Ore Grade Sorting and Stockpile Formation
Understanding the chemical composition of materials for effective ore grade sorting is a decisive factor in achieving higher production output with reduced operational cost. This is especially true in the mining industry, where companies are struggling to stay competitive with volatile commodity prices, declining ore grades and increasing variation in chemical and mineralogical composition in raw materials.
MAYA online elemental analyzer offers radiation free chemical composition analysis of material streams with no sampling and sample preparation.
Continuous data provided by the chemical analyzer is used to optimize ore grade sorting and stockpile formation and helps the miners to extract maximum value from existing ore deposits. With the solution mining and ore processing companies can benefit from:
- Increased recovery of valuable minerals
- Higher-grade product
- Extended lifetime of the mine
- Elimination of time-consuming process of sampling and sample preparation
- Reduced energy and water consumption
Examples of Applications
Ore Grade Sorting
Based on ore quality variation pattern on moving conveyor belt single batch sampling time is selected. The time can vary depending on the rock type, size and conveyor belt length, and usually is between 1 – 10 min.
The elemental analyzer continuously measures copper content in the crushed ore during the sampling period, then the average batch grade is calculated. Depending on the result multiple diverter system is used to divert the measured ore to corresponding stockpile.
In the example above system with one laser elemental analyzer and four diverters controlled by SCADA system is used to sort copper ore into 5 different grade piles.
Rejection of Impurities
Early removal of impurities is achieved with one online elemental analyzer and flow diverter. Phosphate ore with concentrations over 2% of Magnesium oxide is discarded. This allows ore producer to sell the raw material at higher price increasing overall revenue of the mine.
Industries
FERTILIZERS
- Improved recovery of potassium, phosphorus
- Reduced consumption of water, energy and flotation reagents
IRON and STEEL
- Optimal blending of sinter mix for stable basicity
- Reduced cost of reagents in the process of sintering and pelletizing
REFRACTORIES
- Higher profits for higher grades of refractory products
- Reduced costs of calcination/ sintering
INDUSTRIAL MINERALS
Online control of main components and impurities in the crushed ores and final product
AND MORE...
BAUXITE and ALUMINA
- Minimized consumption of caustic soda and lim
- Improved refinery energy efficiency
CEMENT
- High and stable quality cement and clinker
- Reduced fuel and energy consumption in the kiln process