FLOWSHEET OPTIONS OF HPGR CRUSHER

The flowsheet for a given ore is driven by the requirements of the process and consider- ation of the above HPGR characteristics. In particular, the possible need for a controlled feed top size, fines recycling, and separate deagglomeration will have a significant effect on the formulation of a practical and robust flowsheet.

It is important that the appropriate amount of testing be conducted to determine flowsheet design requirements. Alternatively, in the absence of adequate tests, a conser- vative approach must be taken to flowsheet design—that is, it must be assumed that top- size control, fines recycling, and deagglomeration will all be needed. This of course has the potential to impose significant and possibly unnecessary cost penalties on any project, and a comprehensive test programme generally represents excellent value for the money in this context.

The selection of flowsheets considered here focuses on alternatives to conventional hard-rock crushing, screening, and milling circuits, either as greenfield projects or as retrofits to existing operations for the purposes of debottlenecking or plant expansion. HPGR may also be considered as a beneficial metallurgical tool in heap-leach applications.