The products of copper-zinc ore sizing and fine screening in closed grinding cycles

Abstract

The study covers the possibility to improve the quality of copper-zinc ore prior to its enriching using screens for hydraulic fine screening in closed grinding cycles. The paper presents the results obtained when studying the products of copper-zinc ore separation in the RWS 75 hydrocyclone and in the Kroosh ULS 1,5×0,6 screen. It was found that the use of screens (in contrast to hydrocyclones) for hydraulic fine screening in closed cycles for copper-zinc ore grinding will: 1) reduce the circulating load in closed grinding cycles and the circulation of fine size grades with the oversize product; 2) decrease potential overgrinding of ore minerals; 3) enhance the «quality» of enriched raw materials by increasing the mass fraction of size grades optimal for subsequent flotation, as well as by lowering the content of coarse size grades in the final product of the cycle and reducing the transition of copper into fine size grades.