A Phenomenological Model for Particle Kinetics in Drum-type Wet Low-Intensity Magnetic Separation*

Abstract

Drum-type wet low-intensity magnetic separation (WLIMS) is a versatile technique widely employed in the mining industry for the treatment of iron ores. Its design and operation are rather simple and straightforward. Yet, understanding the process performance from a fundamental point of view still remains a puzzling task due to a number of complex subprocesses involved in the separation. Most of the models for drum-type WLIMS thus are based on empirical approaches. This work presents a modeling strategy that integrates ore properties and equipment characteristics to describe the behavior of iron ore particles. It relies on interpreting a laboratory-scale drum-type wet magnetic separator as a continuously stirred tank reactor. It merges the benefits of phenomenological and empirical modeling to express the particle kinetic rate constants as a function of the separation principles and ore characteristics. Results suggest that the kinetic model satisfactorily reproduces the experimental observations in terms of particle-classified magnetite recovery. The approach is promising for obtaining early information on the behavior of the particles at different stages of the iron ore beneficiation chain, especially for production planning, circuit layout and optimization.