ENGR.
NORVEIN CALIBO
Mineral Processing
Introduction &
Overview
Review on Mineralogy
Overview in Mineral Processing
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Introduction
The use of minerals has been instrumental in raising
the standard of living of mankind. The sophisticated
world of today is largely the result of the enlarged
use of minerals for various purposes.
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Abundance of Chemical Elements in the Earth’s crust
Chemical Elements Percentage Chemical Elements Percentage
Oxygen 46.46 Hydrogen 0.14
Silicon 27.61 Phosphorus 0.12
Aluminium 8.07 Manganese 0.09
Iron 5.06 Carbon 0.09
Calcium 3.64 Sulphur 0.06
Sodium 2.75 Barium 0.04
Potassium 2.58 Flourine 0.03
Magnesium 2.07 Strontium 0.02
Titanium 0.62 Others 0.50
What is a mineral?
“Mineral is a substance having definite chemical composition and internal
atomic structure and formed by the inorganic processes of nature.”
Minerals are broadly classified into metallic and non-metallic minerals.
…some mineral
classification
• Ore Minerals or Valuable Minerals are those minerals
which contain an economically exploitable quantity of some
metal or non-metal.
• Gangue Minerals are usually the non-metallic minerals
associated with ore minerals which are worthless as a
source for that metal or otherwise.
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…some mineral
classification
• Ore Deposits are the natural deposits of ore minerals.
• Ore is an aggregation of valuable and gangue minerals.
• Simple Ore is one from which a single metal can be
extracted.
• Complex Ore is one from which two or more metals can be
extracted.
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…some mineral
classification
Isomorphic minerals - minerals where substitution of atoms
within the crystal structure by similar atoms take place
without affecting the atomic structure, i.e., different
composition but same atomic structure.
• ex. Olivine : (Mg, Fe)2 SiO4 ; Mg: Fe variable
Polymorphic minerals - same chemical composition but
markedly different physical properties due the difference in
crystal structure.
• ex. Carbonates - Aragonote and Calcite
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…some mineral classification
Pseudomorphism - A mineral can replaced by another
mineral without any change in the external from.
Pseudomorphism is the existence of a mineral that has the
appearance of another mineral.
Allotropism - the property of some chemical elements to
exist in two or more different forms in the same physical
states
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…types of minerals (according to source)
Primary Secondary
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Metallic Minerals
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Non-metallic
Minerals
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Other terms…
❖Assay Value or Tenor
❖High Grade Ore / Rich Ore and
❖Medium Grade Ore
❖Lean Ore
❖Run-of-mine Ore
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Physical Properties
❖ Color ❖ Fracture
❖ Specific Gravity ❖ Magnetic Property
❖ Transparency ❖ Electrical Property
❖ Luster ❖ Radioactive Property
❖ Luminescence ❖ Optical Property
❖ Hardness ❖ Surface Property
❖ Tenacity ❖ Friction
❖ Cleavage ❖ Mineral Aggregation
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Classification of Minerals
❖ Native elements ❖ Sulphates
❖ Sulphides and Sulphosalts ❖ Chromates
❖ Oxides and Hydroxides ❖ Phosphates
❖ Carbonates ❖ Arsanates
❖ Halides ❖ Vanadates
❖ Nitrates ❖ Molybdates
❖ Borates ❖ Tungstates
❖ Silicates
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Ore Characterization
❖Ore microscopy - This is a laboratory investigation wherein the output
is the mineral form (i.e. sulfide, oxide, carbonate, etc.) of the valuable
metal and its liberation size.
❖Size Distribution - refers to the practice adapted in the laboratory to
determine the size distribution of the particles in a given sample.
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Ore Characterization
❖Degree of Liberation - refers to the percentage of the mineral as free
particles in the ore in relation to the total content.
❖Mesh of Grind - The size up to which the particles will be ground to
ensure complete liberation or 80% liberation of the valuable mineral.
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What is MINERAL
PROCESSING?
MINERAL PROCESSING IS REGARDED AS THE PROCESSING OF ORES OR OTHER MATERIALS TO
YIELD CONCENTRATED PRODUCTS. MOST OF THE PROCESSES INVOLVE PHYSICAL
CONCENTRATION PROCEDURES DURING WHICH THE CHEMICAL NATURE OF THE MINERAL(S) IN
QUESTION DOES NOT CHANGE. 18
Objectives of Mineral Processing
Technical Economic
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What is beneficiation?
The separation of the wanted part from the aggregation of
wanted and unwanted parts by physical methods.
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Generalized
flowchart of
extraction of
metals
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Metallurgical Efficiency
❑Grade
❑Recovery
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Unit Operations
❖Size reduction
❖Size separation
❖Concentration
❖Dewatering
❖Aqueous dissolution
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Environmental
Concerns
The mineral industry is very conscious of these
phenomena and spends large amounts of
capital on remediating the environment and
neutralizing toxic wastes.
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METALLIFEROUS &
NON-METALLIFEROUS
ORE PROCESSING
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Metals…
WORLD PRODUCTION OF AL,
CU AND ZN FOR THE PERIOD
1900-2002
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Non-metals…
O R E S O F E C O NOMIC VA LUE C A N B E
C L A S S E D A S M E TA L L I C O R N O N - M E TA L L I C ,
AC C ORDING TO T HE U S E O F T HE M I N E R AL.
C E R TA I N M I N E R A L S M AY B E M I N E D A N D
PROCESSED FOR MORE THAN ONE
PURPOSE.
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Mineral Analysis…
❖Q U A L I TAT I V E A N A LYS I S - I N W H I C H E L E M E N T S P R E S E N T
IN THE SAMPLE ARE IDENTIFIED.
❖Q U A N T I TAT I V E A N A LYS I S - I N W H I C H T H E Q U A N T I T Y O F
E L E MENTS, O R CO MPO UNDS, PR E SENT I N T HE SA MPLE I S
E S T I M AT E D .
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End.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
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