Mineral Processing
M. B. Fathi; B. Rezai; E. K. Alamdari; R. D. Alorro
Abstract
The effects of the functional groups and structures of two different resins, weak base/macroporous and strong base/gel type, Purolite A170 and Dowex 21K on the adsorption properties of Re(VII) ions were investigated experimentally and described by the isotherm, kinetic, and thermodynamic modeling. In ...
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The effects of the functional groups and structures of two different resins, weak base/macroporous and strong base/gel type, Purolite A170 and Dowex 21K on the adsorption properties of Re(VII) ions were investigated experimentally and described by the isotherm, kinetic, and thermodynamic modeling. In this regard, four widely used adsorption isotherm models including Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin-Radushkevich (D-R) were subjected to the sorption data in order to describe the reactions involved. Evaluating the correlation coefficients showed that the Freundlich and D-R isotherm models provided the best fit. The Langmuir isotherm capacities (qm) indicated that the perrhenate ion (ReO4-) adsorption was higher for the weak base/macroporous type resin rather than the others (166.67 mg/g and 142.86 mg/g, respectively). Moreover, the results of the EDX studies were in agreement with the previous results. Furthermore, the adsorption kinetics was demonstrated through fitting the data into different mechanisms, among which the pseudo-second-order mechanism was found to be successful for both resins; however, in the case of Dowex 21K, the rate of perrhenate ion uptake was more rapid than that for Purolite A170. Evaluation of the thermodynamic parameters also showed that the reaction mechanism was different for each case and that the adsorption of rhenium on Dowex 21K became more feasible with increase in temperature due to negative values for ΔH.
Mineral Processing
M. Naderi; Seyed Z. Shafaie; M. Karamoozian; Sh. Gharanjik
Abstract
In this work, the parameters affecting the recovery of copper from the low-grade sulfide minerals of Sarcheshmeh Copper Mine were studied. A low-grade sulfide ore was used with a copper grade of 0.25%, which was about 28% of the mineral oxide, and the sulfide minerals made up the rest. Much more sulfide ...
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In this work, the parameters affecting the recovery of copper from the low-grade sulfide minerals of Sarcheshmeh Copper Mine were studied. A low-grade sulfide ore was used with a copper grade of 0.25%, which was about 28% of the mineral oxide, and the sulfide minerals made up the rest. Much more sulfide minerals were found to be pyrite and most of the gangue minerals were quartz, anorthite, biotite, and muscovite. In order to investigate, simultaneously, the solids (10 to 20%) and acidity (1.5 to 2.5) and shaking (110 to 150 rpm), the separation of bacteria from Sarcheshmeh Copper Mine was carried out. After adjustment of the sample, bio-leaching tests were performed in accordance with the pattern defined by the software DX7 in shaking flasks, and the Cu recovery was modeled and optimized using the response surface methodology. The influential parameters were comprehensively studied. The central composite design methodology was used as the design matrix to predict the optimal level of these parameters. Then the model equation was optimized. The results obtained showed that increasing solids (from 10 to 20%) was bad for bacteria. The highest copper recovery was equivalent to 69.91%, obtained after 21 days at 35 degrees using the Acidi Thiobacillus Ferrooxidans bacteria and a K9 medium with a pulp density of 10% and pH 1.5.
Mineral Processing
Gh. A. Parsapour; S. DarvishTafvisi; E. Arghavani; M. J. Rajabi; A. Akbari; S. Banisi
Abstract
The new copper processing plant of the Sarcheshmeh copper complex consists of two parallel circuits. After a primary crushing, the ore is sent to a SAG mill, and the product is further ground in a ball mill. The overflow of the hydrocyclones is fed to a flotation circuit that contains 8 rougher tank ...
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The new copper processing plant of the Sarcheshmeh copper complex consists of two parallel circuits. After a primary crushing, the ore is sent to a SAG mill, and the product is further ground in a ball mill. The overflow of the hydrocyclones is fed to a flotation circuit that contains 8 rougher tank cells (RCS130), 3 cleaner cells (RCS50), 5 scavenger cells (RCS50), and a flotation column (as recleaner). The circuit was initially designed to process a feed containing 0.8% Cu but due to a change in the ore type, the feed grade decreased to 0.6% Cu. This resulted in a reduction in the final concentrate grade and the recovery from 28% and 85.5% to 24% and 84.4%, respectively. Based on the original design, the copper and silica recovery in the cleaner cells should be 69% and 55%, respectively, but these values increased to 85% and 75% due to a higher retention time. The rather high silica recovery was found to be the main source of the lower final concentrate grade. In order to reduce the retention time of particles in the cleaner cell from 13.7 to 6.9 min, the rougher concentrates of two parallel circuits were fed to only one cleaner-scavenger and regrind circuit. This modification increased the cleaner and final concentrate grade from 15.1% and 24.5% to 17% and 26%, respectively. The overall outcome of the circuit modification was evaluated to be a 10% reduction in the energy consumption without any loss in the overall copper recovery.
Mineral Processing
H. Shahgholi; K. Barani; M. Yaghobi
Abstract
Vertical roller mills (VRMs) are well-established grinding equipment for various tasks in the coal and cement industry. There are few studies on simulation of VRMs. In this research work, application of perfect mixing model for simulation of a VRM in a cement grinding plant was investigated. Two sampling ...
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Vertical roller mills (VRMs) are well-established grinding equipment for various tasks in the coal and cement industry. There are few studies on simulation of VRMs. In this research work, application of perfect mixing model for simulation of a VRM in a cement grinding plant was investigated. Two sampling surveys were carried out on the VRM circuit. The samples and data from the first survey were used for the experimental determination of the breakage function and model calibration. The breakage distribution function of the material was determined by the compressed bed breakage test in a piston-die cell device. The model parameters were back-calculated using the feed and product size distribution data and the breakage distribution function. The model parameters obtained were used for simulation of the second survey and validation of the model. The simulation results showed that the simulated product size distribution curves fitted the measured product curves quite well.
Mineral Processing
F. Basirifar; M.R. Khalesi; M. Ramezanizadeh; M. Abdollahy; A. Hajizadeh
Abstract
Partition curves are widely used to determine the spiral separator efficiency. In this work, the partition curves were used in order to investigate the particle transportation to concentrate and tailing streams. Simulation of fine particle removal using the size-by-size partition curves showed that the ...
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Partition curves are widely used to determine the spiral separator efficiency. In this work, the partition curves were used in order to investigate the particle transportation to concentrate and tailing streams. Simulation of fine particle removal using the size-by-size partition curves showed that the recovery of gangue particles to concentrate can decrease 8.7%. It also showed that the recovery of valuable particles would increase by 6.5% and reaches 90%. Therefore, pilot-scale tests were conducted to verify the simulations. After removal of fine particles from the feed of spiral separator and treating the removed materials with high-intensity magnetic separator, total mass recovery, iron recovery, and iron grade increased from 71%, 85%, and 54% to 80%, 91%, and 56%, respectively.
Mineral Processing
M. Maleki Moghaddam; A. R. Hasankhoei; E. Arghavani; A. Haji-Zadeh; M. Yahyaei; S. Banisi
Abstract
Liner design is becoming an increasingly more important tool for the AG/SAG mill performance optimization. The Gol-E-Gohar iron ore concentration plant uses three 9 m × 2.05 m autogenous mills (AG) in parallel in a dry operation. Due to large variations in feed characteristics and inadequate ...
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Liner design is becoming an increasingly more important tool for the AG/SAG mill performance optimization. The Gol-E-Gohar iron ore concentration plant uses three 9 m × 2.05 m autogenous mills (AG) in parallel in a dry operation. Due to large variations in feed characteristics and inadequate blending, the performance of AG mills has been lower than the target value. In order to increase the circuit throughput while maintaining the desired product size, based upon physical and numerical simulations, it was proposed to convert the AG mills to SAG mills. Simulation of the charge trajectory indicated that increasing the liner lifter face angle from 7 to 30° could provide an appropriate charge trajectory in the SAG mode. Installation of the new liners and conversion of AG mill No. 2 to SAG mill, by adding 5% (v/v) balls, resulted in an overall increase of 31% in throughput (from 419 to 548 t/h). Measurement of the wear profiles of shell liners indicated that the wear along the liner length was not uniform. In order to arrive at a uniform wear profile, a new liner design was proposed. Installing the second liner design in AG mill No. 1 and converting it to SAG mill increased the mill throughput by 18% (from 413 to 489 t/h), while the liner life showed a 7% increase. Measurement of the wear profiles of the second liner set indicate that the maximum wear occurs in the centre of the mill. A new liner design was then designed by increasing the width of the lifter top from 12.5 to 15 cm and increasing the lifter height from 16 to 26 cm to enhance the liner life.
Mineral Processing
H. Paryad; H. Khoshdast; V. Shojaei
Abstract
It is well-known that entrainment of particles into the froth is a key factor in the selectivity and performance of the flotation process, especially for fine particle recovery. Since flotation is a continuous process, in this work, the effects of operating parameters on the entrainment of ash materials ...
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It is well-known that entrainment of particles into the froth is a key factor in the selectivity and performance of the flotation process, especially for fine particle recovery. Since flotation is a continuous process, in this work, the effects of operating parameters on the entrainment of ash materials in a sample coal flotation is investigated from a time-sequence viewpoint. The effects of the pulp solid content, collector concentration, frother concentration, impeller speed, and particle size on the entrainment factor and water recovery at different flotation times are evaluated using a D-optimal response surface experimental design. The experimental work carried out shows that some parameters, especially particle size and pulp density, can yield completely different responses from those reported in the literature. The observed unusual behaviours can be attributed to the entrainment mechanisms and verified by the experimental results. It is also shown that the dominant entrainment mechanism can be varied by time. In addition, the statistical analyses of the experimental design show that the effects of some parameters change during time from the initial to the final stages of the flotation process. The results obtained indicate that the particle size and pulp density are the most important parameters influencing the entrainment rate and water recovery. The effects of the collector and frother concentrations are less on the entrainment and water recovery. In addition, the interaction between the solid percentage and particle size is the only significant mixed effect.