Energy efficiency and size energy relationships - revisiting Hukki’s curve

Dr Marko Hilden has been a researcher at the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre for more than 10 years. His main research interests are simulation and modelling of comminution processes including SAG mills, HPGRs and mineral liberation. His PhD was on vibrating screens. Marko previously worked as a metallurgist at Rio Tinto’s Tom Price operations.

Trying to improve energy efficiency and modelling the energy of size reduction is one of the most important problems we face in comminution research. But regrettably, even the very definition of “energy efficiency” is elusive. The development of better grinding devices and circuits that use less of the world’s limited energy resources requires a clearer understanding of the relationship between energy and particle size. This presentation aims to look at the challenges with describing efficiency and modelling the size-energy relationship, and asks if the Hukki curve could play a greater role in tackling this problem.