COMMINUTION & CRUSHING
Alleviating comminution bottlenecks
Bottlenecks are one of the most common reasons that comminution circuits don’ t produce more product at size; overcoming these bottlenecks typically requires a tailored, holistic optimisation strategy, according to Bjorn Dierx, Director of HPGR and Process for Weir.
This is true for HPGR-based circuits because, at the end of the day, equipment availability at optimal operating conditions for size reduction is ultimately what yields the annual production.
Dierx explains:“ There are some basic operating principles that should be adhered to for the best results: for instance, keeping the HPGR choke-fed with a steady floating operating gap and maintaining pressure to ensure the particles break effectively will deliver better outcomes.”
The operational reality can look very different, though, depending on the stage of the project( eg in ramp-up versus mature established sites). There are also differences from site to site in terms of feed availability, feed size, feed variability and feed hygiene( eg tramp metal).
“ While some circuits cannot be changed without significant capital expenditure investment, Weir has gained a lot of experience from partnering with operators and experts to navigate various operations through those challenges,” Dierx told IM.
Since every site is different, the proposed performance optimisation package often includes a combination of optimised control logic( both HPGR and DCS), tramp management systems, tailored roller surface adaptations and wear components strategy, as well as operator training, which is often overlooked but, in Dierx’ s experience, should be consistently prioritised.“ This is the kind of structured approach that Weir takes because it delivers the best outcomes,” he added.
Weir’ s latest conditioning monitoring technology provides accurate imaging of the roller surface health
A Weir ENDURON HPGR operational on a gold mine
In contrast, just adding more components, which are often heavily covered in tungsten carbide, doesn’ t address the root cause of the problem, which means problems go on recurring, leading to inefficient use of wear resistant materials and unnecessary operating cost increases.
Weir’ s latest conditioning monitoring technology, which will be integrated in the NEXT intelligent solutions platform, provides accurate imaging of the roller surface health, which, in turn, reports real-time feedback to operators while the machine is still running.
“ If stud breakages are detected, they can be repaired effectively,” Dierx says.“ This ensures costly failures that lead to significant downtime are avoided.”
The system also provides feedback on the health of the autogenous layer, which then triggers a warning to the operator to calibrate the HPGR feed moisture or alter the screen’ s performance.
Weir provides service and product upgrades for both ENDURON and non-Weir HPGRs. When installed HPGRs can’ t be durably operated at high grinding forces, Weir offers a retrofit solution, which allows miners to increase production yields without making significant modifications to their existing civil works.“ This enables operators to benefit from the ENDURON HPGR’ s high design load capabilities without compromising bearing lifetime, while also improving grinding performance and availability,” Dierx says.“ ENDURON HPGRs alleviate comminution bottlenecks in brownfield circuits by delivering the operational flexibility required to sustain throughput as ore hardness continues to increase.”
package to ensure long-term reliability; plus comprehensive commissioning and ongoing maintenance support.
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Butcherbird is a long-life operation producing manganese concentrate for both the steel sector and the rapidly expanding electric-vehicle battery industry.
Element 25 selected MMD mineral sizing technology following a detailed technical review of available crushing and sizing solutions. The Butcherbird orebody is particularly challenging due to its very high clay content, conditions where many traditional crushers struggle to maintain
MMD will supply a complete sizing package comprising an MMD 625 Primary Sizer designed for high-capacity primary ore reduction; and MMD 500 Secondary Sizer for providing consistent, controlled product sizing at Butcherbird performance. MMD says its sizers were chosen for their proven ability to handle wet, sticky and high-clay materials while maintaining high throughput and mechanical reliability.
Key cited advantages that set MMD apart included outstanding performance with high-clay ores; low maintenance requirements and high reliability in abrasive, sticky environments; an established Western Australian inventory of critical spare parts; a dedicated, full-time local service and maintenance team; plus full commissioning and post-commissioning support, MMD says. These strengths ensure reduced downtime, lower operating costs and greater processing efficiency throughout the expanded BBX circuit.
International Mining | MARCH 2026