Introducing HPGR Quaternary Crushers in a Russian Magnetite Operation – Challenges and Solutions

B C Povey, V Noll, K Lagutin and M Mryasov

MetPlant 2017 – Metallurgical Plant Design and Operating Strategies – World’s Best Practice, 11-12 Sep 2017, Perth, Australia

Abstract

The current Stoilensky magnetite concentrator comprises a three-stage crushing circuit followed by three stages of ball milling, grinding and concentration to produce a magnetite concentrate with 66.5% iron (Fe). The plant is built in four lines, three lines having four mills and one line with five mills, to treat 32 Mt/y of ore and produce 13.9 Mt/y of concentrate.

NLMK, the owner, is Russia’s third largest steel maker and while the ore from the Stoilensky Mining and Beneficiation Plant (SGOK) provides the bulk of their supply, they still must buy ore from external sources at world prices. A decision was taken to expand the SGOK operation to supply all the NLMK concentrate, including the production of pellets.

To commence the expansion, high pressure grinding rolls (HPGRs) were introduced as a fourth stage of crushing ahead of the first ball mill. This was a relatively low capital cost expansion and increased production by 12 to 15%, the cost being much less than an additional grinding line. The importance of this development was that earlier introductions of HPGRs in Russia had presented several problems so there was some reluctance to the initial concept. The even greater significance was that nearly every magnetite plant in Russia had a three-stage crushing circuit so the successful introduction of HPGRs was of interest to many operators.

The design was developed by a team, consisting of Worley Parson, Mineralconsult and PiterGORproject (PGP), for the first four units to fit inside existing building structures. The first two units were commissioned in March 2016 and the next two units in May 2016, and production improved by over 12%. The design of the installation of the final four units is in progress and the installation is expected in late 2017.

AUTHOR DETAILS

B C Povey (1), V Noll (2), K Lagutin (3) and M Mryasov (4)

(1) – FAusIMM(CP), Consultant Metallurgist, Mineralconsult Pty Ltd. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

(2) – (dec) Technical Director, Stoilensky GOK, Stary Oskol Belgorad

(3) – Technical Director NLMK. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

(4) – Project Manager, HPGR Project SGOK. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Please contact the appropriate authors for further details of this paper.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CEEC acknowledges and thanks the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and MetPlant convenors and organising committee for organising the MetPlant 2017 Conference.

Abstracts can be found at the AusIMM MetPlant conference website (http://www.metplant.ausimm.com.au/abstract_list)

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