Monitoring of the Grinding and Gravity Separation Operation at Outokumpus Kemi Concentrator
High precision on-line particle size distribution measurement of mineral slurries has recently become available. It provides new tools for the development of monitoring and optimization methods for mineral grinding and separation circuits. The paper presents the development work at the Kemi chromite concentrator plant of Outokumpu Tornio Works in Northern Finland.The Kemi concentrator processes annually 1.2 Mt of chromium ore. The products are upgraded lumpy ore and metallurgical grade concentrate. The concentrate is produced using gravity separation methods, preceded by a rod mill ball mill grinding stage. The separation process performance is strongly dependent on the particle size distribution of the grinding product at the Kemi plant. Particle size distribution has a significant effect on the concentrate grade and recovery. Currently a new laser diffraction based on-line particle size analyser is used for monitoring the grinding product. The analyser system allows the measurement of the whole cumulative particle size distribution simultaneously. It provides a wealth of new measurement information for process control.A monitoring and optimization scheme for grinding and gravity separation based on the particle size information is presented. The goal is to minimize the production of fine slime, and subsequently to improve the concentrate quality and minimize chromite recovery losses. Data-based recursively identified linear PLS process models are developed for optimization purposes. The preliminary results of the monitoring system operation in on-line use are presented.
Grinding Gravity separation Particle size Process modeling Process monitoring
A. Remes J. Kaartinen H. Koivo K. Saloheimo N. Vaara H. Pekkarinen
Department of Automation and Systems Technology, Faculty of Electronics, Communications and Automati Oumtec Minerals. Finland Outokumpu Tornio Works, Kemi Mine, Finland
国际会议
XXIV International Mineral Processing Congress(第24届国际矿物加工大会)
北京
英文
2438-2447
2008-09-24（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）