Pre-weakening of mineral ores by high voltage pulses

Wang, Eric; Shi, Feng; Manlapig, E.

doi:10.1016/j.mineng.2010.12.011

Cited by 106 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…One potential method to reduce the energy consumption of comminution might be pre-weakening by high voltage pulses as shown in prior studies on different raw materials in mineral processing [1][2][3][4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Significant reductions of ore particle strength were visible after the application of high voltage pulses of low specific energy [2] and have demonstrated the potential to decrease the energy consumption in the downstream comminution process, especially in hybrid circuit simulations [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further studies regarding electrodynamic weakening were executed with different laboratory equipment, either commercially available like the SELFRAG Lab [2,11] or self-constructed like the High Voltage Electric Pulses Crusher built at the Iranian Amirkabir University of Technology [4]. To demonstrate the benefits of pre-weakening by high voltage pulses to the mineral industry, to treat larger particles and to use more flexible operation settings, a pilot scale Pre-Weakening Testing Station (PWTS) was developed by SELFRAG AG (SELFRAG) and used to further characterize pre-weakening by high voltage pulse treatment [3,12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparative Laboratory Studies of Conventional and Electrodynamic Fragmentation of an Industrial Mineral

Tschugg

Öfner

Flachberger

2017

Berg Huettenmaenn Monatsh

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Abstract:In order to address comminution efficiency, which could be defined as the increase in mass specific surface against net specific energy input, the energy consumption of an industrial mineral with and without preweakening by high voltage pulses covering the same size range were compared. The three tested comminution sequences consisted of a laboratory jaw crusher or pilot scale high voltage pulse machine at two different circulating loads, a laboratory crusher and two tumbling mills of differing grinding media; all being operated following the principles of energy optimized comminution according to the OCS-method. The first results indicate that possible energy reduction by electrodynamic pre-weakening is available in the immediately subsequent, but not in further conventional comminution stages for the tested industrial mineral. Keywords

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparative Laboratory Studies of Conventional and Electrodynamic Fragmentation of an Industrial Mineral

Tschugg

Öfner

Flachberger

2017

Berg Huettenmaenn Monatsh

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“…Disintegration of the ore occurs efficiently when the size of the exposed mineral exceeds the threshold size. Wang et al (2011) performed tests on four ores (a copper ore, two copper/gold ores and a lead/zinc ore) to investigate the effect of pre-weakening by high voltage pulses (1 to 3 kWh/t). The results…”

Section: Effect Of High Voltage Pulse Treatment On Ore Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has been primarily focussed on the implementation of SELFRAG devices within the comminution circuit and the implications on the ore's competence and breakage. Experiments conducted using the SELFRAG Lab device showed large reductions in the resistance of the ores to breakage and improvements in the mineral liberation (Wang et al, 2011;Wang et al (2012c)) and Shi et al (2014a) showed that a copper-gold ore hybrid comminution circuit which utilises SELFRAG technology alongside mechanical grinding, has the potential to reduce the energy consumption by 5 kWh/t. The current literature fails to address the potential impacts, positive or negative, that SELFRAG technology could have on the downstream separation recoveries.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of high voltage pulse treatment on ore characteristics and separation performances of a porphyry copper ore

Parker¹

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Technological advancement in large scale mining has changed little in the past 20 years.Increasing global energy demands and continuously decreasing ore grades are putting pressure on the mining industry to develop new, energy efficient technologies. Comminution has the highest energy consumption across the mining industry, and its energy demands continue to increase as finer grinding is required to liberate the valuable minerals in lower grade ores.Novel devices, such as high voltage pulse devices (HVP), have the potential to reduce the overall energy consumption, as they offer preferential breakage at the mineral grain boundaries. Good liberation occurs in coarser products and gangue can be removed upstream. HVP devices offer the opportunity to replace and change old inefficient comminution circuits or to be strategically incorporated within a current circuit. They also provide an opportunity for improving the downstream separation performances. However, to date, little research has been conducted on the direct effects of HVP treatment on these mineral separation processes.In this thesis the effects of HVP treatment on the characteristics and surface chemistry of a sample of Los Bronces porphyry copper ore were initially investigated to determine the potential for improved separation performance. A commercially available SELFRAG Lab device was used to HVP treat the ore either in batch-mode or using the single-particle/single pulse (SP/SP) method. The results showed that the ore responded well to SELFRAG batch treatment, with improvements seen in the ore's resistance to breakage and mineral liberation. Batch flotation and Wilfley shaking table tests therefore followed, using SELFRAG batch treated and mechanically crushed ore, to determine the differences in the grade-recovery curves. Further froth flotation tests were done using SELFRAG SP/SP treated ore for comparison.Results indicate that SELFRAG batch treatment of Los Bronces ore significantly reduced the ore's resistance to breakage when compared to conventional (mechanical) crushing. However, it consumed 21.8 kWh/t whereas mechanical crushing only consumed 1.5 kWh/t to produce the same extent of breakage. The SELFRAG SP/SP method was developed to reduce the consumed energy so that overall energy savings could be realised. In this method, SELFRAG treatment pre-weakens the particles with little to no breakage, so the JKRBT was used to break the particles ii to -3.35 mm. This method consumed 4.55 kWh/t and the product had the same resistance to breakage as the mechanically crushed product.Mineral liberation results showed that chalcopyrite was more liberated in the SELFRAG batch treated product than in the mechanically crushed product, noticeably in the coarser size fractions.This was confirmed in the preliminary float/sink gravity separation results where improved chalcopyrite recoveries were seen. Although SELFRAG batch treatment improved the valuable mineral liberation, it also led to noticeable surface chemistry changes. The surface chemistry of p...

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Progress and Challenges in Electrical Comminution by High‐Voltage Pulses

2014

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The recent progress in electrical comminution using high‐voltage pulses and the technical challenges in order to bring this technology to the mining industry are outlined. Pre‐weakening ore particles and preferential liberation of minerals at coarse sizes are the two major research outcomes that may have potential benefits for the industry. A particle pre‐weakening characterization method by single‐particle/single‐pulse test has been developed. The emerging challenges for the mining industry to realize the benefits of this novel comminution technology include scale‐up for industrial application, hybrid circuit design, maximization of pulse‐induced cracks, and study of the downstream processing effects.

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Pre-weakening of mineral ores by high voltage pulses

Cited by 106 publications

References 12 publications

Comparative Laboratory Studies of Conventional and Electrodynamic Fragmentation of an Industrial Mineral

Comparative Laboratory Studies of Conventional and Electrodynamic Fragmentation of an Industrial Mineral

The effects of high voltage pulse treatment on ore characteristics and separation performances of a porphyry copper ore

Progress and Challenges in Electrical Comminution by High‐Voltage Pulses

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