Efficiency of screens and hydrocyclones in closed-cycle grinding of titanomagnetite ore

The research aimed to compare efficiency of screens and hydrocyclones in closedcycle grinding at the second stage of the processing flowsheet for titanomagnetite ore from Gusevogorskoe deposit. Replacement of hydrocyclones by screens in the closed cycle of grinding resulted in the increase in the mass fraction of iron from 58.9 to 62.8% in the magnetic product of wet magnetic separation at the third stage of the processing flowsheet. This implies possibility to reduce the number of grinding stages from three to two. The screen as compared with the hydrocyclone ensures higher efficiency of 0.071 mm size grade sizing by 22.08% and better extraction of 71 µm to underflow by 28.07%. This allows reducing the circulating load at the second stage of grinding from 176.4 to 99.8%. The introduction of screens in the closed cycle of grinding makes it possible to improve dissociation of ore and rock minerals and to decrease overgrinding. The total efficiency of magnetic separation at the second and third stages increases as a result. Owing to the decreased overgrinding of ore and rock minerals due to the use of screens instead of hydrocyclones, the mass fraction of 0.071 mm size is reduced in the concentrate from 93.2 to 68.1%. For these reasons, the two-stage grinding flowsheet with the screens included in the second stage is usable for production of concentrate for agglomeration. Pelletization concentrate production using the two-stage flowsheet is inexpedient.

Pelevin A. E., Sytykh N. A. Efficiency of screens and hydrocyclones in closed-cycle grinding of titanomagnetite ore. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2022;(5):154-166. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2022_5_0_154.

A.E. Pelevin, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant Professor, Professor, e-mail: a-pelevin@yandex.ru, Ural State Mining University, 620144, Ekaterinburg, Russia, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-6063-3932,
N.A. Sytykh, Head of Quality Control Department, EVRAZ Kachkanar Mining and Processing Plant, 624351, Kachkanar, Russia.

A.E. Pelevin, e-mail: a-pelevin@yandex.ru.

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