COMMINUTION AND CRUSHING
Holistic treatment
Higher throughput , lower costs , less energy consumption , water use rationalisation , a smaller footprint , less downtime … mineral processing companies are receiving many requests from mining customers . Dan Gleeson walks through how major OEMs are dealing with these demands and more
The search for disruptive technology in the comminution sector has seen all sorts of industry competitions , challenges and projects launched over the last few decades .
Some of these have seen the development and testing of new technology to boost productivity , lower operating costs , and reduce water and energy consumption .
This new technology appears – in studies at least – to work well in isolation but , so far , has struggled to find a wider home in miners ’ process flowsheets .
Integration is typically the hardest part of the technology adoption process , and it has got even harder of late as the goal posts around costs , throughput and sustainability have fluctuated in line with commodity prices , finance availability and corporate agendas .
This is where taking an all-inclusive approach to the mineral process flowsheet is often the best option , employing expertise that spans drilling and blasting , crushing and grinding , and follow-on processing to find a solution that works well when all elements are combined .
Such an approach could see one piece of equipment inserted into the plan based not only on its ability to effectively carry out its normal task but on the benefits it provides downstream processes in the flowsheet .
However , this requires a re-set of the flowsheet assessment process from miners , contractors , consultants , engineering firms and vendors , alike , removing the mentality of the past and replacing it with a holistic view of the processing plant .
Common comminution concerns
When reviewing the changing requests from customers over the last 12 to 18 months in the comminution and crushing market , the vendors in this space came back with various responses .
“ In the last 12-18 months , which have been very challenging due to the global pandemic coupled with an increase in commodity prices , we have seen a lot of projects that have been fasttracked and / or take even more scrutiny when it comes to lead times ,” Christoph Hoetzel , Metso Outotec ’ s Head of Grinding business line , told IM . “ To accommodate this , standardisation and modularisation have been big topics for us , as
Metso Outotec ’ s joint venture with Mineral Resources Ltd ’ s CSI Mining Services recently brought a NextGen II modular crushing plant to BHP ’ s Mt Whaleback iron ore mine in the Pilbara of Western Australia
well as how we can save as much time as possible by reducing engineering efforts during execution of a project . “ We expect this to continue in the next year .” Metso Outotec was somewhat prepared for this change , having , over a similar timeframe , expanded its line of standardised and modular solutions with crushing ( FIT™ Crushing Station ), crushing and screening ( the Foresight™ MP cone station ) and fine grinding islands options .
Its joint venture with Mineral Resources Ltd ’ s CSI Mining Services has also brought a NextGen II modular crushing plant to BHP ’ s Mt Whaleback iron ore mine in the Pilbara of Western Australia – another example of a standardised and modularised crushing package .
Pilot Crushtec , the crushing and screening specialist and exclusive Metso Outotec Mobiles distributor in southern Africa , says its modular and standardised approach to on-site comminution has been appreciated by large quarries and small- to medium-sized mining operations in the recent past .
It has a range of modular comminution equipment , from primary crushing to quaternary , screening , materials handling and stockpiling equipment available , catering to requirements from 150 t / h to 2,000 t / h .
International Mining | APRIL 2021