Mineral processing I - basics

Duration

30h Th, 30h Labo., 10h Proj., 1,5d FW

Number of credits

Lecturer

Stoyan Gaydardzhiev

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

Basic techniques for bulk solids characterization and their implication to fragmentation, mineral phase liberation and estimation of separation efficiency. Sampling of particulate materials.
Mechanisms of size reduction, fragmentation theories and energy requirements for size reduction. Work index of ores. Type of crushers and their integration in circuit design.
Milling, screening and classification * Milling - theoretical basis, mill rotation and critical speed aspects. Type of mills and comminution circuit arrangements. * Screening - principles, type of screens and selection criteria. * Classification - principles, type of classifiers, design features.
Common mineral beneficiation techniques - gravity, magnetic, electrostatic and physicochemical (froth flotation), hydrometallurgy - theory and associated equipment.
Examples of unit operations.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The objective is to introduce the theoretical aspects of common mineral processing techniques and the associated equipment utilized nowadays in mining and extractive metallurgy practices. Students will be acquainted with the basics of solids separation principles when applied to ores and minerals, from the mine down to concentrates production. They will be immersed in team working environment.
The course is designed to enable students to perceive right from the beginning the challenges facing the modern mineral processing industry in terms of equipment development, circuit modeling and situation and geometallurgical consideration.
At the end of this introductory course, students will possess the pre-required background and will be prepared to follow the in-depth basic (S8) and advanced and specialized courses (S9) in mineral processing.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Basic knowledge in mineralogy, particle characterization and process engineering is a plus

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Labs on the following topics: sampling, granulometric analysis, grinding, gravity separation, froth flotation with elaboration of final basic flowsheet for the mineral under study. Basic calculations for preliminary metallurgical performance evaluation and results discussions.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

face-to-face, first quadrimester of academic year 2017-18 - S7 of EMERALD; room 1.123 , B28, Wednesdays a.m.

Recommended or required readings

Wills B., Finch J., Mineral Processing Technology; An Introduction to the Practical Aspects of Ore Treatment and Mineral Recovery, Butterworth-Heinemann; 8-th edition, 2016, ISBN: 978-0-08-097053-0, avaibale as e-version
I. Svoboda - Industrial application of magnetic methods of material treatment - available in e-from at E-campus Furstenau M; Han K; (eds) Principles of Mineral Processing, SME, 2003
Gupta A, Yan D; Mineral Processing design and operation: An introduction; I ed, Elsevier 2006 - available in pdf form at E-campus platform
Ek C., Masson A., Cours de mineralurgie (Preparation des Minerais), 1973, Editions Derouaux, Liege - version pdf sur e-campus Kelly E G, Spottiswood DJ. Introduction to mineral processing, 1982, John WIlley and Sons
Kawatra, Advances in comminution, 2006, SME, Littleton, Colorado

Assessment methods and criteria

oral exam - 70 % reports on lab practicals; attendance of seminars given by members of IAB - 30 %

Work placement(s)

internship not included

Organizational remarks

this course is part of the introductory and levelling modules during semester  S7 taught at the University of Liege in the framewolrk of the EMERALD program

Contacts

Stoyan Gaydardzhiev  s.gaydardzhiev@ulg.ac.be
B52/3 , office -1/412, tel 9120
  Mohamed AATACH - Assistant
Mohamed.Aatach@ulg.ac.be

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