Footprint® Technology – Recovery of Grinding Media Scrap

Description Benefits Features Operation

Footprint® Technology – Recovery of Grinding Media Scrap

ME Elecmetal offers a specialized scrap separation service that processes the accumulation of materials discarded from SAG mills, including a mixture of spherical balls, steel in various forms, and rocks containing copper ore and/or magnetite. This service aims to remove metallic elements from the ores so they can be fed back into the pebble stockpile, thereby recovering valuable copper ore contained in these materials.

Reduction of Carbon Footprint

Processing accumulated materials in tailings and mining dumps minimizes environmental impact, generating less carbon footprint compared to extracting fresh ore from the pit.

Efficient Reuse of Grinding

Reusing discarded grinding balls maximizes the efficiency of ME Elecmetal's grinding media, giving these products a second life and extending their lifespan.

Reduction of Operational Costs

Utilizing recycled grinding media lowers the need for purchasing new balls, resulting in decreased operational costs in secondary grinding.

Increase in Copper Production

ME Elecmetal's technology effectively separates metals from ore, facilitating processing in pebble crushers or pre-crushing plants, thus contributing to increased copper production.

Features

  • ME Elecmetal provides a mechanical separation service to recover the value of SAG mill residues, such as copper or magnetite-bearing rocks and grinding balls.
  • The mechanical classification occurs without human contact, ensuring safety.
  • The service includes:
    • Spherical Ball Selection: Spherical balls are selected for reuse in secondary grinding, extending their life and reducing costs.
    • Ore Sorting Technology: Utilizes four different sensors to identify and separate materials, such as copper-bearing rocks, from balls or metallic elements.
  • This technology allows clients to recover copper contained in these rocks, enhancing their revenue.

Operation

The Scrap Classification Plant consists of two modules:

  • Module 1: Separation by Size and Shape
    • Equipment 1: Size Separator, which classifies materials according to client requirements.
    • Equipment 2: Shape Separator, which selects spherical balls for reuse in secondary grinding.
  • Module 2: Separation by Material
    • Equipment 3: Ore Sorting Technology, employing pre-concentration mineral technology to identify metallic elements (balls) from ores. This process ensures reliability in the separation of these elements while improving recovery rates compared to current technologies.

Solutions

ME FIT Programs

Products and services

Mining 4.0

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