Physical Mineral

Processes

MINE 331
J.A. Drozdiak

Class Objectives
To familiarize you with:
Course Outline & Information
Laboratory & Lab Safety
The Role of Mineral Processors

Instructor: J.A. Drozdiak

Email: drozdiak@mining.ubc.ca
Office: CMP Room New Wing
Phone: 778-228-4563
Teaching Assistant: Zorig Davaanyam
Room: CMP 310A
E-mail: dzorig@gmail.com
Laboratory Hours: Tuesdays 1PM to 4PM
Lecture Material:
elearning.ubc.ca/connect

Course Objectives
To learn about the main unit operations that are
used to process minerals including:
Specifying the purpose of each main unit
operation;
Describing the fundamental physical
principles that are exploited/employed to
achieve the purpose;
Describing the equipment;
Demonstrating how to size and select the
equipment;
Demonstrating practical considerations of
using the equipment in a mineral process.

Overall Course Outline

Introduction to Mineral Processing

Process Development
Metallurgical Balances
Sampling and Size Analysis
Comminution Theory
Crushing & Screening Plant Design
Grinding & Size Classification
Mineral Concentration
Gravity separation
Dewatering
Materials Handling
Flotation in MINE 333
Cyanidation in MINE434
Coal in MINE 462

Mine
Mine

Primary
Primary
Primary
Primary
Crushing
Crushing
Crushing
Crushing

MINE 331

2nd/3rd
2nd/3rd
2nd/3rd
2nd/3rd
Crushing
Crushing
Crushing
Crushing

Screening
Screening
Screening
Screening

Autogenou
Autogenou
Autogenou
Autogenou
ss
Grinding
s Grinding
Grinding
s
Grinding

Cyclone
Cyclone
Cyclone
Cyclone

Rod
Rod
Rod
Rod
Mill/Ball
Mill/Ball
Mill/Ball
Mill/Ball
Mill
Mill
Mill
Mill

Gravity
Gravity
Gravity
Gravity

Flotation/
Flotation/
Leaching
Leaching

Regrind
Regrind
Regrind
Regrind

Thickening
Thickening

Filtering
Filtering
Filtering
Filtering

Tailing
Tailing

Plant
Plant
Design
Design
Mineralogy
Mineralogy
&
& Process
Process
Developme
Developme
nt
nt
Sampling
Sampling

Material
Material
Transport
Transport

Class Marking
Project-based laboratory work
completed in groups of 6
Laboratory
Projects

35%

Assignments

15% (4 Assignments)

Quizzes

(Must pass to pass course)

5% (5PM, random days)

Midterm Exams

20% (October 10 and November 12)

Final Exam

25% (Last Class: November 28th?)

Total

100%

Course Material
Lectures on Connect
(.ppt) (updated prior to
class)
Wills Mineral
Processing
Papers and vendor
guides posted on
Connect

Laboratory
Assigned lab groups
Assays due October 31st.
Progress Report (Oct 15)

20%

Final Report

50%

(Due: Friday December 8th)

Participation

30%

(Peer Marking)

Total

100%

Laboratory Safety
Take the lab safety course.
Follow laboratory safety
procedures when working within
the laboratory, including wearing
required PPE.
Maintain a clean and safe
working environment up to 5%
of lab mark can be deducted for
safety and/or cleanliness
violations.
Include your lab safety forms in
your final report.

Definitions
Mineral Processing
Making big rocks into little rocks and separating them for
money
The technology of economically converting mineral bearing
raw material into individual mineral constituents; the minerals
remaining essentially unaltered in physical and chemical form
throughout. The temperature of the system normally is less
than the boiling point of water. Mineral processing is also
known as mineral beneficiation, milling or concentration.
Unit Operation
An individual process with a specific function, which is a
component or forms part of a complex process.

Mineral Processing
Ore

Comminution

Mineral Separation

De-watering

Concentrate

Tailing

Role of a Mineral Process

Engineer

Metallurgical Testing & Modeling

Pre-Feasibility & Feasibility Studies

Mineral Process Plant Design

Operations/Production Engineer
Other Mineral Process Engineer Roles
Equipment Manufactures

Project Management

Banks (Project Evaluation)

Government (policy, regulators)

Development Work

Environmental Engineers

Metallurgical Testing
Determine Processing Parameters
Lab Scale Testing
Evaluate and Monitor Process Performance
Evaluate Changes to Process Prior to
Implementing
Evaluate Reagents
Equipment
Size and Select Equipment
Process Development
Pilot Scale
Confirm Process Selection
Confirm Scale-Up & Test New Technologies

Pre-Feasibility & Feasibility Studies

Feasibility Study is conducted to determine the
economic and environmental viability of a project and
includes the following sections:
Geology and Geological Reserves
2. Mineral Reserves, Mining Plan and Mining Methods
1.

What is the difference between geological and

mineable reserves?
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Mineral Processing Plant Design

Environmental Review
Capital and Operating Costs
Net Cash Flow
Marketing Study

Mineral Process Plant Design

(Including Expansion & Retrofits)
Trade-off studies
Process Selection:

Process Equipment Specification/Selection

Process Design Criteria

Flow Sheets
Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams
Equipment Specifications

Process Calculations
Commissioning and Operations Support

Operations/Production Engineer

Ensuring safe and efficient operation of the mill

Ensuring production targets achieved
Ensuring accurate sampling and mill accounting
Testing new reagents and flow sheet alterations

Question
Have you had a mineral processing job?