Tag Archives: sensor-based ore sorting

Ore sorting has role to play in ‘Green Mining’ developments, TOMRA says

Bulk handling, Comminution of minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , ,

TOMRA says its advanced sensor-based sorting technologies can provide mining operations with the energy efficiency and ore recovery benefits they require to reduce their environmental footprints.

The ability to recover valuable ore from even sub-economic deposits or dumps has become increasingly relevant as the energy-intensive mining industry shifts towards a ‘Green Mining’ approach, according to the company.

Tord Svensson, TOMRA’s Head of Sorting Mining, explains: “For a mining company to become more sustainable and profitable, it requires a shift in focus that places more value on potentially limited commodities like water and ore.

“To achieve an environmentally-focused and efficiency-oriented production process – which is integral to Green Mining – it is necessary to implement solutions right from the beginning of the process. This is where ore sorting equipment comes in: using these technologies in the early stages of mining reduces waste material and shrinks the carbon footprint, while increasing profitability.”

TOMRA is a pioneer of sensor-based sorting technologies, offering smart technologies for sorting and separating a variety of valuable substances. Its solutions range from industrial mineral processes to sorting gemstones, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, coal and other fuels and slag metal.

The sensor-based sorting technology not only significantly reduces the amount of energy and water required, compared with more traditional methods such as grinding and dense media separation, but also maximises the efficiency and quality recovery of valuable ores, according to TOMRA.

X-ray transmission (XRT), one of TOMRA’s leading solutions, separates dry material of various ore and minerals based on their atomic density, irrespective of surface properties and thickness. This means it is not necessary to crush or grind every rock into smaller particles, which results in massive savings of energy, water, and their related costs, according to the company.

“Considering that grinding is the most energy-intensive part of the production cycle, as an estimated 50-75% of the energy used in mining is for the liberation and comminution of ore and minerals, this technology can have a significant impact on the sustainability and profitability of a mining operation,” TOMRA said.

Pre-concentration techniques like sensor-based sorting are proven to reduce energy consumption by about half, resulting in a considerable reduction of the CO2 footprint and providing a highly cost-effective solution, the company added.

TOMRA has created a Green Counter on its website that displays the total amount of CO2 reduced through the use of its sorting machines in real time. It uses the smart technology within the equipment, which records the amount of rock sorted and eliminated, as well as throughput and total hours of operation.

“With this data, TOMRA and mining companies are able to calculate the energy in kWh saved by not treating the waste which has been removed by the sorters,” the company said. “The amount of energy saved is converted into CO2 equivalents, which in turn are converted into CO2 metric tonnes.”

Through the use of TOMRA sorting machines, client companies have saved 123,696 t of CO2 in 2018 alone, the company said.

The company concluded: “TOMRA’s sorting solutions have proven to be more than just technological innovation – they are also considered the benchmark for industry standards in both efficiency and sustainability. TOMRA remains committed to evolving its technology with a clear focus towards preserving our shared natural resources.”

North Arrow brings in Imilingo, TOMRA, Microlithics for modular diamond recovery

Diamond mining, Mineral exploration, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

North Arrow Minerals says it has engaged Imilingo Mineral Processing of Pretoria, South Africa, TOMRA, and Microlithics Laboratories of Thunder Bay, Ontario, to investigate modular diamond recovery design options incorporating TOMRA’s X-Ray Transmission (XRT) sorting technology at its 100% owned Naujaat diamond project in Nunavut, Canada.

The engagement is with a view to recovering diamonds greater than 3 mm (nominally >0.5 ct) in size from a diamond recovery plant, it said.

North Arrow is currently planning for collection of a 10,000 t bulk sample from the Q1-4 deposit at Naujaat and, as part of this work, has initiated an engineering design and costing study of a small-scale mobile diamond recovery plant. The purpose of the sample will be to evaluate diamond size distribution and value characteristics, with emphasis on a distinct population of high-value, fancy, yellow to orangey-yellow diamonds that have been identified in the deposit, the company said.

Ken Armstrong, President and CEO of North Arrow, said: “We are pleased to be working with Imilingo, TOMRA and Microlithics to study diamond recovery plant design options for use in our continued evaluation of the Q1-4 diamond deposit.

“Over the last number of years, TOMRA’s XRT sorting technology has changed the diamond mining landscape by providing an XRT sorting solution that improves diamond recoveries while reducing breakage and water use compared to more traditional diamond recovery circuits. We believe XRT sorting technology can also be used for the evaluation of diamond deposits and is an ideal recovery solution for the Q1-4 diamond population.

“Locating a small-scale diamond recovery plant at or near the project site will also reduce costs, improve logistics and increase local employment and business opportunities for the residents of Naujaat,” he said.

Imilingo’s iPlant packages combine XRT solutions from the likes of TOMRA to sort and deliver feed material in a clean and well classified state, Managing Director, Jaco Prinsloo, told IM recently. Microlithics Laboratories, meanwhile, provides a number of diamond-specific services to clients in North America.

The focus on recovery of diamonds greater than 3 mm is an important component of the study, the company said, with a significant amount of the cost associated with processing past Q1-4 kimberlite samples related to ensuring and documenting the recovery of smaller diamonds (down to 1 mm in size).

Armstrong added: “While information on the 1 mm to 3 mm diamonds is important, most often the value of these diamonds does not impact the potential viability of the deposit being tested. This is certainly the case for Q1-4 where the value and size distribution of the fancy coloured diamond population will be critical in determining the economic potential of the deposit.

“We are therefore looking to design a small-scale mobile plant that can produce a hand-sortable concentrate for the recovery of +3 mm diamonds while saving significant costs and time delays associated with shipping bulk samples south for processing.”

Locating a diamond recovery plant at Naujaat as part of the Q1-4 bulk sampling program is possible due to the deposit’s proximity to marine transportation infrastructure and the improved accessibility that will be provided by a proposed new community access trail, the company said.

TOMRA division reflects on 25 years of sensor-based sorting in mining

Base metals, Energy minerals, Gem stone mining, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Precious metals, Steel and iron ore, , , ,

TOMRA’s sensor sorting systems are celebrating 25 years of operation in the mining space.

The past quarter of a century has seen high-value, high-quality recovery and innovation led by sustainability and record-breaking achievements, the company said.

TOMRA Sorting Mining’s history and success dates back to 1993 when Commodas applied its core sensor-based technology to a mining application.

The optical sorting solution was tested on an industrial scale to separate calcium carbonate (CaCo3) from other materials in order to recover higher values of CaCo3, which is an essential element used in everyday products, such as paper.

In this application, the sorting technology automatically removed grey and dark rocks from the bulk feed and achieved excellent results. This led to, in 1994, two large-scale machines featuring this technology being introduced to Hermsdorf (Erzgebirge), Germany. This installation successfully ran for eighteen years.

In 2006, Commodas joined the TOMRA Group forming part of TOMRA Sorting – a leading solution provider in mining, recycling and food industries.

“Today, TOMRA Sorting Mining equipment can be found in a variety of challenging environments and extreme climates around the world. Our combined strengths of expert industry knowledge, proprietary technology and qualified engineer support service significantly benefit our customers in this dynamic industry,” the company said.

“TOMRA Sorting Mining solutions have enabled the recovery of the world’s largest diamond in over 100 years, the world’s largest sorting plant with an 1,880 t/h feeder, the industry’s highest sorting plan at 4800 metres above sea level, many additional notable diamond recoveries and the Innovation Award of Peru.

During the 25th anniversary year, TOMRA Sorting Mining will introduce the new COM Series XRT 2.0 (pictured). Based on the successful XRT sorter, the new COM Series XRT 2.0 is a true evolution with industry-leading standards for robustness, throughput and availability, according to the company.

 

TOMRA’s COM XRT 2.0 mineral ore sorter tackles even higher throughputs

Automation, Base metals, Bulk handling, Comminution of minerals, Energy minerals, Metallurgy, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Precious metals, Steel and iron ore, , , , ,

X-ray ore sorting is already making great waves across the mineral processing industry by reducing plant throughputs, increasing head grades and cutting operating costs. One of the leaders in this growing field, TOMRA, believes its new COM XRT 2.0 sorter takes these attributes to another level.

This upgraded model features higher belt speed and throughput, translating directly into increased productivity in mineral processing. It also offers increased wear resistance and longer component lifetime, with quick and safe maintenance through providing easier access to replaceable components.

Ines Hartwig, Product Manager at TOMRA Sorting Mining, said the valuable experience gained over the past 15 years, through monitoring and maintaining the TOMRA COM XRT units operating in the field, has been incorporated into the design of the TOMRA COM XRT 2.0.

“Our sorters have been operating under harsh conditions in both hot and cold climates, sorting wet and dry feed across a wide range of commodities,” Hartwig said.

The speed of the belt in the new design has been increased from 2.7 m/s to 3.5 m/s, while the more powerful X-ray system accommodates the sorting of larger-sized material due to better X ray penetration.

“Higher levels of belt occupancy are facilitated by our improved data processing capacity, and this allows the particle size of the feed to be increased,” she said. “The maximum size of the particles that the TOMRA COM XRT 2.0 can handle is between 100 mm and 125 mm, depending on the material, which also contributes significantly to throughput capacity.”

She notes these higher levels of capacity are particularly valuable for larger mines, as they reduce the number of machines required, and therefore also decrease capital and operating expenditure.

The unit boasts a highly selective ejection system, using data processing in combination with precise control of the pneumatic valves which eject the selected material from the stream. Driving this system is TOMRA’s proprietary data processing pipeline that links sensors, image processing and the valve control boards.

The performance of this ore sorting technology has been proven at Ma’aden Phosphates’ new $560 million processing plant at the Umm Wu’Al project in Saudi Arabia, one of the largest integrated phosphate fertiliser facilities in the world, according to TOMRA. TOMRA Sorting Solutions has installed nine of its TOMRA COM XRT sorting units, each with an operational width of 2.4 m, to process a 1,850 t/h sorter feed at this facility (pictured, top).

The objective of the sorters is to reduce the milling and flotation of silica in the plant process, using a dry technology at a low cost per tonne. The TOMRA units achieve this by removing more than 90% of the chert in the +9 mm fraction, which makes up half of the plant feed, before the phosphate is fed to the milling and flotation circuit. This leads to the removal of over 1.2 Mt/y of SiO2, which does not have to be crushed, ground and floated.

This installation considerably improved the mill performance by reducing the consumption of energy, water and chemicals per tonne of final product, TOMRA said. All of this was achieved with a smaller sorting plant footprint. The saving in flotation reagents, alone, amounts to almost $8 million/y, according to the company.

In Botswana, TOMRA Sorting Solutions has installed two TOMRA COM XRT 2.0/1200 sorters in the mega-diamond recovery (MDR) circuit of Lucara Diamonds’ Karowe mine. Located directly after the primary crusher and ahead of the process plant, the MDR circuit treats material in the size range between 50 mm and 120 mm. It maximises the upfront recovery of exceptional diamonds before the ore reaches the comminution processes, where diamond damage may occur.

“The machine has proven itself through its high availability throughout its first year of operation there,” Hartwig said.

TOMRA Sorting Solutions also has several smaller units in portable and containerised configurations in many different countries, where they must operate in a variety of climatic conditions from arctic to tropical. These machines sort minerals ranging from copper, iron ore and coal to industrial minerals, chrome and diamonds.

Avalon, Cronimet proving sensor-based ore sorting thesis for East Kemptville tin project

Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Environmental, Metallurgy, Mineral processing, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining project news, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , ,

Avalon Advanced Materials has moved a step closer to incorporating sensor-based ore sorting into its plans at the East Kemptville tin project in Nova Scotia, Canada, after the latest testwork came back with positive results.

As recently as July, the company said ore-sorting technology had the potential to upgrade the feed material to the processing plant, thereby reducing both capital and operating costs and the volume of tailings generated, and it has stuck by that assessment after the latest batch of work.

Sensor-based ore-sorting (an example from Outotec shown above) is an emerging technology seeing increasing application in the mining industry. It involves the scanning of individual rock particles on a conveyor using various types of available sensor technologies.

Depending on the chemical, mineralogical or physical characteristics, the particles of value are individually identified and separated from the ‘rejects’ by applying either a mechanical, hydraulic or, in the case of East Kemptville, pneumatic process.

The most recent work, which comes on the back of similar preliminary work in 2017, was conducted by Cronimet Mining Processing, which is providing technical and metallurgical services to Avalon.

Drill core samples from the in-ground resources at East Kemptville were delivered in July to a test facility in Kentucky, US, in order to determine the amenability of East Kemptville tin mineralisation for beneficiation using sorting technology.

Samples varying from relatively high-grade to low-grade tin concentrations were scanned using a multisensory sorter platform. Based on these scans, an algorithm was developed to allow for the separation of the material during tests.

The feedstock used during the test campaign contained 0.11% Sn, 0.06% Cu and 0.11% Zn. The first step of the testwork produced an upgraded product containing 0.47% Sn and a product mass yield of 12%.

Recovery versus grade data also showed ore sorting can be used to recover the zinc ore mineral sphalerite (which also contains indium) from this resource. The zinc-indium feed was successfully upgraded to 0.23% Zn in the first step, while copper content remained low.

Similar positive results were achieved in a preliminary ore sorting test programme conducted in 2017 using material from the low-grade stockpile, Avalon said. This confirms the technology can be successfully employed to upgrade both the in-ground tin resource as well as the stockpiled material.

Based on these results, Cronimet has recommend a detailed sampling campaign be conducted on the low-grade stockpile, followed by an extensive bulk testwork programme using a pilot-scale ore sorting plant to test the recovery of valuable minerals on a pilot scale.

Cronimet will be visiting the East Kemptville site in September to meet with Avalon and site representatives in order to design and schedule the sampling programme likely to involve the extraction of a bulk (circa-10 t) composite sample sometime in October.

The test programme, including writing of the technical report, is expected to take five to six months to complete. This will be combined with a confirmation drilling programme on the stockpile, which will be used to finalise the small-scale site re-development model to the feasibility level of confidence, following which it is contemplated Avalon and Cronimet would enter into a partnership for the joint development of the project.

In July, Cronimet started carrying out the installation of ore sorting equipment at Almonty Industries’ Panasqueira mine in Portugal. This particular installation was aimed at reclaiming coarse fraction tailings and would result in a production increase of about 10%, according to Almomty.