SMI-JKMRC Seminar: Ore pre-concentration using high voltage pulses
Wei Huang, PhD Candidate, JKMRC, Sustainable Minerals Institute, UQ
Globally, mining companies are struggling to deal with declining head grades, increasing amount of energy input and generation of waste. This is mainly attributed to the fact that the existing mechanical crushing methods disintegrate rocks in an unselective fashion whereby all the feed particles, including all the barren particles that are of no economic values, are crushed to micro sizes to allow further beneficiation. The energy devoted to the waste rocks are deemed to be wasted, and it is imperative for mineral processing engineers to develop methods that would allow waste rock rejection at early stages.
The aim of this work is to employ the high voltage pulses (HVP) to achieve selective fragmentation so as to allow size-based separation method to be implemented. In addition to optimizing of the pre-concentration efficiency with the multiple particle test method (MP), the fundamental mechanisms regarding HVP propensity for the metal-enriched particles are probed using synthetic particles. Furthermore, a case study is presented which identifies the overall benefits of HVP application in mineral processing. The highlights of the presentation are as follows:
- Discovery of the MP method to achieve ore pre-concentration using HVP
- A novel method for determination of the minimal amount of feed particles required
- Fundamental studies using synthetic particle (JKRBT and X-Ray CT)
- A case study is included whereby the downstream processes of the HVP treated product are also conducted
Bio
Wei Huang holds a BEng (2012) in Mineral Processing. He has worked for two years as a master’s student in China University of Mining and Technology on gravity separation using fluidized bed. During the course of the master degree, he received an offer from UQ and came to Australia in Oct 2014.
His first year of PhD was spent in Chemical Engineering, working on soluble salt minerals flotation, and then transferred to SMI-JKMRC in Sep 2015, working under the supervision of Frank Shi on ore pre-concentration.
About SMI-JKMRC Seminars
2017 Seminar Series
1 July | Reducing Energy Consumption in Comminution by doing much less of it. Dr Rob Morrison, JKMRC |
7 August | A New Way of Representing A and B Parameters from JK Drop Weight and SMC Tests: The “SCSE” Vas Matei, JKTech |
14 August | TBA Dr Tim Kastelle, UQ |
21 August | Outotec Brownfield Solutions – Solving customer problems Sherwin Morgan, Outotec |
28 August | From Thesis to Thesis Dr David Moore |
4 September | Value Seeking: Is the definition of productivity too narrow to protect and grow value? Dr Chris Moran, SMI |
11 September | Iron Ore final grinding by HPGR and Air Classification Evert Lessing, Weir Minerals |
18 September | Developments in Geometallurgy and Efficient Mining – Metso Process Technology and Innovation Dr Alex Jankovic, Metso PTI |
25 September | Optimising SAG milling through Power and Trajectory Modelling. A case study. Paul Toor, Metso Minerals |
2 October | Identification of Processing Improvements at Bulghah and Sukhaybarat Operations Percy Madrid, JKTech |
9 October | Next Generation Mine to Concentrator Dr Sarma Kancibotla, JKMRC |
16 October | Commissioning and Ramp Up of the Albion Process at GPM Gold Paul Voigt, Glencore Technology |
23 October |
TBA Jeff Dawes, Komatsu Chile |
30 October | Management of Tailings Disposal on Land Arjuna Dissanayaka, Knight Piesold |