Labrador Trough
Michel Brissette & Hugh de Souza
SGS Minerals
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to our many SGS colleagues who have provided
us with information and advice in preparing this presentation
including:
D. Bulled
G. Chiasson
K. Fleury-Frenette
C. Gunning
J.P. Paiement
F. Verret
Chemistry
Mineralogy
Iron Ore
Characterisation
Comminution
Physical
Separation
Gravity
Magnetic
Flotation
3
Advanced Exploration
Major,
Major, Trace, Element
Element
Chemistry
Chemistry
Metal
Metal Content
Content
Mineralogy
Iron Ore
Characterisation
Comminution
Physical
Physical
Separation
Separation
Magnetic Content
Satmagan
# Samples: +++
Gravity
Magnetic
Heavy Liquid
Batch
Requires 250 g
Stage-crushed
feed
Physical
Separation
Minerals of different density are separated by floating or sinking in a heavy
liquid of fixed density.
Specific gravity of the fluid is in the range 2.95-3.33.
Performed on different size fractions to find the optimum grind size to
maximize Fe content of the concentrate
or to find where the Fe losses occur in Wilfley table tailings
5
Satmagan
Sample Size : 5 gr
No Physical
Separation
Advanced Exploration
Chemistry
Mineralogy
Mineralogy
Iron Ore
Characterisation
Qemscan
Comminution
Physical
Separation
# Samples: +
XRF
%Fe
Grade
11
XRF
%Fe
Grade
12
XRF
%Fe
Grade
13
Red : DSO
Blue : Hem-Mag
Green : Tac
14
15
2 different minerals
Designed on a minimum
throughput
One Single Average
Value for next 5 years:
2,850 TPH
Moderate
Soft
Hematite
Very
Soft
Magnetite
16
PEA/Scoping Study
Master composite samples
2 different hardnesses
Moderate
Soft
2 different minerals
Hematite
Very
Soft
Magnetite
17
PEA/Scoping Study
Chemistry
Master Composite
Mineralogy
Iron Ore
Characterisation
Comminution
Comminution
Bond Rod and Ball Mill Work
Index (RWI/BWI)
Physical
Separation
Variability Composite
# Samples: +
SAG Power Index (SPI)
18
19
JK Drop-weigh Test
Developped by Julius Kruttschnitt
Mineral Research Center (JK MRC)
Single particle (impact) and
Tumbling (abrasion)
Rocks of 13-63 mm (approx. 75 kg)
Consists of dropping a variable weight onto different size rock specimens from
various height.
Measures: 1) Appearance function (or breakage pattern) for five coarse size
fractions at different energy inputs (0.1 to 2.5 kWh/t); 2) Abrasion resistance of
37.5 to 53 mm particles; 3) Ore density of 30 specimens in water.
Impact and abrasion reduces to three parameters: A, b and ta used for
JKSimMet software for AG or SAG Milling.
Extensive JK database
20
PEA/Scoping Study
Master composite samples
Some variability composite
samples
Average throughput will be
2,854 TPH
Short fall in Year 1 and 4 vs
Target
2 different hardnesses
Moderate
Soft
2 different minerals
Hematite
Very
Soft
Magnetite
22
Pre-Feasibility
2 different hardnesses
Variability samples
Variability composite samples
Moderate
Soft
2 different minerals
Hematite
Very
Soft
Magnetite
VS Hem
Soft Hem
MS Mag
Soft Mag
23
Pre-Feasibility
Chemistry
Mineralogy
Variability Samples
Comminution
Comminution
Mod Bond Test (MBI)
Physical
Separation
Master or Variability
Composite
# Samples: ++
MacPherson Autogenous
(AWI)
24
SMC Test
Developped by Steve Morrell
Abbreviated DWT faster and cost effective
Single particle
2.
+19.0 - 22.4 mm
3.
Open circuit dry batch test using only 1.2 kg of - 3.36 mm sample
in a standard Bond ball mill
Chemistry
Mineralogy
Iron Ore
Characterisation
Comminution
Physical
Separation
Gravity
Gravity
Wilfley Table
Magnetic
Flotation
29
31
Chemistry
Mineralogy
Iron Ore
Characterisation
Comminution
Physical
Separation
Gravity
Magnetic
Magnetic
LIMS
Flotation
32
Chemistry
Mineralogy
Iron Ore
Characterisation
Comminution
Rougher &
Cleaner
Batch Test
Physical
Separation
Gravity
Magnetic
Flotation
Flotation
Locked-cycle
Test (LCT)
Mineral
Flotation Test
(MFT)
34
Requires 1 or 2 kg 10 Mesh
Done on Iron or LIMS concentrate
Consist of floating 1 or 2 kg of ore in Denver D1 4.4L cell at 35% solids for rougher
test and 10-20% for cleaner test.
Rougher test: Produce a concentrate/tail sample for downstream. Examine the
effect of primary grind size, pH and reagent scheme.
Cleaner test: Examine the effect of cleaner configuration and regrind size. Goal is
to increase concentrate quality i.e. lower the silica or sulfide content.
For iron ore, flotation is inversed (float the silica or sulfide and tails are the iron
concentrate)
35
Pre-Feasibility
2 different hardnesses
2 different minerals
Variability samples
Average throughput will be
2,845 TPH
Short fall in Year 1,4 and 5
versusTarget
Moderate
Soft
Hematite
Very
Soft
Magnetite
VS Hem
Soft Hem
MS Mag
Soft Mag
36
Feasibility
Might require more variability
samples
2 different hardnesses
Moderate
Soft
2 different minerals
Hematite
Very
Soft
Magnetite
VS Hem
Soft Hem
MS Mag
Soft Mag
37
Feasibility
Chemistry
Mineralogy
Variability Samples
Comminution
Comminution
Mod Bond Test (MBI)
Physical
Separation
# Samples: +++
38
Geostatistical Distribution
Ore Hardness + Geostat
Geological Info
+ Errors
Hardness Estimate
(Uncertainty)
for Each Block
Block Model
SPI
Wi
SPI
Wi
Variogram
SPI
Wi
80
SPI
Wi
SPI
Wi
SPI
SPI Wi
SPI
Wi
Wi
SPI
Wi
SPI
SPI
Wi
SPI
Wi
SPI
Wi
SPI
W
Wi
i
70
variance
60
SPI
Wi
50
40
30
SPIWi
Wi
data
20
model
10
SPI
Wi
sill
0
0
50
100
150
distance m
200
250
SPI
SPI
Wi
300
39
Geometallurgical Dataset
Geomet
Program
High Ore
Variability
Feasibility
Might require more variability
samples
2 different hardnesses
Moderate
Soft
2 different minerals
Hematite
Very
Soft
Magnetite
VS Hem
Soft Hem
MS Mag
Soft Mag
41
Chemistry
Mineralogy
Bulk/ROM Samples
Iron Ore
Characterisation
Comminution
Comminution
Physical
Separation
Gravity
Gravity
Magnetic
Magnetic
Pilot Plant
Flotation
Flotation
42
Pilot Plant
AG Feed
Rock Piles
Sampling Points
AG Mill
Derrick
Screen
6 mesh
screen
Screen oversize
Water
Water
Rougher
Spirals
T M C
Conc
Water
Wash Water
Final
Tailings
Conc
Tails
Combine Tails
Tails
Cleaner
Spirals
C M T
Tails
Conc
Water
Belt filter
Wash Water
Conc
Concentrate
Concentrate
filter cake
Final
Concentrate
Recleaner
Spirals
Water
C M T
Tails
Concentrate
43
SAG Milling
Very ore dependant
Very sensitive to feed size distribution
Check if enough coarse rock to grind the finer ones without
producing excessive critical size build up?
Benchmarking
Benchmarking
Process
Process Optimisation
Optimisation
Integrated
IntegratedGeometallurgical
Geometallurgical Simulator
Simulator
(IGS)
Mine Planning
Production
Forecasting