3905
Characterisation, Modelling and Description of
Multi‑Component Ore Types Using the Extended
Drop Weight Test
Farhad Faramarzi
Dassault Systèmes, Australia
The Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Australia
Robert Morrison
The Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Australia
Sarma S. Kanchibotla
Seshat Consultants Pty Ltd, Australia
ABSTRACT: The inherent variability in ore competence can have significant impact on comminution circuit
performance and makes it challenging to run a stable mill. This variability in feed competence can be due to
mixing of different ore types or inherent variability within an ore domain. The ExDWT breakage characterisation
approach allows to quantify the inherent variability within an ore domain or a feed sample. It considers particles
pre-breakage physical properties, e.g., mass, density, dimension, orientation, colour, roundness, textural features
etc, and investigate their possible link to particles competence based on the concept of ‘tn-family per particle’.
This capability offers the potential to account for more sources of variation, and estimate the inherent competence
heterogeneity within a sample of ore. In this regard, for an ore sample, additional mineralogical and grindability
experiments conducted on the ExDWT progenies supported the existence of a difference at mineralogical level
between “hard” and “soft” particles within that sample.
In this paper, a novel multi-component ore breakage modelling and description approach is proposed based
on the ExDWT data which offers the capability not only to estimate key components of competence, but also
provides estimates of each component within the tested sample. For this purpose, four samples from the Barrick
Cortez gold mine, USA were characterised using the ExDWT, then the developed modelling technique was
used to describe not only the extent but also the amount of components of different competence within each
sample. A range of scenarios were simulated using the new multi-component ore breakage modelling approach
and ExDWT data to understand the impact of different components of ore on a semi autogenous grinding mill
(SAG) performance. The results of this research offer the opportunity to more effectively integrate ore compe-
tence variability into the comminution circuit modelling.
Characterisation, Modelling and Description of
Multi‑Component Ore Types Using the Extended
Drop Weight Test
Farhad Faramarzi
Dassault Systèmes, Australia
The Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Australia
Robert Morrison
The Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Australia
Sarma S. Kanchibotla
Seshat Consultants Pty Ltd, Australia
ABSTRACT: The inherent variability in ore competence can have significant impact on comminution circuit
performance and makes it challenging to run a stable mill. This variability in feed competence can be due to
mixing of different ore types or inherent variability within an ore domain. The ExDWT breakage characterisation
approach allows to quantify the inherent variability within an ore domain or a feed sample. It considers particles
pre-breakage physical properties, e.g., mass, density, dimension, orientation, colour, roundness, textural features
etc, and investigate their possible link to particles competence based on the concept of ‘tn-family per particle’.
This capability offers the potential to account for more sources of variation, and estimate the inherent competence
heterogeneity within a sample of ore. In this regard, for an ore sample, additional mineralogical and grindability
experiments conducted on the ExDWT progenies supported the existence of a difference at mineralogical level
between “hard” and “soft” particles within that sample.
In this paper, a novel multi-component ore breakage modelling and description approach is proposed based
on the ExDWT data which offers the capability not only to estimate key components of competence, but also
provides estimates of each component within the tested sample. For this purpose, four samples from the Barrick
Cortez gold mine, USA were characterised using the ExDWT, then the developed modelling technique was
used to describe not only the extent but also the amount of components of different competence within each
sample. A range of scenarios were simulated using the new multi-component ore breakage modelling approach
and ExDWT data to understand the impact of different components of ore on a semi autogenous grinding mill
(SAG) performance. The results of this research offer the opportunity to more effectively integrate ore compe-
tence variability into the comminution circuit modelling.