Abstract
Due to the differences in beneficiation methods and mineral properties between cassiterite ore and polymetallic sulfide ore, there is an inherent contradiction between cassiterite overgrinding and sulfide ore undergrinding. A method to optimize and characterize the grinding performance is presented in this paper. In this method, the grinding characteristics are defined by the qualified particle size range index under unit energy consumption. By changing the grinding time, grinding concentration, and filling ratio, the optimized grinding conditions were evaluated, and they were predicted and verified by the response surface method. The results corroborate that when the grinding time of cassiterite is 4 min and the grinding time of sulfide ore is 8 min, the grinding qualified size range index under unit energy consumption is the largest. Cassiterite is brittle and easy to grind due to low hardness, while sulfide is difficult to grind due to high hardness. Hence, the time to beneficiate tin ore is when the grinding time is 4 min, and that to beneficiate sulfide ore is when the regrinding time is approximately 4 min. In this way, the contradiction between overgrinding cassiterite and undergrinding sulfide ore can be alleviated on the basis of the most effective utilization of grinding energy. The optimal grinding concentration and filling ratio are 65% and 37%, respectively. The response surface prediction and test results are almost identical, with an error of ±2%. Thus, the effectiveness of grinding characterization method is verified.
Highlights
The Dachang ore field in Guangxi China is an important resource base with tin, lead, antimony, zinc
The grinding optimization method can be proposed, that is, after the sequencing of tin grinding for 4 Min, another 4 min grinding is conducted to sort the sulfide ore. This process can alleviate the conflict of cassiterite overgrinding and sulfide ore undergrinding, and the grinding energy can be utilized most efficiently
Based on the experimental evaluation, the grinding time for reaching the highest grinding optimization degree of the cassiterite and sulfide ore was 4 min and 8 min, respectively, indicating that the cassiterite ore is brittle and easy to grind with low hardness, while the sulfide ore is difficult to grind with high hardness
Summary
The Dachang ore field in Guangxi China is an important resource base with tin, lead, antimony, zinc. The main resource is cassiterite polymetallic sulfide ore. The primary useful minerals of cassiterite polymetallic sulfide ore are cassiterite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, sphalerite, jamesonite, and small amounts of sphalerite, tetrahedrite tin, galena, and chalcopyrite. Gangue minerals are mainly quartz and calcite [1]. This type of tin ore must be comprehensively utilized because of its many associated mineral components and complex occurrence of elements. A tin concentrator should consider the enrichment and separation of main minerals, and the comprehensive recovery of minor minerals and dispersed elements. It is difficult to regulate and manage the production of a tin concentrator for this type of ore, among which the adjustment and control of grinding operation are the most complex [2]
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