Tag Archives: grinding

Hummingbird making short work of second ball mill project at Yanfolila gold mine

Comminution of minerals, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Precious metals, , , , , , , ,

Hummingbird Resources’ plan to install a second ball mill and increase production capacity at its Yanfolila gold mine, in Mali, is tracking ahead of expectations, the company says.

The second ball mill will increase throughput capacity from 1 Mt/y to 1.24 Mt/y when operating at 100% fresh ore and from 1.2 Mt/y to 1.4 Mt/y when processing a blend of ore types, according to Hummingbird.

The mill was deemed the preferential choice when considering the alternative option of installing a tertiary crusher, which was included in the mine’s definitive feasibility study.

Since commencing the project in September 2018, the company has continued to reach advancement targets and both the engineering and civil works are now fully complete, Hummingbird said.

Back then, the company said the mill installation was expected to set the company back $13 million, with the plant due to be operational this September quarter.

The Yanfolila crushing circuit is currently a two-stage operation incorporating both primary and secondary crushing circuits designed to treat a blend of oxide and harder ores. The ore is non-refractory and the process plant design uses gravity and carbon-in-leach for the processing and recovery of the gold which averages 92.5% over the life of mine.

Notable recently completed construction works include the mechanical installation of the mill, structural steel assembly, fitting of the feed and ball loading chute, and installation of the gearbox cooling system. Outstanding works include installation of the sump pumps and electrical systems, which are ahead of schedule.

“The project remains on budget and, furthermore, all equipment for the project is now on site, with procurement and logistics teams having successfully coordinated full delivery,” Hummingbird said.

Commissioning of the completed mill is due to start in July with full capacity ore throughput expected in August.

Dan Betts, CEO of Hummingbird, said: “At full capacity, the mine will benefit from economies of scale, with no requirement for additional staff to the second mill, so we therefore look forward to a lowering cost profile with increasing production rates over the life of mine.”

Element Six pits polycrystalline diamond against tungsten carbide at Bauma 2019

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining events, Mining maintenance, Mining services, , , , ,

Element Six is showcasing a live wear test using a grinding machine at the Bauma exhibition in Munich, this week.

The leader in supermaterials, and part of the De Beers Group, says this will demonstrate the difference in wear rate between polycrystalline diamond (PCD) and tungsten carbide, to showcase the extreme properties of synthetic diamond and the areas in which it can outperform tungsten carbide.

“The test will highlight the potential of PCD as a material to enhance the performance of tools and machines in the construction and mining industries,” the company said.

“The findings from the test will echo Bauma’s own key messages this year around efficiency and sustainability, by proving the ability to significantly improve the performance and safety of machinery.

“Synthetic diamond tools can exceed standard tungsten carbide tool life by 40 times for applications such as road milling, reducing downtime, fuel consumption and machining time, while improving quality and surface finish,” Element Six said.

Speaking at Bauma, Markus Bening, Global Sales Director, Road, Mining & Wear Parts at Element Six, said: “Based on our experience developing synthetic diamond tools for road milling and roof bolting applications, we see huge opportunities for original equipment manufacturers and toolmakers in construction and mining.

“Feedback from end-users in Sweden, where synthetic diamond is today’s standard for road milling jobs, has consistently shown that the benefits can be game-changing in terms of increased machining speeds and productivity.”

He added: “As companies look to embrace forward-thinking concepts like smart drilling and smart mining, longer-lasting tools are at the forefront of their minds. At our booth, we’ll be demonstrating how synthetic diamond and tungsten carbide tools can deliver incredible results in industries seeking the best performance.”

The Element Six booth is located in Hall C3, Booth 536.

Vertimills continue to save energy and cut emissions, Metso says

Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Power supply for mines, , , , ,

Metso says its Vertimills® are globally recognised as some of the most energy efficient grinding machines, and the company has tried to make that clear in its 2018 annual report.

Vertimills have proven to grind more efficiently than horizontal ball mills, with typical energy savings of 25-35% and, in some cases, even 50%, according to Metso.

“In addition to grinding efficiency, reduced media consumption, lower installation cost, reduced maintenance, and reduced liner wear make the Metso Vertimill the lowest total cost of ownership option in many applications,” Metso said.

Based on a review of the Vertimills currently in operation and a comparison of their efficiency and media consumption relative to a ball mill, Metso estimates that approximately 1.48 million MWh of energy was saved and 652,000 t of CO2 emissions were abated in 2018, compared with 924,000 MWh of energy and 547,000 t CO2, respectively, in 2017.

Since its introduction in 1979, over 440 Vertimills have been delivered globally.

ABB looks to improve mining efficiency with ABB Ability™ MineOptimize

Automation, Bulk handling, Comminution of minerals, Communications in mining, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Mining software, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , ,

ABB has launched its ABB Ability™ MineOptimize suite of digitally connected products, services and solutions to, the company says, “realise the world’s most efficient mines”.

“With digitalisation at its heart, ABB Ability MineOptimize connects all electrification, automation and digital offerings to optimise all stages in the lifecycle – from design and build to operation and service – of any open pit or underground mine and minerals processing plant,” ABB said.

MineOptimize is a portfolio of optimised electrification, drives and automation solutions, optimised engineering, digital applications and collaborative services, according to ABB. “It combines in-depth sector knowledge, leading edge technology and global and local project management, engineering and digital transformation expertise developed by ABB over 60 years of working with the mining and minerals industry at every stage of the mining cycle,” the company said.

The products, services and solutions within the solution include state-of-the-art digital technologies for remote services, predictive maintenance tools as well as solutions for upgrades and retrofits, according to ABB.

The company said: “Advanced application libraries, software solutions and digital platforms reduce process complexity, promote safe and secure production and lower lifetime operating costs. By ensuring that the right people have the right information at the right time and from anywhere, ABB Ability MineOptimize digital applications enable mine operators to maximise reliability, safety, productivity and energy efficiency while optimising planning and visibility across operations and the entire enterprise.”

Martin Knabenhans, Head of Product Management for ABB’s Process Industries business unit, said: “Optimisation of mining and mineral processing operations in order to improve productivity, reduce downtime and protect workforce and the environment is essential and an important factor in being competitive in the market.

“The ABB Ability MineOptimize portfolio offers open, digitally connected mining applications for unmatched operation, maintenance, process and production performance. As digital transformation partner ABB Ability MineOptimize enables IT/OT integration for some of the world’s most cost effective mines.”

ABB will roll out new electrification solutions, digital applications and collaborative services in the MineOptimize portfolio throughout the year, it said, to:

  • Enable sustainable mining by powering the all-electric mine;
  • Re-invent mining automation with the next generation of ABB Ability™ System 800xA for Process and Power Control, and;
  • Improve availability through enhanced collaborative services with new predictive cloud based analytics for grinding, hoists and conveyors.

The new MineOptimize digital applications complement electrification and automation solutions and dedicated mining systems for hoists, gearless or ring geared mill drives and material handling which can be applied in the building or revamping of a mine, ABB said. They will also sit alongside collaborative remote assistance, availability, performance and quality services.

Increasing grinding and flotation circuit automation and optimisation with ABB

Automation, Comminution of minerals, IoT, Metallurgy, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , ,

ABB says advanced process control (APC) using a straightforward design and deployment of model predictive control (MPC) with its System 800xA DCS can enable higher levels of automation and optimisation in a grinding and flotation circuit.

In a typical grinding circuit, ore is fed into the mills where abrasion, attrition and impact reduce its size, ABB says. Usually, the grinding circuit contains at least two interconnected mills with material classifiers (eg cyclones) separating the fine material from the coarse (that then goes for regrinding).

“The process is energy intensive with power consumption of roughly 20 MW to 30 MW and feed throughputs of 2,500 t/h to 3,000 t/hr,” ABB says. “Process variables are mill loads, motor torque and power, plus pressures and flow rates. The ground product is specified in terms of fineness.”

The introduction of an APC controller can lead to increased throughput, homogeneous product quality, reduced consumables and lower maintenance costs, according to ABB.

Further, APC can be advantageously deployed in the flotation plant, where the ground ore, now in slurry form, is washed to separate valuable minerals from waste. The goal is maximum production or maximum yield at a given concentrate quality.

APC performs timely adjustments to froth levels, air flows and reagents leading to process stabilisation, minimised reagents and increased recovery, according to ABB.

Outotec processing expertise and tech on its way to Mexico precious metals project

Automation, Comminution of minerals, Metallurgy, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Precious metals, Water management, , , , , , , , , , ,

Outotec has won a contract for the delivery of a complete minerals processing plant for a precious metals project in Mexico, as part of wider €30 million ($34 million) order.

The company will also deliver process equipment for upgrades of two other sulphide silver ore processes for the same customer.

The total value of the contracts booked in Outotec’s December quarter order intake is approximately €30 million ($34 million), Outotec said.

The scope of the delivery includes the entire process flowsheet of grinding mills, flotation machines, concentrate and tailings thickeners, as well as concentrate filters, automation, and various spares and supervision services for the new precious metals concentrator.

For the upgrade of existing silver processes, Outotec will deliver additional flotation machines and multiple fine grinding equipment for improved recovery.

The deliveries will take place in the end of 2019, Outotec said.

Kimmo Kontola, Head of Outotec’s Minerals Processing Business, said: “We are pleased that we were chosen to deliver our leading technologies and services that enable our customer to improve their profitability in a sustainable way.”

The company was also recently awarded a pressure leaching and solvent extraction technologies for a battery chemicals plant to be built in Sotkamo, Finland. The total order value booked in the December quarter order intake for this contract is some €34 million.