Fragmentation and its Impact on Downstream Processing

DJ McKee
1
ABSTRACT
The perennial challenge facing mining and minerals operators is to
improve productivity, usually by a combination of cost reduction and
performance improvement. In a typical production situation involving
mining and processing activities, the standard approach has long been to
seek improvements in each activity, effectively in isolation from each
other. However, the realisation is growing that there is considerable
potential to achieve really substantial productivity gains by much
improved integration of mining and processing with the key being to
consider what is best in the total sense. Some of the linkages between
fragmentation in mining and downstream processing are considered in
this paper. These linkages involve technical, operational and economic
considerations.
INTRODUCTION
Exactly 20 years ago the JKMRC embarked on an AMIRA
funded study to investigate the feasibility of optimising explosive
rock breakage. The project concluded that there was
considerable potential for reduction in blasting costs, for
maximising ore recovery in some underground situations and for
directly affecting fines production in mining, with beneficial
consequences on the proportion of fines in final products. This
was the beginning of AMIRA Project P93 at the JKMRC, which
for the next 17 years investigated a wide range of issues
associated with blasting. However, while the project made major
advances in the study of fragmentation, no link was made
between mine fragmentation and its subsequent downstream
impact.
In late-1996, a new AMIRA Project P483 'Optimisation of
Mine Fragmentation for Downstream Processing' commenced at
the JKMRC. The project exists because of the recognition that
fragmentation has an importance beyond the usually accepted
boundaries of the mine itself. This paper presents some of the
issues associated with fragmentation and subsequent processing,
the technical challenges to be overcome and finally considers
implementation.
FRAGMENTATIONIN AMINING SENSE
Blasting is the dominant means of achieving fragmentation in
both open pit and underground operations. Despite the
considerable effort currently devoted to the development of
non-explosive rock breakage (Howarth and Hood, 1995), there
seems little doubt that blasting will continue in its dominant
position for at least the next 10 - 15 years.
While the end objective of blasting is to achieve necessary
fragmentation, in most operations the most important issues
associated with blasting are usually:
a top size which is handleable, defined by equipment
constraints,
achievement of acceptable environmental levels (eg noise,
dust, vibration), and
minimisation of dilution and damage to the surrounding rock
mass.
1. Director, Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre,
Isles Road, Indooroopilly Qld 4068.
While it is readily accepted that better control of fragmentation
would have real value in a mining sense, in practice the size
distribution of fragmented rock is usually of secondary
importance to the above factors. In addition, the fragmentation
distribution is heavily dependent on local rock mass properties,
particularly structure, making control extremely difficult in many
cases. Finally, measurement of fragmentation size distributions is
notoriously difficult. Given all of these problems, it is simple to
understand why achieving some desired size distribution from
blasting is generally not a high priority.
THE DOWNSTREAM IMPACT OF
FRAGMENTATION
Having just argued above that control of fragmentation is not
often a priority, there is a growing realisation of the impact of
fragmentation in some cases on downstream processing.
Interestingly, the original 1977 JKMRC feasibility study of
explosive rock breakage identified the scope to influence the
lump-fines ratio of the final product in iron ore operations by
optimising the initial fragmentation.
The JKMRC has been investigating a range of interactions
between mining and processing or the so called 'mine-mill link' .
Scott and McKee (1994) considered fines generation in coal
mining, the selection of the working section in open cut coal
mines on preparation plant output and the impact of more
consistent feed (in metallurgical terms) on the performance of
sulphide flotation circuits. More recently, emphasis has
concentrated on fragmentation relationships and three of these are
described briefly.
Fragmentation - crushing and screening relationship
in quarrying
A study conducted by Kojovic et at (1995) examined the effect of
fragmentation in a quarrying operation on subsequent crushing
and screening performance. In this study, finer fragmentation
was achieved by changing blasting practice. The small increase
in drilling and blasting costs was insignificant when compared
with the downstream benefits of improved fragmentation. The
greatest impact of the finer fragmentation was to reduce both
excavation and crushing costs. The latter cost reductions were
more than ten times greater than the increases in drilling and
blasting costs.
Performance of gold heap leaching
Heap leaching for recovery of gold from low grade ores is of
increasing importance to the Australian mining industry. The
AusIMM sponsored a conference on the topic in Bendigo in
1994. Gold recovery, and the rate of recovery, are dependent on
many factors, including the following:
rock mass characteristics,
mineralogy,
permeability of the heap, and
cyanide leach solution distribution.
Some of these factors are beyond the control of the operator.
However, arguably the most important variable, permeability, is
largely under operator control. The way in which the heap is
constructed, and the size distribution of constituent rock, directly
affect permeability. This leads to the question of whether there is
a best size distribution which assists in optimising permeability
and hence gold extraction. The direct linkage between the degree
of fragmentation and gold recovery is usually not well established
The AuslMM Annual Conference Ballarat. 12 - 15 March 1997 73
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DJMcKEE
The technical issues
REQUIREMENTS FOR A FRAGMENTATION -
PROCESSING STRATEGY
To turn the concept of an integrated fragmentation-processing
strategy into an operating reality, advances are necessary in
technical, economic analysis and implementation methods. Each
topic is now considered.
where the important downstream processing stages directly
involve further size reduction (eg crushing and milling) the
prediction ability is well established and proven. However, it is
clear from the above that there are important gaps in current
capabilities. Rock mass structure is not rigorously included in
blast design. Despite enormous effort, the accurate absolute
measurement of fragmentation distributions is far from routine.
Finally, the task of specifying the 'best' overall fragmentation
distribution for an operation is generally not yet solved.
un.
Fragmentation Comnunution
model paramefers model paumeters
Core Sample
Trial and error site experimentation, involving a large program of
trial blasts and subsequent processing of ore of different
fragmentation, is likely to be so time consuming, expensive and
difficult as to be impractical. Clearly, this is a task for modelling
and simulation to suggest a very limited number of options for
actual mine and plant trial. AMIRA Project P483 has precisely
this predictive goal as its major objective.
The major steps involved in a comprehensive simulation
capability are indicated in Figure 1. The starting point is to use
core samples of 100 - 200 mm diameter for testwork to provide
rock dependent parameters for both fragmentation and
comminution models. For simplicity, degradation in ore transport
is not shown and neither is the need to be able to measure blast
fragmentation.
for an operation. Investigation of the relationship between gold
extraction in heap leaching and the size distribution of the heap is
one of the objectives of AMIRA P483.
TABLEl
Simulated SAG results for varyingfeed sizings.
(after McKee etal, 1995).
The general case
The preceding examples all suggest that there are strong linkages
between fragmentation achieved in mining and subsequent
mineral processing efficiencies. More importantly, there are
strong indications that significant efficiency gains are available in
downstream processing if fragmentation can be better tailored to
the particular needs of subsequent processing.
Influence of feed size distribution on AG/SAG
performance
The importance of feed size distribution on AG/SAG mill
performance is well known (Morrell et al, 1994). Almost all such
grinding circuits accept whatever ROM feed, modified by a
primary crusher, is provided by the mine. McKee et al (1995)
explored the opportunities to modify fragmentation achieved in
mining and the effect of varying fragmentation on the capacity of
a SAG circuit.
Simulation was used to examine the resulting feed size - mill
capacity dependencies and results are shown in Table 1. The mill
feed labelled 'fine' was obtained using a modified blast design
which resulted in a finer feed to the primary crusher, and thus to
the mill. An increase in mill throughput of 20 - 25 per cent was
indicated.
Mill Feed Feed Mill Load Mill
Rate Power
Fso F20 (tph) Pulp % (KW)
(mm) (mm) (tonnes) Volume
Coarse 137 2.2 98 97.6 24.4 2774
Fine 123 1.5 98 68.6 22.1 2649
Fine 123 1.5 123 97.7 24.4 2779
STATE-OF-THE-ART IN
FRAGMENTATION-PROCESSING
CONSIDERATIONS
Starting with an entirely technical analysis (ie not involving any
economics at this stage), the capabilities necessary for an overall
fragmentation-processing strategy involve the following topics:
blast designs to achieve a desired fragmentation,
measurement of fragmentation distributions,
knowledge of size degradation in transport and handling from
the muckpile to the crusher,
determination of the effect of varying feed size distributions
on the downstream processes in question, and
the ability to determine the 'best' fragmentation distribution
for a given mining and processing operation.
There is currently some ability to quantify the effect of changes
in blast design on resulting fragmentation (Scott, 1996).
Therefore it is entirely possible to consider a target fragmentation
distribution within the usual mining constraints (eg
environmental, damage, equipment capability, etc). Most
importantly, models exist which are capable of predicting
fragmentation over a limited range of input variables which
includes some rock mass properties and blast design. Work in
progress at the JKMRC is indicating it is possible to quantify
degradation using breakage energy concepts. In those situations
Rock M... I I
Fragmentation Model

"
."
a :D
o
I 'Ill 111 'aD
Production Blast and
Size Distribution
PaIlic:leSiz:e(rrrn}
Product
CharacterhtlcIl
FIG 1 - Approach for model based prediction of
mine fragmentation and comminution.
74 SaHara!. 12 - 15 March 1997 The AuslMM Annual Conference
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Specifically, major advances are required in the following area:
Incorporation of appropriate rock mass characterisation
parameters in fragmentation models.
Development of rock breakage tests for core samples which
provide reliable information on the extent of fines production
for fragmentation, degradation and comminution models.
Acquisition or development of robust methods
(instrumentation) which provide a reliable fragmentation
distribution and in particular, provide an estimate of the fines
content of the muckpile (material finer than 30 - 50 mm).
The latter is critical, as most downstream performance is
highly dependent on the fines content of the feed.
The economic consideration
The objective of the technical analysis above is to provide the
capability to predict the influence of blast design on
fragmentation and its subsequent impact on downstream
processes. It is expected with reasonable confidence that
processing performance will often be quite sensitive to
fragmentation. The critical question will then be to specify a best
operating point for a particular operation.
Optimisation is certain to be economically driven. This is
particularly expected as it is likely that the best fragmentation for
processing will in most cases require increased mining cost. The
general trends are likely to follow those shown in Figure 2.
Specification of the best operating point is not likely to be a
difficult optimisation task. The real challenge will be to assemble
and integrate the costs from two distinct cultures, mining and
processing.
Increasingly Tailored Fragmentation
FIG 2 - The impact of tailored fragmentation on
rnine-mill productivity.
FRAGMENTATION AND ITS IMPACT ON DOWNSTREAM PROCESSING
Implementation
The entire exercise described in this paper will be to no avail
unless there is effective and sustained implementation of the
optimised strategy. Long experience suggests this will be the
most difficult stage of all. The most essential requirement will be
levels of co-operation between mining and processing sections
which rarely exist in today's world. Closely following will be the
need for rigorous discipline in applying sometimes new
procedures and in the on-going auditing of performance.
CONCLUSIONS
This paper has argued that there is substantial scope to improve
the productivity of many mineral operations by optimising the
linkage between mine fragmentation and downstream mineral
processing. Part of the challenge to realise the benefits is
technical and part will require economic based methods to define
the best operating point in terms of mine fragmentation. The
largest challenge is likely to be implementation of sometimes new
practices.
While the paper has considered the 'mine-mill link' from a
fragmentation aspect only, there are other mine-mill linkages
which are likely to be just as important. The provision of a
steady feed, in terms of metallurgical treatment characteristics, to
complex sulphide flotation circuits is another example. Each
mine and processing operation will have its own critical linkage
point. The operations which identify their particular
mine-milling relationships and optimise those relations are
certain to reap major productivity rewards.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The role of JKMRC staff in contributing to the concepts
discussed in this paper is acknowledged.
REFERENCES
Howarth, D F and Hood, M, 1995. Potential impact of alternative rock
excavation technologies on mine performance, in Proceedings of
EXPLO 95, pp 149-155 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy: Melbourne).
Kojovic, T, Michaux, Sand McKenzie, C, 1995. Impact of blast
fragmentation on crushing and screening operations in quarrying,
Proceedings lif EXPLO 95, pp 427-436 (The Australasian Institute of
Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).
McKee, D J, Chitombo, G P and Morrell, S, 1995. The relationship
between fragmentation in mining and comminution circuit
througbput, Minerals Eng, 8(11):1265-1274.
Morrell, S, Finch, W M, Kojovic, T and Delboni, H Jnr, 1994. Modelling
and simulation of large diameter autogenous and semi-autogenous
mills, 8th European Symposium on Comminution, Stockholm, pp
332-343.
Scott, A and McKee, D J, 1994. The inter-dependence of mining and
mineral beneficiation processes on the performance of mining
projects, in Proceedings I!f The AusIMM Annual Conference, pp
303-308 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy:
Melbourne).
Scott, A, 1996. Fragmentation, in Open Pit Blast Design Analysis and
Optimisation (Ed: A Scott), pp 180-213 (JKMRC: Brisbane).
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76 Ballarat, 12 - 15 March 1997 The AuslMM Annual Conference