Experimental and numerical studies of selective fragmentation of mineral ores in electrical comminution

An experiment was conducted in which two sulphide ores and one platinum ore were each subjected to high voltage pulses and mechanical breakage, with the same specific energy input, in order to compare the mineral modal abundance and grade in the two comminution products. The data from this experimen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of mineral processing 2012-09, Vol.112-113, p.30-36
Main Authors: Wang, Eric, Shi, Fengnian, Manlapig, Emmy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Energy efficiency
High voltage pulse breakage
Numerical simulation
Selective fragmentation
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Summary:An experiment was conducted in which two sulphide ores and one platinum ore were each subjected to high voltage pulses and mechanical breakage, with the same specific energy input, in order to compare the mineral modal abundance and grade in the two comminution products. The data from this experiment have provided unambiguous evidence of greater enrichment of the minerals with high conductivity/permittivity in the less than 0.3mm size fractions of the electrical comminution product. Numerical simulations using COULOMB 3D indicated that with the existence of an electrical potential difference in the system, a high electrical field intensity was created around the boundary of the minerals with high conductivity/permittivity, causing selective fragmentation, thereby elucidating and supporting the experimental findings. [Display omitted] ► Enrichment of valuable minerals in electrical comminution product ► High electrical field intensity around the boundary of minerals with high permittivity ► Preferential breakage along the grain boundaries of minerals.
ISSN:0301-7516
1879-3525
DOI:10.1016/j.minpro.2012.07.005