Bulk Solids Handling & Processing Innovations
In the field of extractive metallurgy, mineral processing (also known as mineral dressing, ore dressing, mineral engineering, mineral beneficiation, and mineral extraction) is defined as the process of extracting valuable minerals from their ores.
In minerals processing, unit operations are required to prepare and classify ores before the valuable materials can be separated. Valuable minerals are formed by these processes.
Important unit operations include:
To achieve the goal of recovering valuable materials, the raw ore must be reduced to fine size prior to separation. This process is called ‘comminution’ or ‘size reduction’.
Comminution may be carried out on either dry materials or slurries. Most mineral processing operations are conducted with water as the medium. This is called wet processing against dry processing.
Crushing, grinding, milling, and vibration (feeding) are examples of comminution processes.
Sizing is the general term for separation of minerals according to their size.
The separation methods are based on the variations among the physical properties of different minerals such as shape, susceptibility to size reduction, specific gravity, surface chemical property, and electromagnetic susceptibility.
The simplest mineral sizing process is screening or passing the particles to be sized through a screen or multiple screens.
Classification of particles by size comprises an important operation in mineral processing. It can be accomplished either by screening through sieves or by applying forces by the medium, gas or water.
Mineral processing concentration means the increase of the percentage of the valuable mineral in the concentrate. Concentration includes processes that involve separation of minerals without a change in their structure, chemical composition, or state of aggregation. The results of mineral concentration are two main products: the concentrate and tailings.
For economic reasons, dewatering/drying are essential unit operations in mineral processing. Removal of the moisture content enables easy and cost-effective handling and transportation of minerals. The water that is removed during dewatering can be recycled through a mineral processing plant. The main processes that are used in dewatering/drying include dewatering screens, filtering, sedimentation, and thermal drying.
In all of these operations, the most important considerations are the economics of the processes and this is dictated by the grade and recovery of the final product. To achieve the goal of extracting minerals from ores in their purest form for mineral processing engineers only the best mineral processing technology suffice. An important first step in both comminution and sizing operations in mineral processing is the particle size analysis.
In the particle size reduction (comminution) process, crushers (jaw crushers, gyratory crushers, cone crushers) and grinders (rod mills, ball mills, impact mills, attrition mills) are primarily used systems.
In the sizing (separation) process, important equipment includes:
In the mineral concentration process, designed to produce a concentrate consisting predominantly of valuable mineral, the following mineral processing equipment is primarily used:
It is challenging to find a source that covers all aspects of mineral processing. From plant supervisors to project engineers, they all need to keep up to date with the latest mineral processing news.
Having access to the latest mineral processing news, mineral processing innovations, and mineral processing events is crucial for any mineral industry professional.
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Coscollola Engineering is a company of Coscollola, a solid family business founded in 1948. Coscollola Engineering offers engineering & development of solutions for handling of solids in bulk.
Designers and manufacturers of magnetic separation equipment for metal fragment control and food safety. Certified by HACCP International.
SPEC Engineering offers custom, turnkey engineering solutions, providing the latest technology to manufacturers in the food, beverage, plastics, and chemical industries. SPEC is ‘Process Engineering Simplified’.
For over 60 years we have provided protection solutions that can suppress, isolate and vent combustible dust or vapor explosions in process industries.
Progressive Products, optimizes pneumatic conveying systems by reducing waste and cost, minimizing downtime, and improving productivity with high-performing components.
Process automation systems for receipt-to-process bulk material transfer and Industrial Vacuum Cleaning Systems for high volume recovery of many materials including combustible dusts.
Individual advice and efficient solutions for the whole weighing technology process
Newson Gale; Manufacturers of static control equipment and solutions for hazardous area explosion protection in industrial processes.
WAMGROUP offers the one-stop-solution for Bulk Solids Handling & Processing and Waste Water Treatment Equipment.
We have successfully provided bulk material engineering solutions for over 55 years
Sturtevant, Inc. is the leading family-owned manufacturer of material processing equipment.
High-performance rotary valves and airlocks for metering, feeding, and airlock in bulk material processing and pneumatic conveying applications. Fully NFPA and OSHA compliant.
Eastern Instruments feeders allow for both accurate, real-time flow measurement, as well as very precise control of flow rate and total for nearly perfect batching or blending.
REMBE® is a safety specialist in explosion safety and pressure relief. It provides customers in all industries with safety systems for their plants and equipment.
Coperion and Coperion K-Tron are system and equipment suppliers, including extruders, feeders, pneumatic conveying and components, who understand the importance of process efficiency.
Klinkenberg BV is specialized in internal transport and bulk handling using screw conveyors
International specialist in the world of bulk materials and process technology
Flexicon equipment conveys, conditions, discharges, fills, dumps and/or weigh batches powder and bulk materials dust-free.
Dec is a leading global provider of powder handling systems and process containment technologies. It has been supplying the pharmaceutical, chemical, food and cosmetic industries for over 30 years.
Spiroflow, a global leader in powder handling and dry solids processing and an emerging leader in control systems integration.
