To study the mechanism of mineral raw material particles destruction, the rational distribution of grinding energy between successive grinding stages in ball mills, and the development of engineering methods for redistribution of technological flows in grinding schemes to reduce specific energy consumption. Methods. Experimental studies of the breakage mechanism were carried out using a physical model of a ball mill operated in the batch mode taking into account the similarity theory. For comparative studies of dry and wet grinding, quartz sand and crushed marble products with a particle size of +0.25…-0.5 mm were used. The selection of the grinding energy distribution rational parameters between successive stages of ball grinding was carried out by general testing at the concentrator plants of Armenia, Russia, and Uzbekistan. Findings. The materials resulting from studying processes of grinding mineral raw materials in ball mills are presented. It was established that the mineral raw particles destruction in ball mills occurs within the layer as a result of the layers discrete sliding of the ball charge along the ascending trajectories while effectively filling the free space between the balls with the material to be crushed. A technique was developed for evaluating the efficiency of grinding energy distribution between successive stages on the basis of the established laws of mineral raw material particles destruction. Methods for redistributing the grinding energy between the first and second grinding stages are proposed. The methods for the rational distribution of grinding energy between mills of the first and second stages, using drum screens, was developed and implemented in the practice of concentrator plants. Originality. The authors established the dependences of the grinding material content of the size -100 μm on the free space filling coefficient with the material for sand and marble during dry and wet grinding. The mechanism of the mineral raw particle destruction in the layer during discrete sliding between the charge layers on the ascending trajectories is disclosed. Practical implications. The proposed methodology for evaluating the efficiency of grinding energy distribution made it possible to develop and implement into the concentrator plants practice the techniques for redistributing grinding energy between successive stages with significant economic effect.