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IV-110
SAG
2006
DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Vancouver, B. C., Canada
ABSTRACT
The selection of the grinding circuit for the Los Bronces expansion
project considered the evaluation of High Pressure Grinding Rolls
(HPGR) for tertiary crushing ahead of ball milling. Conceptual
engineering for this circuit and for a semi autogenous - ball mill with
pebble crushing (SABC) circuit were developed for an 80 000 tpd
expansion.
HPGR pilot plant and bench scale testing was conducted for equipment
sizing and wear rate determinations. In addition, bench scale testing
with the HPGR crushed product was performed in order to determine ball
mill power requirements and the metallurgical response of the HPGR
treated flotation plant feed ore. This paper presents the capital and
operating costs estimates and the metallurgical finding for these two
options.
INTRODUCTION
The Rio Blanco-Los Bronces deposit, located in the high Andes of
central Chile, 65km northeast of Santiago is amongst the largest copper
resources in the world. The eastern portion of the deposit is owned by
the Andina Division of Codelco. To the west, Minera Sur Andes, a 100%
subsidiary of Anglo American plc, owns and operates the Los Bronces
open pit mine at elevations between 3400m and 4000m above sea level.
Crushing, grinding (through a SABC circuit) and thickening of the ore are
Sample
A
IV-112
IV-113
C
63.5
0.52
33
0.42
9.46
74.5
179
14.5
14.4
13.1
12.1
1.22
1.21
0.75
0.08
2.68
TESTWORK
The tests were undertaken at the Polysius Research Centre, Germany
with the Polysius Semi-industrial Unit (REGRO) to provide a basis for:
sizing of industrial rolls to match the throughput requirements;
determining the optimum grinding force to achieve a certain product
fineness;
determining the absorbed energy at the required grinding force;
simulating industrial product size distributions achievable on full
scale industrial HPGRs
The REGRO has the following dimensions:
Diameter of rolls
: 0.71 m
Width of rolls
: 0.21 m
Speed of rolls
: 0.29 m/s
Top feed size
: 16 - 35 mm
The REGRO is equipped with studded roll surfaces. The REGRO HPGR
is highly instrumented and the data is collected electronically. Polysius
use the data obtained from test work to allow the sizing of industrial scale
machines.
IV-114
IV-115
Table 3: HPGR Test Results for Sample A
Feed
30
40
Characterization Data
13.3
11.2
11.4
50
Closed
Circuit
Test
40
17% for sample A and 12% for samples B and C. It is assumed that
this reduction is as a result of micro-cracking or other compressive force
effects on the samples produced by the action of the HPGR. Earlier
Table 4: HPGR Test Results for Sample B
Feed
10.8
13.6
12.9
12.1
8.8
29.5
Test Results
12.2
10.8
11.6
10.9
20.8
20.8
20.8
17.5
7.6
6.4
5.2
6.5
20.8
1.8
13.0
16.6
12.4
16.0
23.2
22.1
22.5
21.2
397
551
690
563
2.66
3.70
4.63
3.78
1.07
1.53
1.85
1.47
281
251
267
251
44.7
57.2
73.7
55.1
55.9
0.79
2.63
There is a general and consistent reduction in ball mill work indices with
increasing pressure in the open circuit samples. In the closed circuit
locked cycle test the level of reduction in Bond ball mill work index is
30
40
Characterization Data
14.7
50
Closed
Circuit
Tests
40
12.6
13.1
13.7
13.6
15.1
14.4
12.9
10.4
23.7
Test Results
13.3
11.8
11.9
11.0
20.0
20.0
20.0
15.0
7.0
7.0
5.7
6.8
20.0
2.1
13.6
18.7
21.6
16.3
24.9
23.5
22.3
23.7
412
589
707
561
2.76
3.95
4.74
3.76
1.02
1.59
1.82
1.49
307
272
275
253
46.9
64.4
74.5
56.3
54.6
0.83
2.73
IV-116
IV-117
30
40
Characterization Data
14.7
50
Closed
Circuit
Test
40
12.5
12.8
13.6
12.7
14.4
13.3
12.1
9.9
16.0
Test Results
11.5
11.7
11.2
10.9
13.0
13.0
13.0
13.0
13.0
6.0
5.2
5.7
Feed
8.2
2.3
11.1
18.7
18.3
16.3
21.9
23.5
21.4
23.7
389
589
660
561
2.61
3.95
4.43
3.76
0.97
1.59
1.64
1.49
266
272
258
253
38.3
64.4
63.2
56.2
57.8
0.73
2.58
Pressure Setting
bar
Closed
Circuit
Test
40
50
40
0.53
8.04
91.2
95.9
3.3
0.58
8.9
90.6
98.7
1.7
0.52
8.12
90.4
95.7
3
0.76
8.94
81.5
86.4
2.5
0.78
8.45
77.4
83.0
2.2
0.72
8.51
81.9
87.1
2.4
1.25
11.5
91.4
96.7
2.7
1.23
10.7
90.4
97.6
1.9
1.20
11.7
91.7
97.9
2.5
Sample A
Head, %Cu
Concentrate, %Cu
Cu Recovery, %
R, %
k, min-1
Head, %Cu
Concentrate, %Cu
Cu Recovery, %
R, %
k, min-1
Head, %Cu
Concentrate, %Cu
Cu Recovery, %
R, %
k, min-1
0.42
8.02
91.4
95.9
3.5
Sample B
0.74
0.75
10.05
8.81
79.5
78.7
84.1
83.3
2.8
2.6
Sample C
1.22
1.26
11.6
12.1
90.4
91.4
98.6
95.3
1.9
3.7
IV-119
IV-118
The results indicate that there is insufficient information to quantify an
eventual potential benefit in flotation, but it is concluded that there is no
negative effect of using the HPGR on the rougher grade-recovery
relationship as a result of using this technology.
CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR THE LOS BRONCES HPGR CIRCUIT
The preferred circuit under consideration for the use of HPGRs is in
Figure 3.
=
=
=
=
85%
80%-150mm
2.8
98%-50mm
93%
8mm
96%
15.2 kWh/st
80%-180m
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
3
50 mm
30.1 m2
3
Standard cone
30 mm
IV-120
IV-121
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
2 238 kW
0.4 kWh/t
80%-2.115mm
152%
30000 t
2
2.4m
1.75m
4760 kW
5600 kW
2.66 kWh/t
OPERATING COSTS
The operating cost for the HPGR-ball mill circuit was estimated based
on the conceptual design, information gathered from the test work
performed and actual operational data from Los Bronces. The annual
operating costs are estimated to be 1.48 US$/t.
The operating costs were also compiled, on the same basis, for a SABC
circuit similar to the existing circuit at Los Bronces (Figure 5). The
operating costs are estimated to be 1.85 US$/t.
From Mine
Primary
Crusher
=
=
=
=
=
=
2
7.53m
11.25m
13648 kW
13800 kW
7.87 kWh/t
Coarse
Ore
Stockpile
SAG
Mill
Screen
To thickening
and flotation
Pebble
Crusher
Hydrocyclones
IV-122
IV-123
Laboratory rougher flotation tests were also completed and there was
no negative effect of using the HPGR on the rougher grade-recovery
relationship.
CAPITAL COSTS
Simulations show that two HPGRs and two ball mills would be capable
of grinding 80 000 tpd under the design conditions with a preferred
screening size between the HPGR and ball mill circuits of 8mm. The
total circuit energy consumption is estimated at 13.2 kWh/t.
Capital costs for the two alternatives were estimated with a 1:4
probability of not over-run by more than 10% the calculated values. The
estimates for the completed grinding plants were completed based on
budgetary quotations for the main equipment, material take offs and
information gather from the design and data banks. The capital costs (in
US$) are presented in table 7. The main capital cost difference of
$38.5M relates to the additional intermediate storage stockpile of 30 000
tpd and associated conveyors between the HPGR and ball mill circuits.
Table 7: Capital cost estimates (millions of US$)
HPGR
SABC
DIFFERENCE
Equipment Purchases
119.1
118.0
1.1
Civil Works & Structures
80.9
60.0
20.9
Equipment Erection
9.5
4.8
4.7
Piping
2.3
2.1
0.2
Electrical &
5.5
6.3
(0.8)
Instrumentation
Tie-ins
8.4
6.4
2.0
Construction Indirect Costs
41.0
30.6
10.4
TOTAL COST
266.7
228.2
38.5
CONCLUSIONS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS