Principles of mineral extraction is the first of two core technical modules for the Professional PG Dip / MSc Minerals Processing. The module would cover the fundamental science which underpins mineral processing and extractive metallurgy. The module will particularly cover the fundamental principles and forces exploited in mineral separation processes and models used to predict behaviour in minerals processing. This will include comminution, flotation, physical separation, materials handling, dewatering, waste management and aspects of hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy and electrometallurgy.

The latest innovations and current research will be presented and attention will be focussed on the relationship between mineralogical textures and associations and the intrinsic chemical and physical properties which ultimately determine the success of these separation processes.

The health and safety implications related to the study and analysis of minerals will be discussed. This will include discussion of the dangers of working with different mineral types, controlling and handling of chemicals, safety aspects of equipment and safe lab practices.

Prerequisites: CSMM177, CSMM178, CSMM179, CSMM180

The module aims to advance your understanding of the basic minerals processing principles taught in the Year One ‘Mining Life-Cycle’, by providing you with the details of the fundamental principles which underpin techniques in minerals process engineering.

Practical, hands-on activities using case studies and the latest research will improve your key key knowledge of comminution, flotation, physical separation, materials handling, dewatering, waste management and aspects of hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy and electrometallurgy.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge

Unit 1 Comminution, flotation and physical separation topics

1. Introduction to the link between mineralogy of an ore and physical properties which can be exploited for selective concnetration.

2. Physical principles which govern breakage behaviour and models to predict energy In breakage. Methods of modelling breakage behaviour including population balance modelling and finite element and discrete element modelling.

3. Physical principles of various crushers and mills, and current research and practice in novel comminution methods, pre-weakening and assisted comminution.

4. Screening and classification: fundamental principles of screening and classification processes (e.g. hydrocyclones)

5. Surface chemistry and surface characterisation in the context of flotation; Classification of reagents and adsorption mechanisms. Current research and innovations in the fundamental understanding of flotation will be covered.

6.Exploration of the principles underpinning physical separation processes including: Dense medium separation (DMS), gravity separation, sensor-based ore sorting, magnetic and electrostatic separation.

7. Health and safety issues relating to comminution, physical separation and flotation will be discussed. This will include relevant issues around use of chemicals, different minerals and legislation.

Unit 2 Extractive metallurgy topics

1. Overview of the chemical, electrical, thermodynamic, and fluid mechanical principles which underpin the use of hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy and electrometallurgy. This will include discussions of leaching, solution purification, precipitation, roasting, smelting, refining, electrowinning, electrorefining and molten salt electrolysis.

2. Introduction to biohydrometallurgy: the specialised case of biohydrometallurgy will be discussed including: definitions and the basic microbiology and biochemistry of biohydrometallurgy.

3. Health and safety issues relating to extractive metallurgy will be discussed. This will include relevant issues around use of chemicals, heat, high pressures and legislation.

Unit 3 Materials handling, dewatering and waste management topics

1. introduction to the mechanical principles involved in the movement of dry and wet material. The flow of solids, nature of slurries, use of pumps and the bulk mineral and effects of slurry properties will be included.

2. The basic principles which underpin dewatering (solid-liquid separation) will be covered. Discussions of thickening, filtration and drying in the context of the flow of mass and heat as well as forces involved and rate kinetics will be included.

3. Waste disposal techniques: The basic principles involved in these techniques will be described alongside a discussion of the potential environmental impact and how this links to the mineralogy and processing techniques.

4. Health and safety issues relating to materials handling, dewatering and waste management will be discussed. This will include relevant issues around use of chemicals, different minerals, ground stability and legislation.

Unit 4 Process mineralogy topics

1. The principles behind typical analytical techniques used in the extractive minerals industry will be discussed. This will include whole sample chemical techniques (e.g.X-ray fluorescence, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry) as well as mineralogical techniques (e.g. QEMSCAN, electron microprobe,

2. Health and safety issues relating to process mineralogy will be discussed. This will include relevant issues around use of ionising radiation, chemicals, different minerals and legislation.

Unit 5 Statistics and sampling theory topics

1. statistical distributions and basic concepts (e.g. uncertainty, bias, and error) will be covered. This will lead on to discussions of the derivation of sampling variance equations and sample size determination and optimisation.

2. Health and safety issues relating to material sampling will be discussed. This will include relevant issues around safe practice, different minerals and legislation.

All referral marks are capped at 50%.

Basic reading:

ELE: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Web based and Electronic Resources:

www.knovel.com

wiki.biomine.skelleftea.se/

Bulatovic, S. M.. (2007). Handbook of Flotation Reagents - Chemistry, Theory and Practice, Volume 1 - Flotation of Sulfide Ores. Elsevier. Online version available at:
https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/toc/id:kpHFRCTP04/handbook-flotation-reagents/handbook-flotation-reagents

Fuerstenau, M. C. Han, K. N.. (2003). Principles of Mineral Processing. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME). Online version available at:

  https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/toc/id:kpPMP00001/principles-mineral-processing/principles-mineral-processing  

Han, K. N.. (2002). Fundamentals of Aqueous Metallurgy. Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME). Online version available at:

ttps://app.knovel.com/hotlink/toc/id:kpFAM00011/fundamentals-aqueous/fundamentals-aqueous

Wills, B. A. and Finch, J., Wills’ Mineral Processing Technology, Eighth Edition: An Introduction to the Practical Aspects of Ore Treatment and Mineral Recovery, 8^th edition. Butterworth-Heinemann, 2015. Online version available at:

https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt00URXWG1/wills-mineral-processing/dewatering-references

Other Resources:

Reading list for this module: