Particle-based characterization and process modeling to comprehend the behavior of iron ores in drum-type wet low-intensity magnetic separation

Abstract

Drum-type wet low-intensity magnetic separation is a versatile technique traditionally implemented in the mining industry since the mid-19th century. Yet, comprehending the process from a fundamental point of view remains challenging and its implementation still relies on “rules of thumb” that commonly disregard the ore properties and the effects of the operating conditions. This work describes an approach that combines comprehensive particle-based characterization and process modeling to integrate particle properties and equipment characteristics to describe the behavior of an iron ore in a laboratory-scale drum-type magnetic separator. Such a proposal is based on (1) laboratory testing, (2) automated mineralogy for particle-scale ore characterization, and (3) process modeling to compute the particle separation kinetics as a function of the ore intrinsic attributes and the physical principles involved in magnetic separation. This approach proposes the guidelines to obtain early information on the iron ore processing behavior, which represents a promising tool for decision-making at different stages of the beneficiation chain.