Classifying best access points for return of external flows into flowsheets

• External flows are process streams that come from auxiliary processes or events. They are re-routed into the ordinary flowsheet, since they are thought to be too valuable to be sent to any tailings pond. External flows come from multiple sources, e.g., drainage sumps, spillage thickeners, depleted products etc. Therefore, external flows may fit or not fit into an existing flowsheet depending on several factors like, flow rate frequency, dilution ratio variation, chemical and mineralogical composition, particle size or particle morphology. By using Particle Texture Analysis (PTA) to investigate external flows and compare them with existing ordinary flows, it is possible to pin-point from a process mineralogy point of view to what extent the external flow in question fits into the ordinary processing flowsheet. Results from this category of information helps to reach a higher quality of process knowledge and control for every step in the concentrator. Result from analyses show that some re-routed flows that are reconnected to the main flow are not connected to the best point. A side effect of the analysis is that it indicates that some flows may be sent to later grinding stages. Thus, decreasing the load on the primary mill, and increasing its retention time

Subject headings

Engineering and Technology  (hsv)

Materials Engineering  (hsv)

Metallurgy and Metallic Materials  (hsv)

Teknik och teknologier  (hsv)

Materialteknik  (hsv)

Metallurgi och metalliska material  (hsv)

Mineralteknik  (ltu)

Mineral Processing  (ltu)