198 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
al. (2016) to better focus future particle fracture studies. The
Figure categorizes various loading conditions, loading rates,
breakage and fracture methods required for intergranular
and selective breakage results found in HPSA processing,
compared to random fracture in ball milling and attrition
and chipping that occurs with scrubbers. Traditional mil-
limeter scale comminution processes have very high energy
consumption with very low efficiency. A 2021 study cal-
culated that the entire mining industry consumes 3.5%
of total energy consumption globally, with comminution
being the largest single consumer of final energy in mining
(Allen, 2021).
HPSA technology aims to replace traditional milli-
meter-to-micron scale mineral processing and grinding
equipment like ball, rod, impact, hammer mills and attri-
tion scrubbers. Opposed jet steam assisted jet mills create
similar particle-particle collisions albeit the water medium
used in HPSA for particle entrainment and acceleration
allows for the increased input particle sizes listed in Table 1
compared to the 800–1200-micron input particle size limit
for fluidized jet mills (Krzywanski, 2020). During impact,
Figure 1. Particle loading, loading rates, breakage mechanisms, and fracture/liberation examples where blue represents
targeted minerals (adapted from Parapari et al., 2016)
al. (2016) to better focus future particle fracture studies. The
Figure categorizes various loading conditions, loading rates,
breakage and fracture methods required for intergranular
and selective breakage results found in HPSA processing,
compared to random fracture in ball milling and attrition
and chipping that occurs with scrubbers. Traditional mil-
limeter scale comminution processes have very high energy
consumption with very low efficiency. A 2021 study cal-
culated that the entire mining industry consumes 3.5%
of total energy consumption globally, with comminution
being the largest single consumer of final energy in mining
(Allen, 2021).
HPSA technology aims to replace traditional milli-
meter-to-micron scale mineral processing and grinding
equipment like ball, rod, impact, hammer mills and attri-
tion scrubbers. Opposed jet steam assisted jet mills create
similar particle-particle collisions albeit the water medium
used in HPSA for particle entrainment and acceleration
allows for the increased input particle sizes listed in Table 1
compared to the 800–1200-micron input particle size limit
for fluidized jet mills (Krzywanski, 2020). During impact,
Figure 1. Particle loading, loading rates, breakage mechanisms, and fracture/liberation examples where blue represents
targeted minerals (adapted from Parapari et al., 2016)