Energy optimization in the comminution processes

The energy consumption is very high in the comminution processes, especially in grinding. This is the main reason to increase the awareness towards optimization of energy consumption in order to achieve better technological and economical results. The detailed of the efficiency of comminution processes were studied in Copper Mine - Majdanpek, where large scope of laboratory and plant tests were carried out. Those tests involved the following: establishing the ore hardness by double pendulum, by using a breaking tool in the ball mill and in the SAG mill on the semiindustrial scale. In the processes of secondary and tertiary crushing, the maximum span of load strain was achieved for comminution of the ore with the hardness of A(i)=16.0 kWh/t. At the same time, a better engineering for construction of the conical secondary and tertiary crusher was achieved. In order to optimize the energy in the grinding processes it was necessary to establish optimal grinding parameters such as: ore size and tonnage in the mill, size and tonnage of the grinding media in the mill, rotation speed of the mill and slurry flow through the mill. The dynamical test of the moment of rotation and the power of SAG mill was examined in the process of semiautogenous grinding with the different work regimes if the SAG mill. The above research program determined the variables to reach.