Process Systems

Process System Introduction

A machine working in a mineral process flow cannot perform better then the
process environment will allow it to.
Parameters like type, size and amount of feed, % solids in slurries, additives,
discharge conditions etc. will always guide equipment performance and operation
economy.
There is a strong trend amongst both suppliers and users to work in terms of
systems, meaning solutions to various operation problems more than installing
equipment. This will effectively increase the operation values as presented in
section 2.9
Examples covering systems levels and system modules are shown in this section.

System Levels in Ore / Minerals Processing

Mineral concentrate production

Comminution circuits

Process
systems

Dewatering circuits

Separation circuits

Grinding

Separation

Thickening

Filtration

Grinding mills

Separators

Thickeners

Filters

Crushing

Product
systems
Products

Crushers

Added operation values

Complete
systems

System Levels in Rock Processing (Quarrying)

Aggregate production

Crushing

Screening

Conveying

Product
systems
Crushers

Screens

Conveyors

Products

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Chap 11 Process System.p65

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Process System

Crushing and screening circuits

Process systems

Added operation values

Complete systems

Process Systems

System Modules Aggregates

A good way to understand and work with process systems is to use system
modules in various combinations.
Primary crushing module

Intermediate crushing module

From rock front

Closed 1
Screening

Feeding

4:2

7:5

Closed II
Crushing
II, III or IV

3:8
Crushing
Screening

Scalping

3:3

Final products module

Open

4:2

Slurry handling module

Recycled
process
water

Classification
Washing

4:6

5:1

Sedimentation
Sand

6:2

Product
screening

To slurry
circuit

Filtration

6:19

4:2

System Modules Sand and Gravel

Sand and gravel module

Sand and gravel module

Process System

Water
Coarse

Screening

4:2

Washing
(Aquamator)

Medium
coarse

5:1

Washing
(Aquamator)

Classifiying

4:6

5:1

Fines

Washing
(Log washer)

Sandtrap

5:1
To sand
module

To slurry handling

Slurry module

= option or alternative

7:5

= refering to actual chapters and pages

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Process Systems

System Modules Ore and Minerals

Crushing module
Options
ROM
Secondary
crushing

Primary
crushing

3:3

Grinding

Screening

3:8

4:2

Grinding module

Primary
grinding

Secondary
grinding

3:13

3:3

Classification

4:6

Enrichment module

Tertiary
grinding

3:13

Upgrading module
Wet Tailings

Primary
separation

Sedimentation

5:5

6:2

6:2
Dewatering

Secondary
separaton
Tailings
dry

5:5
Final
separation

6:2

Tailings
disposal

Drying

Wet Concentrate

6:47

5:5

Dry conc.

Sedimentation

Optional

Dry tailings

Conc.

= option or alternative
= refering to actual chapters and pages

Process System

7:5

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Process Systems

Process system Railway Ballast

Primary crushing module

Feeder
(Grizzly)

Secondary crushing module

Primary
crusher

7:6

Secondary
crusher

Screen
18 mm

3:3

3:8

4:2

Screen
35 - 64 mm

4:2

Scalping
0 - 35 mm

0 - 18 mm

Primary crushing module

35 - 64 mm
Water recovery

Washing
screen

5:2

Slurry
handling

Wash
water

5:4
Chips &
fines

RW-ballast

Washing module

Process Systems Asphalt / Concrete Ballast

Primary crushing module

Feeder
(Grizzly)

Secondary crushing module

Primary
crusher

7:6

Secondary
crusher

Screen

3:3

Screen

3:8

4:2

4:2

Process System

Scalping

Tertiary
crusher

Screen
Final products

3:10

Screen
Final products

4:2

4:2

12 - 16 mm
16 - 22 mm

0 - 2 mm

2 - 4 mm
4 - 8 mm

+ 22 mm

8 - 12 mm

Tertiary crushing
module

Final products module

= option or alternative

7:5

= referring to actual chapters and pages

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Chap 11 Process System.p65

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Process Systems

Process System Ferrous Ore (hosting apatite)

SIZE REDUCTION
Optional

ROM

Secondary
crushing

Primary
crushing

Screening

4:2

3:8

3:3

3:13

Secondary
grinding

Classification

Ball, Pebble

Spiral/Cyclone

3:13

AG, SAG, Rod

Cone

Gyr. jaw

Primary
grinding

4:6

ENRICHMENT & UPGRADING

Tailings

LIMS wet

HGMS

5:24
Fe

conc.

Fe

Flotation

Apatite
removal

Fe conc.

Sedimentation

Dewatering

Dewatering

6:2

Dewatering

6:11

final

Sedimentation

Tailing
disposal

Sedimentation

5:18

Fe conc. final

Pressure
filtration

6:3
Conventional.

conc.

Flotation

5:13

Conventional

Sedimentation

5:31

6:30

Inclined plate

Apatite conc.

Pressure filtration

6:2

6:30

6:30
Pelletizing (optional)

6:55

Iron conc.

Process System Base Metal Ore

SIZE REDUCTION
Optional

Secondary
crushing

Primary
crushing

5:13
Fe

3:13

3:13

4:6

Ball, Pebble

Spiral/Cyclone

ENRICHMENT & UPGRADING

Tailings

5:13
Primary Zn flot

3:13

5:13

Regrind

Fe conc. final

3:13

Final flotation

Sedimentation

Regrind

5:17
Sedimentation

6:3

Tailings disposal

Final flotation

final

5:13

Sedimentation

Dewatering

Zn conc.

final

Dewatering

6:30

Sedimentation

6:30

Dewatering

Cu conc.

Conventional

5:13
Pb conc.

5:3

6:3

3:13

Final flotation

6:3

6:30
Pressure filtration

Pressure filtration

Zn conc.

Conventional.
Pb conc.

:5 = referring to actual chapters and pages

= option or alternative

BASICS IN MINERAL PROCESSING

Chap 11 Process System.p65

Classification

Primary Pb flot.

conc.

Regrind

Pressure
filtration

Secondary
grinding

AG, SAG, Rod

Cone

Primary Cu flot.

Conventional

4:2

3:8

3:3

Gyr. jaw

Primary
grinding

Screening

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Process System

ROM

Process Systems

Process System Gold Bearing Ore

SIZE REDUCTION
Optional

ROM

Secondary
crushing

Primary
crushing

4:2

3:8

3:3

Primary
grinding

Screening

Recovery by flotation

5:13

4:6

5:8

Leaching stages

Sedimentation

Gold contained
in loaded carbon

5:43

6:3

Regrind

Spiral/Cyclone

3:13

Lime
Carbon
Cyanide

Tailings

Primary flot.

Ball, Pebble

Gravity
separation

Coarse
free gold

ENRICHMENT & UPGRADING

Recovery by flotation

Classification

3:13

AG, SAG, Rod

Cone

Gyr. jaw

Secondary
grinding

3:13

Mixers
Disposal

Adsorption stages

Final flot.

5:43

5:13

Mixers

Conc. final

Sedimentation

Dewatering

Sedimentation

6:3

Tailings

Gold contained
in bulk concentre

Final
tailings

6:23

6:11

6:30
Pressure filter

Dewatering

Inclined plate

Process System Coal

ROM

Float

Separation
Dense Media

Media Screen

5:12

5:6

Sink

Dewatering
Screen

5:12

Process System

0.5 - 12 mm

6:21

- 0.5 mm

Heavy media recovery

Recycle
water

12 - 125 mm

4:2
0 - 12 mm

Media Screen
Coarse
tailings

Sizing Screen

Fine tailings

Blending
and
storage

Flotation

5:13
- 0.5 clean coal

Sedimentation

6:3

Dewatering

6:23
Vacuum

filter

Drying

Tailings

6:48

- 0.5 mm

Indirect

= option or alternative

7:5

= referring to actual chapters and pages

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Process Systems

Process System Industrial Mineral Fillers

SIZE REDUCTION
Fine grinding (small tonnages)

ROM

Primary
crushing

Secondary
crushing

Jaw

Cone

Screening

3:8

3:3

2 - 6 mm

4:2

Classifying

3:3

4:17

AG, SAG, Ball, Rod

VTM, SAM; VBM

15 30 mm

Dry processing

Grinding

Wet processing

Grinding
tumbling

ENRICHMENT & UPGRADING

Optional

Grinding
tumbling

3:13

3:13

Classification

4:6
Classification

4:17
Magnetic Sep.
HGMS
Magnetic
separation

Fe rejects

Flotation

5:13

5:31

Fe
rejects

Other
rejects

5:28

Optional

Sedimentation

5:3
Dewatering

6:38

Tube press

Process System Glass Sand

SIZE REDUCTION

Primary
crushing

Silica
rock

3:3

Cone

Screening

Grinding

3:13

3:2

3:8

Jaw

Silica
sand

Screening

Secondary
crushing

3:2

AG, SAG, Rod, Ball

Dry processing

-750
micron

ENRICHMENT & UPGRADING

Classification
spiral

Polishing
scrubber

4:6

5:3

4:6

Slime

Magnetic
separation

5:22

Flotation

5:13
Process System

Classification
spiral

Slime

-100 micron

-100 micron

Iron removal
Fe, Al, Cr bearing with minerals
Reject water

Dewatering

6:21
Sedimentation

6:3

Clean sand
100-750 micron

Tilings disposal

= option or alternative

7:5

= referring to actual chapters and pages

BASICS IN MINERAL PROCESSING

Chap 11 Process System.p65

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Process Systems

Process System Diamonds (Kimberlite)

Primary
crushing

4:2

5:3

3:3

Secondary
crusher

Screen

Scrubber

3:8

Cone

Tumbling

Jaw

Diamond
sorting

Screen

Sink

5:12

2-3%

Drying

Gravity sep.
Dense media

Float

Screen

5:10

5:12

After
treatment

Recovery of heavy media

6:48
Screen
Magnetic
separation

Iron reject

X-ray
separation

Non iron reject

Fines
1-6 mm

5:22

4:12
Recrushing
VSI

3:10

Alternatively - AG milling - no crushing

Diamonds

Process System Kaolin

H20

Dry
mining

Scrubbing
(blunging)

5:3

Classification
cyclones

Classification
spiral

Wet hydraulic
mining

Thickening

4:6

4:6

6:2

Coarse waste
sand, mica a.o.
Medium waste
sand, mica a.o.

Process System

Ultra fine
grinding

Flotation

Fine waste

5:13

sand, mica a.o.

Tailings

3:17

Optional for
increasing the
percentage
of -2 micron
material

17% H2O

Dewatering
tube press

6:38

Products:

Kaolin Filler, 45% -2 micron

Kaolin Coating, 90% -2 micron

17% H2O

= option or alternative

7:5

= referring to actual chapters and pages

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Chap 11 Process System.p65

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Process Systems

Mobile Systems
In modern quarrying, mining, tunnelling and recycling operations the use of mobile
process systems is increasing dramatically.
Particularly at rock front operations the technique of moving the process equipment closer to the front end using mobile crushing and screening units in many
cases gives remarkable cost savings.
These mobile units represent one or more complete machine functions including
materials handling, power supply etc. Advanced process control secures the
intelligence of the system.

Mobile Crushing and Conveying System

Key arguments for mobile equipment vs stationary equipment and damp truck
haulage are:
Process System

Less hauling less costs

Less front road maintenance
Less exhaust gas and dust emissions
Improved working safety
Improved flexibility

BASICS IN MINERAL PROCESSING

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Process Systems

Primary Jaw Crusher + Grizzly (typical)

Type*
LT110
LT125
LT140
LT160

Max feed/product size

mm (in)
670 / 250 (26/10)
800 / 300 (31/12)
900 / 350 (35/14)
1040/ 400 (41/16)

Cap. tph

H/W/L m (ft)

Weight ton

700
800
1200
2000

4.4/3.0/17.4 (14.5/9.1/57.0)
5.7/4.0/15.8(18.6/15.2/51.1)
6.3/4.3/16.4(20.8/14.1/53.1)
7.6/5.9/20.2(25.0/19.3/66.7)

60
86
110
220

*LT110 refers to Jaw crusher type C110, LT125 to Jaw crusher type C125 etc. see further section 3.

Process System

Primary Impact Crusher + Grizzly (typical)

Type*
LT1415
LT1620

Max feed/product size

mm (in)
1000/200 (40/8)
1300/200 (52/8)

Cap. thp

H/W/L m (ft)

Weight ton

800
1200

5.4/4.0/15.8 (17.7/13.1/51.1)
6.5/4.8/18.5 (21.3/15.7/60.7)

73
170

*LT 1415 refers to Impact crusher type NP1415, LT 1620 to Impact crusher type NP1620 etc. see further
section 3.

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Process Systems

Caravan Mill A pre-assembled Ore Concentrating Plant

1
5
2

Typical units at approx. 10 t/h capacity

1.Crushing unit
Jaw- and cone crusher in closed circuit with a double deck screen
Weight app. 19 ton, transportation measures W= 2,6m, H= 4.2m

2. Grinding unit
Grinding mill (ball or rod), pump and hydrocyclone
Weight app. 25 ton, transportation measures W= 3,0m, H= 3,8m

Rougher, scavenger and cleaner cells together with conditioners, reagent

feeding systems and air blower.
Weight app.14ton, transportation measures W= 2,5m, H= 4.2m
Units for leaching and gravity separation (dense media, tables and spirals) also
available

4.Dewatering unit
Compact sedimentation (lamella unit) and vacuum filter with auxiliary equipment

5. Power unit
Diesel driven generator including connection terminal
Transportation measures W= 2,5m, H= 3.8m
BASICS IN MINERAL PROCESSING
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Process System

3.Separation unit (flotation)

Process System

Process Systems

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