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Rock Texture and BWi Relationships,

El Teniente Ore Deposit, Chile
M Oyarzn1 and A Arvalo2
ABSTRACT
Direct relationships between rock texture and BWi (grindability index) have been established
based on geological and metallurgical information supported by optical microscopy observations,
gathered from 731 samples.
Each recognised rock texture is observed to be related to a certain BWi range and, this texture is
also characteristic of distinct lithological subunits (recognisable at mapping scale). Therefore, this
relationship may provide an important tool for early milling in situ estimation.
Since each textural type is a response to rock formation conditions, the causality of the relationship
between BWi and texture is based on such conditions and, particularly, on the interfacial free
energy among its components.
According to the abovementioned textural features, the greater the free interfacial energy between
mineral components, the greater the necessary energy required to break its grain boundaries and,
consequently, the greater the necessary energy required for milling.
If the textural evidence indicates that the rock was able to adjust the shape and/or size of its
components in a natural tendency of all systems to minimise energy then the necessary energy
required to break its grain boundaries will be lower.

INTRODUCTION
This study is an investigation of the hypothetical relationship
between grindability causality and rock texture. This is
supported directly or indirectly by a lack of correlation
between grindability and mineralogical composition.
The previous statement is supported by the occurrence of
rocks of similar mineralogical composition (and, therefore, of
similar chemical composition) but with different grindability
indices. However and in spite of their compositional similarity,
they are recognised as different lithological units, at mapping
scale as well as microscopic scale, due to the differences in the
crystalline arrangement of their components.
For the study, information generated by the Estudio
Geometalrgico del Mineral a Explotar en el Mediano y Largo
Plazo, El Teniente, Chile (Arvalo, Floody and Olivares, 1998)
has been used, with an emphasis on information provided by
geological mapping, analyses of thin sections and grindability
metallurgical test data (BWi measured in kWh/st). The project
arose from the need to predict the metallurgical behaviour of
different geological units involved in medium and long-term
production plans.
The studied samples are distributed in 19 profiles, which
cover about 10 000 m of tunnels at levels Teniente 4, Teniente
Sub4 and Teniente 5. These were selected for their accessibility
and because all main recognised geological units for each mine
sector were represented. Samples were taken systematically at
an average of 1 m from the floor and roughly at 10 m spacing,
avoiding interferences from mine infrastructure and discrete
geological features with the ability to affect the homogeneity
of samples.

Transmitted and reflected light optical microscopy analyses,

in rock sections as well as in global particulate material
and chemical analyses of major and trace elements were
undertaken on 731 samples. According to the homogeneity
of their geological features, the samples were grouped in
247 composites. Grindability (BWI) and primary flotation
tests were undertaken, as well as corresponding chemical
and mineralogical characterisation of feed and flotation
products (chemical analyses of major and trace-elements and
microscopic analysis on global particulate material).

PETROGRAPHY OF MAIN LITHOLOGIES

Microscopic observation of thin sections with supporting
mapping data, allowed the recognition of nine lithological
domains related to respective BWi ranges:
Complejo intrusivo mfico El Teniente (CMET): group of
intrusive rocks, chemically characterised by their low SiO2
contents (47 to 57 wt per cent ) and mineralogical characterised
by the presence of calcic plagioclase with subordinate amounts
of clinopyroxene (Skewes et al, 2002).
The CMET rocks consist completely of crystals
(ie holocristalline texture, with no presence of glass) displaying
only some proper faces (hypidiomorfic granular texture).
Based on the size distribution of their crystalline components,
these rocks show three contrasting textures.
The first CMET textural subgroup consists of gabbros,
characterised by phaneritic textures, with unimodal to

1. Senior Geologist, CODELCO Chile, Av Libertador Bernardo OHiggins 1449, Santiago, Chile. Email: moyarzun@codelco.cl
2. Chief, Geometallurgy, CODELCO Chile, Milln 1020, Coln Alto Rancagua, Chile. Email: aarevalo@codelco.cl

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M OYARZN AND A ARVALO

serialised inequigranular textures. Adjacent crystals show

shared edges, with smaller size crystals tending to adopt the
shape of interstices left by large crystals. BWi range for these
rocks is 15 - 17.

equigranular polygonal crystals. The characteristic BWi range

for this lithological unit is 12 - 13.
Prfido dactico El Teniente (Dacite porphyry):
Holocrystalline rock, hypidiomorphic granular and
porphyritic, where the larger crystal fraction consists of
abundant sodium plagioclase (oligoclase-albite) and, in lesser
proportions, of biotite, amphibole and quartz. The smaller
crystal fraction (matrix) consists of quartz, albite, potassium
feldspar and biotite (Skewes et al, 2002) arranged in a mosaic
of equigranular polygonal crystals. The BWi range for this
rock is 10 - 13.

The second subgroup comprises diabases, characterised

by phaneritic textures, with crystalline bimodal distribution.
The larger sized population of crystals in this subgroup is
comparatively larger than that of the gabbros. As in the former
subgroup, adjacent crystals show shared edges, with smaller
size crystals tending to adopt the shape of interstices left by
large crystals. BWi range for these rocks is 16 18.
A third CMET textural subgroup consists of basalt porphyry
where the aphanitic portion is made up of a tight arrangement
of microcrystals, in which adjacent crystals may show shared
and welded edges. BWi values are always greater than 17 and
may reach values of up to 23.

Prfido Lattico (Latite porphyry): This rock has

approximately the same mineralogical features of the Dacite
porphyry (Skewes et al, 2002), but with distinct textural
differences. As well as a holocrystalline, hypidioformic
granular and porphyritic texture with adjacent crystals
showing shared edges, the fine crystal fraction displays an
indented to anastomosed arrangement. The BWi range for
this rock is 16 -18.

A final textural subgroup within the CMET, related to a

range of BWi 12 - 16, has been identified. This subgroup
corresponds to the metamorphism halo developed in the
contact zone between dacite porphyry and CMET. The rocks
within this halo display a mosaic of equigranular polygonal
crystals superimposed on the original rock texture.

The independence between BWi and rock composition is

highlighted in Table 1.
Table 2 summarises the nine litho-textural domains,
emphasising the relationship between petrographic
observations and the BWi ranges for each.

Diorita Sewell (Sewell diorite): group of intrusive rocks

characterised by the abundance of sodium-calcic plagioclase
(andesine-oligoclase) associated with quartz, amphiboles,
biotite and minor potassium feldspar in an holocrystalline
and hypidiomorphic granular texture (Skewes et al, 2002).
The Sewell diorite displays three contrasting textures based
on size distribution and shape of its crystalline components.

CONCLUSIONS
Magma crystallisation is controlled by the interaction of
diverse physico-chemical factors, which in addition are temporally variable. The shape and size of crystals of a slowly
cooling igneous rock are determined by its free interfacial
energy and that of nucleation, diffusion and variations in
growing rates. Supersaturating degree will affect crystal shape
while undercooling degree will affect crystal size.

The first subgroup defined as tonalite, shows phaneritic,

inequigranular serialised to unimodal textures. Adjacent
crystals exhibit shared edges and smaller crystals adopt the
shape of the interstices. BWi range for this rock unit is 14 - 16.
The second subgroup is a possible textural variety of the
Sewell diorite, although Guzmn (1991) has suggested that
this unit might be an independent intrusive phase. The rock
displays a porphyritic texture where the fine crystal fraction
may exhibit an unimodal distribution arranged in an indented
way. The characteristic BWi range for this rock is 15 - 17.

In non-extreme supersaturating and undercooling

conditions, the first crystals to form from the melt have
freedom to grow. The system minimises energy through
crystallisation of individual crystals with low energy planar
faces.
Once the crystals have grown enough in number and/or
size to come into contact with each other, the shape of the

The third subgroup is characterised by an inequigranular

texture (porphyritic) where the matrix consists of a mosaic of

TABLE 1
Major elements composition of main lithologies, according to Skewes et al (2002). BWi values after Arvalo et al (1998).

SiO2

Gabbro

Basalt porphyry

Diabase

Latite porphyry

Sewell Diorite

Dacite porphyry

50.05

50.65

52.50

64.73

63.70

65.76

TiO2

1.00

1.01

1.20

0.45

0.39

0.40

Al2O3

17.85

19.11

18.26

17.58

17.02

17.03

Fe2O3+FeO

10.11

9.83

9.97

2.55

4.30

2.07

MnO

0.14

0.09

0.09

0.04

0.08

0.01

MgO

6.32

4.17

5.04

1.14

1.50

0.72

CaO

9.44

7.80

7.96

3.82

3.90

3.19

Na2O

2.62

1.68

2.30

4.93

4.93

5.47

K2O

1.22

2.23

1.43

2.57

2.20

2.41

P2O5

0.32

0.21

0.25

0.16

0.21

0.13

LOI

1.35

1.76

1.96

1.20

1.80

1.66

Total

100.42

98.54

100.96

99.17

100.03

98.85

BWi (kWh/st)

15 - 17

>17

14 - 16

10 - 13

182

16 - 18

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ROCK TEXTURE AND BWI RELATIONSHIPS, EL TENIENTE ORE DEPOSIT, CHILE

TABLE 2
Petrography of main lithologies (Petromicrographs: crossed polarizers, 645 m 484 m).

Gabbro Wi [15 - 17]

Crystals with serialised size distribution and evidence of mutual interference between
adjacent crystals. Smaller crystals adopt the shape of the interstices between larger
crystals.

Diabase Wi [16 - 18]

Bimodal size distribution and evidence of mutual interference between adjacent crystals.
Smaller crystals adopt the shape of the interstices between larger crystals. Greater crystal
interfaces than in gabbro.

Basalt porphyry Wi >17

Crystals distributed in two size populations. Abundant microcrystals with evidence of
mutual interference between adjacent crystals. Great cristal interfaces.

Basalt porphyry with contact metamorphism Wi [12 - 16]

Original texture changed by development of new crystals showing a mosaic arrangement
with an equigranular tendency.

Sewell diorite (tonalite) Wi [14 - 16]

Crystals with serialized size distribution and evidence of mutual interference between
adjacent crystals. Smaller crystals are adopting the shape of the interstices between
larger crystals.

Porphyritic part of the Sewell diorite Wi [15 - 17]

Crystals distributed in two clear size populations. Smaller crystals with indentations and
evidence of mutual interference between adjacent crystals.

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M OYARZN AND A ARVALO

TABLE 2 CONT...
Petrography of main lithologies (Petromicrographs: crossed polarisers, 645 m 484 m).

Porphyritic tonalite apophyses Wi [12 - 13]

Crystals clearly distributed in two size populations. Smaller crystals in a polygonal
arrangement with lower interfacial energy shapes.

Dacite porphyry Wi [10 - 13]

Crystals distributed in a clear two size population. Smaller crystals in a polygonal
arrangement with lower interfacial energy shapes.

Latite porphyry Wi [16 - 18]

Crystals clearly distributed in two size populations. Smaller crystals show indentations
and evidence of mutual interference between adjacent crystals.

newly developing crystals will depend on the shape of existing

crystals and the interfacial energy of new components.

It is therefore expected that a very high BWi will result, as is

the case with the basaltic porphyry (BWi > 17).

This is how, in the transition to final crystallisation

temperature (solidus), new crystals will compete for space;
and, if their interfacial energy is similar, a mutual interference
will result in irregular crystalline edges of high energy (due
to their inability to reach a low energy shape). Examples
of this texture include gabbro (BWi [15 - 17]), diabase
(BWi [16 -18]), Sewell diorite (BWi [14 16]), latite porphyry
(BWi [16 -18]) and the porphyric part of Sewell diorite
(BWi [15 - 17]).

It has also been observed at El Teniente that the basalt

porphyry within the contact zone of the dacite porphyry has
experienced a textural reordering of its components through
thermal metamorphism produced by the intrusion of the
dacite porphyry. This is characterised by the development
of a polygonal mosaic of younger crystals, a texture typical
of minimisation adjustments of interfacial energy in the
subsolidus state. The maximum intensity of the development
of this texture occurs in areas immediately adjoining the dacite
porphyry and gradually decreases moving away from it. As a
result, in the northeastern sector of the deposit, a gradational
change from BWi ranges characteristic of dacite porphyry
(BWi [10 -13]) to BWi ranges typical of basalt porphyry
(BWi > 17) occurs in the basalt porphyry as the rocks become
more distal to the dacite porphyry.

Although the respective BWi ranges for each lithology

are relatively similar, they suggest that greater values are
associated with rock types with a relatively greater quantity
of high-energy contact surfaces (ie shared edges indented or
anastomosed edges). In the same logic, lithologies with lower
values in the BWi range, such as Sewell diorite, are associated
with the presence of crystals with low interfacial energy edges.
If the rock, whether when cooling down or subsequent to
cooling, has had the ability to minimise the total interfacial
energy via the generation of low energy granular outlines,
the textures that are formed resemble those observed in the
dacite porphyry (Wi [10 - 13]) and the tonalite apophyses
(Wi [12 - 13]). These textures are characterised by the presence
of an approximately polygonal and equigranular mosaic that
suggests such an adjustment occurred. This is coherent with
the Guzmn argument (1991) that the tonalite apophyses are
an intrusive phase independent of the Sewell Diorite.
When mutual interference occurs between abundant small
crystals, many high interfacial energy surfaces are generated.
184

It is possible to conclude that the rock grindability

(measured by the Bond index for ball mills, BWi), is a function
of the igneous rock texture and specifically of the degree of
linkage between the crystals that compose the rock. This is
a manifestation of the total interfacial energy frozen at the
moment of its formation.
The independence of BWi with respect to the mineralogical
and chemical compositions is illustrated by data contained in
Table 1, as well as by microscopic observations included in
this and previous works (Skewes et al, 2002). For example,
despite similarities in the chemical and mineralogical
compositions of the latite porphyry and dacite porphyry, their

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ROCK TEXTURE AND BWI RELATIONSHIPS, EL TENIENTE ORE DEPOSIT, CHILE

respective BWi ranges differ significantly. Conversely, the

different mineralogical and chemical compositions of gabbro
and tonalite do not result in significantly different BWi for
these lithologies.
Even though observations indicate that grindability is a
function of petrographic texture, the lithological-textural
domains that they discriminate can be recognised at mapping
scale. For this reason, rock texture is not only a criterion for
grindability modelling but is also a tool for its prediction.

Doll, A, Barratt, D and Wood, K.Comparison of UCS to Bond Work

Indices [online]. Available from: <http://sagmilling.com/
articles/UCS_Wi_paper.pdf>
Guzmn, C G, 1991. Central diorite prophyries alteration and
mineralization, El Teniente ore deposit, Thesis (unplublished),
Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Skewes, A M, Arvalo, A, Floody, R, Ziga, P and Stern, C,
2002. The giant El Teniente breccia deposit: Hypogene copper
distribution and emplacement, Society of Economic Geologists,
special publication 9, pp 299-332.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We wish to thank Will Clarke (Newcrest Mining Lmtd)
and Ricardo Floody (CODELCO-Chile) for improving the
english version of this paper and also to Roberto Valenzuela
(CIMM TyS SA) with his support on image software and
photomicrograph handling.

REFERENCES
Arvalo, A, Floody, R and Olivares, A, 1998. o Plazo, El Teniente.
Arvalo, A, Floody, R and Olivares, A, 1998. Medium and long-term
production plans geometallurgy models, El Teniente, Chile.

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