Minerals Engineering, Vol. 13, No. 6, pp.

673-677, 2000
Pergamon 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd
All rights reserved
0892-6875(00)00050-9 0892-6875/00/$ - see front matter

TECHNICAL NOTE
SIMULATION OF BOND GRINDABILITY TEST BY USING
CUMULATIVE BASED KINETIC MODEL

B. AKSANI a n d B. S O N M E Z

Cayeli Bakir Isletmeleri (CBI), Cayeli, 53200, Rize, Turkey. E-Mail: aksani@yahoo.com
Hacettepe University, Mining Eng.Dept. 06532 Beytepe, Ankara, Turkey
(Received 3 February 1999; accepted 23 February 2000)

ABSTRACT

Bond Grindability Tests are used to provide basic data for designing industrial comminution
circuits. The Bond Work Index (W~ of an ore is determined by Bond Grindability Tests that indicate
resistance tk~e to comminution. The work index is very important but its determination is time
consuming and requires skilled staff and 10 kgs of specially prepared feed sample. Consequently
attempts have been made to correlate Bond Tests to classical batch grinding tests. In this study,
computer simulation of the Bond Grindability Test was made by using a Cumulative Based Kinetic
Model. Standard Bond Grindability Test procedure was carried out to determine the actual work
indices of s& samples. Batch grinding tests were also performed to determine model parameters.
After valida~!ion of the model, computer simulations were carried out and the results were
compared. ~ 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Keywords
Comminution; simulation; modelling

INTRODUCTION

In the mineral processing industry the Bond grindability test procedure has been widely used to obtain
grindability values called Work Index (Bond, 1960). Numerically the work index is the kWh per short ton
required to reduce the material from theoretically infinite feed size to 80 percent passing 150 mesh (100
~tm), equivalent to about 67 percent passing 200 mesh (74 ~tm). Work indices are found by simulating dry
grinding in a closed circuit at 250 % circulating load in a Bond ball mill. The work index is calculated by
using the following empirical equation;

44.5

Where Wi is the work index, expressing the resistance of the material to comminution. F and P, 80 %
passing size of fi.~edand product, respectively; Pi, test sieve size; G, weights of the test sieve undersize per
mill revolution.

673
674 B. AksaniandB, Sfnmez

Despite the Bond test procedure being time consuming, difficult to perform and requiring skilled personnel,
the work index is very useful for design purposes. Work index values have been used to design industrial
comminution circuits within certain error limits (Rowland and Kjos, 1980). In order to simplify the Bond
test procedure, attempts have been made to correlate the Bond test to classical batch grinding test for many
years (Yap, et al., 1982; Lewis, et al., 1990). Some of these methods have included complex algorithms,
while others have aimed to simplify the experimental procedure.

In this study, simplification of the calculations and experimental procedure of the Bond grindability test
was aimed for and for this purpose computer simulation of the Bond grindability test was made by using a
Cumulative Based Kinetic Model. The standard Bond test procedure was carried out to determine the actual
work indices of six samples. Batch grinding tests were also performed to determine model parameters.
After validation of the model, computer simulations were carried out and the results were compared.

THE MODEL AND SIMULATION METHODOLOGY

In order to determine model parameters, batch grinding tests have been done in which the conditions were
kept the same as in the Bond Standard Grindability tests. Thus, among the models that were used to define
size reduction in ball mills, a kinetic model based on the rate of breakage of cumulative proportions of sizes
in the feed was chosen for its simplicity and ease of use (Ramirez-Castro and Finch, 1980). The
Cumulative Based Kinetic model gives reasonably good simulation results in comparison with more
complex kinetic models (Laplante, et al., 1987). The model contains only two parameters, simplifying the
interpretation of the results. It has also been reported that parameters determined in laboratory batch
experiments may be employed directly in the simulation of comminution circuits without scale-up (Finch
and Ramirez-Castro, 1980).

In the cumulative based kinetic model the kinetic parameter is defined as the rate of disappearance of
oversize material for a given size. For batch grinding and continuous grinding with plug flow assumption,
the following equation is used to describe the comminution process,

W~,O = W(x,0, exp(- k-t) (2)

Where W(x,0 is cumulative percentage of oversize material for sieve size x at time t; W(x,0)is cumulative
percentage of oversize material of size x in the feed; k is the breakage rate constant, min- ~and t is the time,
min. The relationship between the breakage rate function and particle size is described by the equation,

k = C .x n (3)

Where C and n are constants that are dependent on mill and material characteristics, respectively(Ersaym,
et al., 1993). IfC and n are known the size distribution of the product for a given feed can be calculated as,

W(x,O = W(x,O ) . e x p ( - C - x " - t ) (4)

Particle size distribution, feed weight, model parameters, and revolution numbers of the first period were
given to the simulation program and F80 and particle size distribution of the ground product were
calculated for the fast period. By using the perfect classifier assumption, ground product that was finer than
the test size was calculated. Net ground product was calculated from the feed and product size distribution
data for test size and then grindability was found by dividing the net ground product by the revolution
number. Then the oversize product and same amount of fresh feed as undersize product were combined and
the combined feed size distribution was calculated. Calculation proceeded until G (g/rev) remained
constant for the last three periods and the work index was calculated from equation (1).
 Simulation of bond grindability test by using cumulative based kinetic model 675

EXPERIMENTAL WORK

A Bond standard ball mill was used to determine the work indices by using the standard procedure and the
model parameter.~ of the six different samples for different test sizes.

Determination of the model parameters

A standard Bond ball mill and standard condition of Bond grindability tests were used to determine model
parameters. The maximum particle size of the samples was reduced to -6 # (3.35 mm) then 700 cc samples
were prepared for batch grinding experiments. After grinding 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 minutes the size distributions
of the ground samples were determined. After they were sieved and weighed the fractions were combined
and fed to the mill. The same sample was used for the entire duration of each grinding test.

Breakage rate constants (k) were calculated for cumulative oversize versus grinding time by a non-linear
regression. To calculate C and n parameters equation 3 was linearized by taking the logarithm of both sides
and applying linear regression. Results are given in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Experimental and calculated test results

n Te~ S~e Experimental Calculated

~ATERIAL C % Error
(~m) Wi (kWh/t) Wi (kWh/t)
opper Ore 1.83.10-3 0.7493 150 11.12 11.09 +0.25

fldspar- I 985'10"4 1.0161 212 10.14 9.73 +4.01

eldspar - 2 3.03.10-2 0.7922 212 9.34 9.29 +0.51

:hromite 3.34.10"4 1.223 300 6.23 5.99 +3.85

imestone 2.9.10-3 0.942 212 12.15 12.10 +0.41

rlexite 2.31.10"3 0.825 150 7.09 7.28 -2~68

Validation of the model

To validate the model parameters, the size distribution of the ground samples at different grinding times
were estimated by using the model parameters. The results are very satisfactory and are shown in Figure 1
for copper ore.

I~ ]1 ] I LA'7~I I
Ir !
.~ e( [] 0.5 rain. Exp.
/ ! 0.5 min. Cal.

".' iJ I rain.
~ I " . A 2 min. Exp.
X 2rain. Cal.
0 4rain. Exp.
- 4rain. Cal.

10,
10 100 1000 10000
Particle Size (gan)
F i g . 1 E x p e r i m e n t a l a n d c a l c u l a t e d p a r t i c l e s i z e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f c o p p e r ore.
676 B, Aksaniand B. S6nmez

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

For six different experimental samples, the calculated grindability and work index values are shown in
Figure 2 and Table 1, respectively. In Figure 2, agreement between calculated and experimental
grindability values is satisfactory. Also, calculated and experimental Wi values are very similar and the
errors were less than 4%.

10

0
Y 2 4 6 8 10
ExperimentalG (g/rev)
Fig.2 Experimental and calculated grindability (G) values.

CONCLUSION

Simulation of the Bond grindability test based on a cumulative based kinetic model was presented. The
applicability of the proposed simulation procedure was tested for six samples and the results were found to
be very satisfactory. Differences in the work index values, which were obtained from the proposed
simulation procedure and the classical Bond tests ranged between -2.68 and 4.01%. The proposed
procedure has several advantages, listed below:

The test sample used in the new procedure was as much as it was in the first period of the classical
Bond test (700 cc).

Experimental time to determine model parameters was limited to three or four grinding cycles.

Experimental difficulties inherent to the classical Bond test were reduced and skilled staff was not
required.

After the calculation of model parameters it would be possible to obtain different work index values
depending on the test size.

REFERENCES

Bond, F.C., Crushing and Grinding Calculations--Part I, British Chemical Engineering, 1960, 6, 378-385
Ersayin, S., SSnmez, B., Ergtln, L., Aksani, B., Erkal, F., Simulation of the Grinding Circuit at Gta't~kOy
Silver Plant, Turkey, Trans.IMM. (Sect. C), 1993, 102, C32-38
Finch, J.A. and Ramirez-Castro, J., Modelling Mineral Size Reduction in Closed-Circuit Bal Mill at the
Pine Point Mines Concentrator, International Journal of Mineral Processing, 198 l, 8, 67-78
 Simulationof bondgrindabilitytestby usingcumulativebasedkineticmodel 677

Laplante, A.R., Finch, J.A. and del-Villar, R., Simplification of Grinding Equation for Plant Simulation,
Trans.IMM. (S,ec.C), 1987, 96, C108-112
Lewis, K.A., Pearl, M. and Tucker, P., Computer Simulation of the Bond Grindability Test, Minerals
Engineering, 1990, 3(12), 199-206
Ramirez-Castro, J. and Finch, J.A., Simulation of a Grinding Circuit Change to Reduce Lead Sliming, CIM
Bulletin, 1980, 73, 132-139
Rowland, C.A. a~ad Kjos, D.M., Rod and Ball Mills, In Mineral Processing Plant Design, Ed. Mular and
Bhappu, AIME, NY, 1978
Yap, R.F., Sepulveda, J.L. and Jauregui, R., Determination of the Bond Work Index Using Ordinary
Laboratory Batch Ball Mill, In Design and Installations of Comminution Circuits, Ed. A.L. Mular and
G.V. Jergensen, Chapter 12, AIME, 1982, 176.p

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