STCrushers Is A Professional Minging Equipment Manufacturer since 2004, Providing High Quality Crushers, Sand Making Machines, Drying Equipment and more.
STCrushers Is A Professional Minging Equipment Manufacturer since 2004, Providing High Quality Crushers, Sand Making Machines, Drying Equipment and more.
Ball mills are critical for liberating metals from ores. We dissect their engineering and present a success story from Codelco’s Radomiro Tomic mine.
Technical Specifications
Capacity: 5-200 tons/hour (depending on ore hardness).
Grinding Media: Forged steel balls (Φ30mm-Φ120mm) or ceramic beads.
Power Consumption: 15-30 kWh/ton for copper ore.
Applications
Gold Cyanidation: Grinding to 75μm for optimal gold recovery.
Iron Ore Pelletizing: Produces ultra-fine magnetite concentrate.
Lithium Extraction: Reduces spodumene ore to 150μm for acid leaching.
Case Study: Codelco’s Energy-Efficiency Overhaul
Client Background
Chile’s state-owned Codelco aimed to reduce energy costs at their 100,000 tpd copper concentrator.
Challenges
Ball mills consumed 40% of the plant’s total energy.
Overgrinding caused slimes (<10μm) that hampered flotation.
Liners required replacement every 6 months ($25k per mill).
Solution
We retrofitted two Φ4.5×7m Overflow Ball Mills with:
High-Efficiency Motors: IE4-class motors cut energy use by 12%.
Composite Liners: Rubber-metal hybrids extended lifespan to 18 months.
Advanced Process Control: AI algorithms optimized ball charge and slurry density.
Results
Energy Savings: 20.3% reduction (from 28.7 to 22.9 kWh/ton).
Throughput Boost: 8% increase in copper recovery due to precise particle size control.
ROI: $600K annual savings per mill.
Maintenance Checklist
Monthly: Check gear alignment and lubricant viscosity.
Quarterly: Measure liner thickness with ultrasonic testers.
Annually: Rebalance the mill trunnion bearings.
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Email
15538010601