Mineral processing optimization

Objectives

• Understand mineral liberation and its impact on downstream recovery
• Diagnose bottlenecks in crushing and grinding circuits (jaw, cone, SAG, AG, ball mills)
• Optimize P80, circulating loads and specific energy consumption (kWh/t)
• Read and interpret comminution KPIs and Bond work index tests

Skills acquired

• Perform a comminution audit on a real circuit
• Propose concrete actions to cut kWh/t and improve throughput
• Interpret PSD curves and circulating load calculations

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of mineral processing or 1+ year of plant experience.

Day-by-day program

1. Day 1
   Fundamentals: ore characterization, liberation, Bond & JK tests, comminution laws.
2. Day 2
   Crushing: jaw, cone, HPGR — sizing, wear parts, closed-side setting, screening efficiency.
3. Day 3
   Grinding: SAG/AG/ball mills, ball charge, liner design, mill power draw, sump & cyclone operation.
4. Day 4
   Classification & control: hydrocyclones, P80 control loops, mass balances, energy audit.
5. Day 5
   Case study on your flowsheet: diagnostic, action plan, final assessment.

Objectives

• Master gravity separation (spirals, jigs, Knelson, shaking tables) and flotation fundamentals
• Select and dose reagents (collectors, frothers, depressants, activators, modifiers)
• Optimize recovery and concentrate grade through circuit design
• Troubleshoot flotation cells and gravity units in production

Skills acquired

• Design or audit a gravity + flotation circuit
• Build a reagent scheme adapted to a given mineralogy
• Diagnose losses in tailings and adjust operating parameters

Prerequisites

Basic chemistry and prior exposure to mineral processing operations.

Day-by-day program

1. Day 1
   Ore mineralogy, liberation vs concentration, choice of separation route.
2. Day 2
   Gravity concentration: spirals, jigs, Knelson, tables — operating windows and tuning.
3. Day 3
   Flotation fundamentals: surface chemistry, bubble-particle interaction, cell hydrodynamics.
4. Day 4
   Reagent scheme: collectors, frothers, modifiers; conditioning, dosage optimization, pH control.
5. Day 5
   Circuit design, mass balance, sampling; troubleshooting workshop and final assessment.

Objectives

• Master gold cyanidation: chemistry, kinetics, oxygen requirement
• Operate CIL and CIP circuits: tank sizing, carbon management, residence time
• Manage activated carbon: adsorption, elution (AARL / Zadra), regeneration, reactivation
• Understand elution, electrowinning and smelting to doré bar

Skills acquired

• Audit a CIL/CIP circuit and identify recovery losses
• Optimize carbon inventory, elution efficiency and reagent consumption
• Apply cyanide safety and environmental best practices

Prerequisites

Familiarity with mineral processing; chemistry background recommended.

Day-by-day program

1. Day 1
   Gold chemistry, cyanide safety, leach kinetics, oxygen mass transfer.
2. Day 2
   CIL vs CIP: tank configuration, pulp density, residence time, screen management.
3. Day 3
   Activated carbon: adsorption isotherms, loading, carbon movement, inventory control.
4. Day 4
   Elution circuits (AARL / Zadra), electrowinning, smelting, doré production.
5. Day 5
   Tailings management, cyanide destruction (INCO / SO2-air), case study, final assessment.