressure grinding rolls (HPGRs), which the customer ordered from FLSmidth in the December quarter of 2024. Each of these vertical grinding mills will be the largest steel media mills ever deployed in terms of both size and capacity, according to the OEM.
In addition to these mills, the order also includes the delivery of 30 KREBS UMD pumps and 18 KREBS gMAX hydrocyclones to complete the secondary and tertiary grinding circuits’ process requirements. The slurry pumps will be the largest known size of slurry pumps in all of India mining, it claims.
The equipment is expected to be installed and commissioned during 2026 and 2027.
Mikko Keto, CEO at FLSmidth, said: “Winning this strategic order is a proud moment for the FLSmidth Mining team. The combination of the upstream HPGRs and vertical tower mills will provide the customer with significant reductions in energy, water and grinding media consumption throughout the entire flowsheet, supporting optimal profitability. It also clearly underpins the value of leading technology, strong customer relations, and the confidence customers have in our MissionZero flowsheet supported by our global service network.”
The vertical tower mill is one of FLSmidth’s core MissionZero offerings, supplying capabilities that reduce energy consumption in the fine grinding of minerals by 25-50% when compared with traditional horizontal ball mills for the same feed and product size.