Fine grinding, to P80 sizes as low as 7 lm, is becoming increasingly important as mines treat ores with smaller liberation sizes. This grinding is typically done using stirred mills such as the Isamill or Stirred Media Detritor. While fine grinding consumes less energy than primary grinding, it can still account for a substantial part of a mill’s energy budget. Overall energy use and media use are strongly related to stress intensity, as well as to media size and quality. Optimization of grinding media size and quality, as well as of other operational factors, can reduce energy use by a factor of two or more. The stirred mills used to perform fine grinding have additional process benefits, such as polishing the mineral surface, which can enhance recovery.
DOI: 10.1007/s40553-013-0001-6
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International 2013