Performance Analysis of HRC™ HPGR in Manufactured Sand Production

Performance Analysis of HRC™ HPGR in Manufactured Sand Production

Júlio Cesar Figueiredo de Almeida 1,2,*, Homero Delboni, Jr. 2, Rafael Bento 3, Alfredo Reggio 2 and Everson Cremonese 2

1. Metso Outotec, Sorocaba 18087-101, Brazil
2. Department of Mining and Petroleum Engineering, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508-070, Brazil
3. Itaquareia Ind. Ext. de Minérios (Itaquareia Mining), Mogi das Cruzes 08780-970, Brazil

* Correspondence: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Tel.: +55-159-9804-6053

*This paper was published by Minerals 2023, Volume 13, Issue 2

Abstract:

The costs related to comminution in the mineral industry are significant, thus representing the main challenge for optimizing such a process. During the last few decades, the technology of High-Pressure Grinding Rolls (HPGR) has been consolidated as an important alternative for comminution circuits, due to the relatively low operational cost, as well as a relatively high energy efficiency. Due the initial high capital costs, HPGR applications are limited to high-capital projects. However, Metso Outotec has recently developed a relatively low-cost HPGR equipment mainly applied to aggregates segment. Accordingly, this work aims to evaluate the performance of HRC™ HPGR in the production of manufactured sand, based on surveys carried out in an existing industrial plant. The performance assessment indicates that the HRC™ was an adequate alternative for manufactured sand production. The analysis also includes the comparisons of the resulting products based on Brazilian Standards for sands used in concrete and filters.

Keywords: HPGR; manufactured sand; comminution; HRC™; aggregates