Sample requirements for HPGR testing procedure

Abstract

Green field projects demand relatively large amounts of sample from drill-cores. Besides chemical analysis, samples are required for mineralogy and liberation characterization, physical characterization, concentration tests and a number of tests for crushing and grinding parameters. If the project’s process route includes a possible HPGR grinding stage, lab-scale tests for scale-up and variability analysis are required. HPGR grinding characterization can be carried out in a small diameter roll HPGR, such as the LABWAL. Some commercial labs recommend 20–30kg samples for steady-state tests, but this is a rather large sample from the point of view of a green field project campaign. The question that is being assessed here is how much sample is really required? Surely, the more material that is available the more reliable will be the test results. However, when the sample mass size is reduced, what is the impact on the data that is produced? In this work, six phlogopitite samples weighing 20kg were tested in the LABWAL HPGR using six initial hydraulic pressures, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 BAR. The specific capacity and specific power factors were determined, as well as the critical angle of nip, and the critical gap. Size distributions were measured and size-mass balance parameters were determined for the Austin model under the range of grinding pressures that were produced. With the data, a hypothetical industrial HPGR for the phlogopitite was designed for a standard capacity of 100t/h and operating at 2N/mm2 specific grinding force. The work was then repeated using 10kg samples and 5kg samples. Results show that, under the conditions that were chosen, samples weighing 5kg are sufficient for characterization in the LABWAL HPGR.