New research by SMC Testing's Dr Steve Morrell has outlined a practical methodology to help the mining industry reduce comminution-related carbon emissions by up to 34.5 megatonnes/year, or 43.5% compared to using traditional comminution technologies.
The open access paper published today in Minerals Engineering puts forward a low cost, power-based methodology to easily assess, size and select HPGR closed circuits in hard rock mining applications.
It shows that by using a new equation that accounts for the influence of specific grinding force, the Morrell method predicts HPGR circuit kWh/t to within 6.5% and that analysis of data on the performance of ball mills in HPGR circuits indicates that the Morrell method predicts circuit kWh/t to within 3%.
The research estimates that HPGR circuits can reduce the hard rock mining industry’s comminution CO2 emissions by up to 43.5% compared to SAG/Ball mill circuits, but notes that adoption of the technology has been hampered by costly and time-consuming pilot testing. This is in contrast to AG/SAG/Ball mill circuits where relatively cheap, fast and effective power-based methodologies are used.
The methodology detailed in this publication is a crucial step forward in the broader adoption of HPGRs in helping the mining industry reduce it's carbon footprint.
You can read the full paper online here