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Course Catalog 01/02


Chemical and Metallurgical Eng

KMM005 Mineral Processing Technology 6.0 ECTS credits

TIMEPERIOD:
Q III

LANGUAGE:English/Swedish

EXAMINER
Bertil Pålsson Univ lekt


PREREQUISITES
Basic course in Mineralogy or Geology (i.e. SBL029) or Solid State Chemistry (KMK051)

COURSE AIM
The course provides the basic knowledge in mineral processing technology, with an emphasis on its experimental methods and unit operations.

CONTENTS
The approx. load in scheduled hours is given as % for each item.
Introduction to mineral processing (3%). Review of mineral unit operations and processes. Ore handling:
scalping, transport, feeding and storage of particulate materials.
Investigative and research techniques (12%). Experimental methods for analysis of particle size,
particle distributions and specific surface. Mass and element distributions plus fractional analysis.
Sampling of particulate materials. Pulp flows: pulp density, dilution ratio, % solids by weight, % solids
by volume, solids density and bulk density.
- Assignments: Particle size distributions. Mass and element distributions.
Dewatering (6%). Thickening and filtration. Sedimentation according to Newton and Stoke. Thickener
design: thickener load, surface load, the Kynch formula.
Comminution (17%). Theories of comminution: the Kick, Bond and Rittinger laws, the population
balance model. Crushing and screening: open and closed circuits. Crushers for hard and soft materials.
Industrial screening: screening efficiency, the partition curve and cut-point. Screen types.
- Assignment: Crushing and screening.
Grinding mills and classification (14%). Mechanisms of breakage and the motion of the charge. Tumbling mills: rod, ball, pebble and autogenous mills. Other mills: vibratory, attrition, roller, table and pendulum
mills. Grinding circuits: wet or dry, open or closed circuits. Classification theory for free or hindered settling
and settling ratios. Types of classifiers: hydraulic, mechanical and the hydrocyclone. Cyclone efficiency,
the partition curve, uncorrected and corrected classification curves.
- Assignments: Grinding and mill dimensioning. Classification.
- Laboratory classes: Grinding investigation. Hydrocyclone classification.
Separation methods (37%). Assessment of separation efficiency: product balances, grade-recovery curves,
selectivity diagrams, washability curves. Concentration by and equipment for: sorting, gravity, dense
medium separation, magnetic and high-tension separation, froth flotation. Design of circuits, current
plant practice and control, calculation of circuit balances.
- Assignments: Test evaluation.
- Laboratory classes: Wet gravity separation. Magnetic and high-tension separation. Froth flotation.
Field trip (11%).

TEACHING
The instruction consists of lectures, lessons, laboratory classes and a field trip. Assignments are introduced during lessons. Laboratory classes and individual assignments are compulsory.

EXAMINATION
A written exam, which is graded. Passed assignments and laboratory reports.

COURSE GRADE SCALE: U,3,4,5

ITEMS/CREDITS
2.25ECTS
3.75ECTS

COURSE LITERATURE
Wills, B.A.: Mineral Processing Technology, 6th ed. Butterworth-Heinemann, 1997.
Laboratory compendium in Mineral Processing Technology, Division of Mineral Processing,
Luleå University of Technology, 1999.

REMARKS


Further information: International Office

Valid for the academic year 01/02.

Web Editor: Karin.Lindholm@dc.luth.se


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LULEÅ UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
University Campus, Porsön, 971 87 Luleå. Tel. +46 (0) 920-91 000, fax +46 (0) 920-91 399
Last edited 2001-12-17