Development and Evaluation of Fine Crushing Circuits for Energy Efficient Comminution of Iron Ore

粉碎是矿物加工的能源密集型组成部分，使用了加拿大约4%的电力。通常的方法是使用破碎技术，然后在滚磨机中进行研磨，以实现矿石中有价成分和无价成分的分离。本文提出的研究重点是扩大破碎的应用范围，以减少研磨量。开发精细破碎电路有几个潜在的好处。粉碎技术的能源效率比翻滚磨要好得多。破碎技术产生比滚磨机更陡峭的产品粒度分布，从而避免产生难以加工的过细物料。粉碎是一个干燥的过程，因此，细粉碎粉碎代表了一个机会，以节约用水。因此，有必要设计粉碎过程，可以最大限度地提高粉碎回路的努力。随着新的精细破碎技术的引入，如高压磨辊（HPGR），垂直轴冲击（VSI）破碎机和圆锥破碎的新进展，有可能将破碎机的应用范围扩大到细粒度。将进行一项研究，以评估包括这些技术的精细破碎电路。该研究将研究一系列的流程选择，包括二级、三级和四级破碎的所有可能组合，包括用于所有阶段的圆锥破碎机，用于三级和四级破碎的hpgr，以及用于四级破碎的VSI。目标是最大限度地利用破碎电路的能量，为下游加工准备矿石。该计划将包括对破碎装置和电路进行广泛的建模和模拟研究，随后进行一系列的试验台和中试规模的调查，以表征铁矿石对每个粉碎装置和工艺电路的反应。这项研究将向支助组织和加拿大采矿业通报关于能源效率和对下游加工的影响方面的新型细粉碎电路的设计和操作。**************

Comminution is an energy intensive component of mineral processing utilizing about 4% of electrical power generated in Canada. The common approach is to use crushing technologies followed by grinding in tumbling mills to achieve liberation for separation of valuable from non-valuable components of the ore. The focus of the proposed research is to extend the application of crushing in order to reduce the amount of grinding. There are several potential benefits for the development of fine crushing circuits. The energy efficiency of crushing technologies is much better than in tumbling mills. Crushing technologies generate steeper product particle size distributions than tumbling mills thereby avoiding the generation of excessively fine material that is difficult to process. Crushing is a dry process, such that fine crushing comminution represents an opportunity to conserve water. Hence, there is a need to design comminution processes that can maximize the effort in the crushing circuit. With the introduction of new fine crushing technologies, such as High Pressure Grinding Roll (HPGR), Vertical Shaft Impact (VSI) crushers and new advances in cone crushing, there is a potential to extend the application of crushers to fine particle sizes. A study will be performed to assess fine crushing circuits that include these technologies. The study will investigate a range of flowsheet options - all possible combinations of secondary, tertiary, and quaternary crushing involving cone crushers for all stages, HPGRs for tertiary and quaternary crushing stage, and the VSI for quaternary crushing. The goal is to maximize energy utilization in the crushing circuit to prepare the ore for downstream processing. The program will involve extensive modelling and simulation studies of the crushing units and circuits, followed by a series of the bench- and pilot-scale investigations to characterize the response of iron ore to each comminution device and process circuit. The research will inform the supporting organizations and the Canadian mining industry about the design and operation of novel fine crushing circuits with respect to energy efficiency and impacts on downstream processing. **************