Enhancing the capacity of large-scale ball mill through process and equipment optimization: An industrial test verification

Abstract

The production capacity of the large-scale ball mill in the concentrator is a crucial factor affecting the subsequent separation and the economic benefits of the operation. The main aim of this study is to improve the processing capacity of the large-scale ball mill. Taking a Φ5.49 × 8.83 m ball mill as the research object, the reason for the low processing capacity of the ball mill was explored via process mineralogy, physicochemical analysis, workshop process investigation, and the power consumption method. Based on this framework, a series of laboratory grinding optimization tests were conducted and verified via industrial tests. The results show that the ore primarily contained hematite and magnetite, the disseminated particle size of magnetite was primarily a coarse-grained inlay that was easy to separate from gangue, while the disseminated particle size of hematite was primarily an uneven and medium-sized inlay, which increased the grinding difficulty. Under optimum conditions of +6.0 mm material suitable for a 100 mm ball diameter, −6.0 + 2.0 mm material suitable for an 80 mm ball diameter, −2.0 mm material suitable for a 70 mm ball diameter; medium ratio of Φ90 mm 34.62%, Φ70 mm 26.92%, Φ60 mm 23.08%, Φ40 mm 15.38%; filling ratio of 32%; material ball ratio of 1.0; rotation speed rate of 80%; and grinding concentration of 78%, the −0.074 mm content in the grinding product increased from 55.10% to 58.86% and the processing capacity of the ball mill increased from 310 to 320 t/h to 350 t/h. Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS) micrograph analysis shows that the fineness of the ore and dissociation degree of useful minerals were apparently improved by optimizing the process and equipment.