600 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
• Comminution is the main driver for process water
loss through evaporation. Consequently, choosing
the most efficient grinding equipment has the poten-
tial for reducing water loss through evaporation.
• The upper limit for potential water loss through
evaporation in a hypothetical 50000 t/day plant, can
be as much as 1% daily which on an annual basis
would equate to 3.65 times the daily plant water
requirement. The lower limit for potential water loss
through evaporation would be defined by the Dalton
equation.
• Solar energy input can be reduced or eliminate from
the plant with the installation of a roof. Depending
on the design of the roof, it can also promote
increased air flow through the plant.
• Water loss through evaporation can be reduced by
increasing heat transfer through material selection,
convection fin design and installation, and heat
transfer covers for equipment such as trommels,
screens, flotation cells, thickeners, and reservoirs.
• Dry grinding holds the potential to reduce signifi-
cantly potential water loss through the use of more
efficient grinding and classification technologies.
More research is required to determine, with greater pre-
cision, heat transfer rates of different mineral processing
equipment and its impact on evaporation.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To Rampart Detection Systems for supporting the prepara-
tion of this paper and the associated presentation.
REFERENCES
Abbas, A., Wang, C-C (2020), Augmentation of natural
convection heat sink via using displacement design,
Int’l J Heat &Mass Transfer, 154, 119757, 14 pages.
ARBS (2024), Accurate Rock Breakage System,
Comminution Reimagined Sweden AB,, accessed
January 19, 2024, https://www.linkedin.com/feed
/update/urn:li:activity:7150485861585895425/
Modified from CEEC Energy Curves, (Ballantyne et al., 2016 CEEC, 2023)
Figure 4. The water loss curves
• Comminution is the main driver for process water
loss through evaporation. Consequently, choosing
the most efficient grinding equipment has the poten-
tial for reducing water loss through evaporation.
• The upper limit for potential water loss through
evaporation in a hypothetical 50000 t/day plant, can
be as much as 1% daily which on an annual basis
would equate to 3.65 times the daily plant water
requirement. The lower limit for potential water loss
through evaporation would be defined by the Dalton
equation.
• Solar energy input can be reduced or eliminate from
the plant with the installation of a roof. Depending
on the design of the roof, it can also promote
increased air flow through the plant.
• Water loss through evaporation can be reduced by
increasing heat transfer through material selection,
convection fin design and installation, and heat
transfer covers for equipment such as trommels,
screens, flotation cells, thickeners, and reservoirs.
• Dry grinding holds the potential to reduce signifi-
cantly potential water loss through the use of more
efficient grinding and classification technologies.
More research is required to determine, with greater pre-
cision, heat transfer rates of different mineral processing
equipment and its impact on evaporation.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To Rampart Detection Systems for supporting the prepara-
tion of this paper and the associated presentation.
REFERENCES
Abbas, A., Wang, C-C (2020), Augmentation of natural
convection heat sink via using displacement design,
Int’l J Heat &Mass Transfer, 154, 119757, 14 pages.
ARBS (2024), Accurate Rock Breakage System,
Comminution Reimagined Sweden AB,, accessed
January 19, 2024, https://www.linkedin.com/feed
/update/urn:li:activity:7150485861585895425/
Modified from CEEC Energy Curves, (Ballantyne et al., 2016 CEEC, 2023)
Figure 4. The water loss curves