Luleå University of Technology

Div. of Mineral Processing 2014-01-23 1(11)

Bertil Pålsson

COMPILATION OF MINERAL PROCESSING FORMULAS, VER. 1.3

OLEVSKIJ’S SCREENING FORMULA WITH CORRECTION FACTORS ......................................................................... 2
GY'S SAMPLING FORMULA ................................................................................................................................... 3
CONCENTRATION FORMULAS FOR PRODUCT AND WATER BALANCES ................................................................ 4
FORMULAS FOR CIRCUIT BALANCING .................................................................................................................. 5
FORMULAS FOR HYDROCYCLONE CALCULATIONS ............................................................................................... 6
CALCULATION SCHEME FOR SCREENS ............................................................................................................... 10
Compilation Min. Process. Form. 2014-01-23 2

Olevskij’s screening formula with correction factors

Q = q⋅ F ⋅γ ⋅k ⋅m⋅n⋅o⋅ p. Q = capacity (tonne/h)

q = specific load (m³/(m²·h))
F = effective screening surface (m²) ≈ 60% of total surface.
γ = bulk density (tonne/m³)
k = factor for amount of feed less than ½ screen aperture
m = factor for fraction of particles > screen aperture
n = factor dependent on the screen efficiency
o = particle shape factor
p = moisture factor

Average specific capacity q. (The values are for excenter screens. Vibrating screens may give slightly
higher capacities in fine screening).
Aperture (mm) q (m³/m²·h) Aperture (mm) q (m³/(m²·h))
0.16 1.9 8 17
0.2 2.2 10 19
0.3 2.5 16 25.5
0.4 2.8 20 28
0.6 3.2 25 31
0.8 3.7 30 34
1.2 4.4 40 38
2.0 5.5 50 42
3.2 7.0 80 56
5 11.0 100 63

Factor for the fines content of the fed material k

Fraction < ½ apert. (%) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
k 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0

Factor for fraction of oversize particle in fed material m

Fraction > apert. (%) 10 20 25 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
m 0.94 0.97 1.00 1.03 1.09 1.18 1.32 1.55 2.00 3.36

Factor for recovery of fine particles to the fines product (screening efficiency) n
Screening efficiency (%) 40 50 60 70 80 90 92 94 96 98
n 2.3 2.1 1.9 1.6 1.3 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.6 0.4

Factor for particle shape o

Particle shape Normal (not for coal) Rounded Coal
o 1.0 1.25 1.5

Factor for moisture p

Apertures < 25 mm Apertures > 25 mm
Surface moisture Dry Moist Agglomerating All moisture cond.
p 1.0 0.75 - 0.85 0.2 - 0.5 0.9 - 1.0
Compilation Min. Process. Form. 2014-01-23 3

Gy's sampling formula

For sampling of particulate material, according to Gy [1], the following relation holds

ML M Cd 3
= 2 (1)
LM − M s

where M = minimum sample weight [g]

LM = the size of the bulk material to be sampled [g]
C = sampling constant
d = largest particle size in the sampled material [cm] (in practice d90-95)
s = the statistical sampling error (std. dev.)

In most cases, M is small compared to LM and equation (1) can be simplified into

Cd 3
M= (2)
s2

The sampling constant C depends on the material properties, accordingly

C = fglm (3)

where f = form factor (f = 0.5 normally, for Au ores f = 0,2)

g = distribution coefficient given by the table below

d 95 d5 > 4 g = 0,25
d 95 d5 ∈ 2 , 4 g = 0,5
d 95 d5 < 2 g = 0,75
d 95 d5 = 1 g=1

l = liberation factor defined as

l = Ld d (4)
where Ld = liberation size [cm]

m = mineral factor describing the influence of the mineral concentration as

1− a
m=
a
[
(1 − a)ρ value + aρ gangue ] (5)

where a = fraction of mineral in the sampled material

ρvalue = density of values [g/cm3]
ρgangue = density of gangue [g/cm3]

[1] Gy, P.M: Sampling of Particulate Materials: Theory and Practice. Amsterdam
(Elsevier Scientific Publishing Co.) 1979.
Compilation Min. Process. Form. 2014-01-23 4

Concentration Formulas for Product and Water Balances

Legend M = materials flow in solids per time unit [tonne/h]

W = liquid flow (m³ water) per time unit [tonne/h]
Q = pulp flow per time unit [tonne/h]
V = pulp volumetric flow per time unit [m³/h]
D = dilution ratio = weight of liquid/weight of solids
ρl = liquid density [g/cm³ or tonne/m³]
ρp = pulp density [g/cm³ or tonne/m³]
ρs = solids density [g/cm³ or tonne/m³]
Fw = weight-% solids = weight of solids/weight of pulp·100 [%]
Fv = volume-% solids = volume of solids/volume of pulp·100 [%]

ρ l (ρ s − ρ p ) ρs − ρ p 100
D= ρl = 1 ⇒ D= or D= −1
ρ s (ρ p − ρ l ) ρ s (ρ p − 1) Fw

W = D⋅M

Fv ⋅ ρs ⋅ 100 Fv ⋅ ρ s ⋅ 100 100

Fw = ρl = 1 ⇒ Fw = or Fw =
Fv ⋅ ρs + (100 − Fv ) ⋅ ρl Fv ⋅ ρ s + (100 − Fv ) D +1

100 ⋅ ρ s ⋅ (ρ p − ρ l ) 100 ⋅ ρ s ⋅ (ρ p − 1)
Fw = ρl = 1 ⇒ Fw =
ρ p ⋅ (ρ s − ρ l ) ρ p ⋅ (ρ s − 1)

ρ l ⋅ ρ s ⋅ ( D + 1) ρ s ⋅ ( D + 1) D +1
ρp = ρl = 1 ⇒ ρp = or ρp =
D ⋅ ρ s + ρl D ⋅ ρs + 1 D+
1
ρs

ρ p ⋅ ρl ρp
ρs = ρl = 1 ⇒ ρs =
ρ l ⋅ ( D + 1) − ρ p ⋅ D 1 − D ⋅ (ρ p − 1)

Fv M ρs M ρ p  ρ p ⋅ 100 
= = ⋅  Fv =
100 Q ρ p Q ρs  ( D + 1) ⋅ ρ s  100
⇒  ⇒ Fv = or
M 1  D +1   1
= ρp = ρ s ⋅  D + 
Q D +1  D + 1 ρ s   ρs 
100
Fv =
1 + D ⋅ ρs

Fw
M = V ⋅ρp ⋅
100
Compilation Min. Process. Form. 2014-01-23 5

Formulas for circuit balancing

Legend R= recovery [%]

Mc = mass of concentrate [%, kg, tonne/h]
Mf = mass of feed [%, kg, tonne/h]
c = concentrate grade [%]
f = feed grade [%]
t = tailings grade [%]

When both the weight and the analysis of a concentrate are known, the recovery is calculated
as

Mc ⋅ c
R= ⋅100
Mf ⋅ f

In the case, where the weight of the concentrate is not known, this is computed from

f −t
Mc = ⋅ Mf
c−t

It is simpler, however, to calculate the recovery directly with

c ⋅ ( f − t)
R= ⋅ 100
f ⋅ (c − t )
Compilation Min. Process. Form. 2014-01-23 6

Formulas for hydrocyclone calculations

weight of liquid
Dilution ratio D=
weight of solids

1 D +1
Pulp density, wt.-%, g/cm³ Fw = ⋅ 100 ρp =
1+ D D+
1
ρs

1
Pulp density, vol. % Fv = ⋅ 100 ρs = solids density (g/cm³)
1 + D ⋅ ρs

Constant materials flow M f = Mo + Mu Mf,o,u = materials flow in feed,

overflow, underflow
Constant water flow M f ⋅ D f = M o ⋅ Do + M u ⋅ Du

Mf Mo Mu
Constant materials volume = +
ρf ρo ρu

Mu
Fraction of feed to u-flow mu =
Mf

Feed particle size distr. C f = mu ⋅ Cu + (1 − mu ) ⋅ Co

Recovery of coarse to underflow by fraction

∆c
E G = mu ⋅ u ∆c = weight % in fraction
∆c f

Corrected recovery to underflow by fraction

(E − X L )
EC = G XL = fraction of water to u-flow
(1 − X L )

Fraction of feed material finer than the cut-size that reports to underflow
mu ⋅ Cdu −
φdu − =
Cdf −

Fraction of feed material coarser than the cut-size that reports to overflow
(1 − mu ) ⋅ Cdo +
φdo + =
Cdf +

Sorting efficiency η = 1 − φ du− − φ do+

d 75 − d 25
Imperfection I=
2 ⋅ d 50
Compilation Min. Process. Form. 2014-01-23 7

EVALUATION OF HYDROCYCLONE TESTS

Cyclone data
Diameter Dc mm

Inlet width b mm

Inlet height l mm

Inlet diameter (equivalent diam.) Df mm

Overflow diameter Do mm

Underflow diameter (tightened Du mm

valve)
Internal cyclone height (dist. from L mm
bottom of vortex finder to apex)
Pressure P kPa

Key numbers
Cut size d50 µm

d75 µm

d25 µm

Corrected cut size d50(c) µm

Weight % finer than d50 in calc. feed Cdf- %

Weight % coarser than d50 in calc. feed Cdf+ %

Weight % finer than d50 in underflow Cdu- %

Weight % coarser than d50 in overflow Cdo+ %

Fraction of fines (<d50) in calc. feed φdu-

reporting to underflow
Fraction of coarse (>d50) in calc. feed φdo+
reporting to overflow
Sorting efficiency η

Imperfection I
Compilation Min. Process. Form. 2014-01-23 8

Measured flow data (from weights)

Product Wet weight Tare bucket Wet weight of Samling time Pulp flow
with bucket sample (kg/s)
Overflow 1

Average
Overflow
Underflow 1

Average
Underflow

Measured flow data (from volumes)

Product Measuring Sampling time Volumetric flow Pulp density Pulp flow
volume (l) (s) (l/s) (g/cm³) (kg/s)
Overflow 1

Average
Overflow
Underflow 1

Average
Underflow

Pulp density data

Product Gross wet Gross dry Tare (g) Net wet Net dry Pulp density
weight (g) weight (g) weights (g) weight (g) (weight %)
Overflow

Underflow
Compilation Min. Process. Form. 2014-01-23 9

Calculated flow data

Product Solids flow Pulp density Density Dilution ratio
M (tonne/h) Fw (wt. %) Fv (vol. %) ρs (g/cm³)
Overflow

Underflow

Feed

Flow splits
Materials fraction to u-flow Liquid fraction to u-flow
(mu) (XL)

Calculations for Tromp curve

Particle Cum. % undersize Mean Fractions weight (%) Frac.-wise Corr. frac.-
size size coarse to w. coarse
Overflow Underflow Calc. Underflow Calc. Underflow Underflow
Feed Feed
d (µm) Co Cu Cf dm (µm) ∆cu ∆cf EG EC
Compilation Min. Process. Form. 2014-01-23 10

Calculation scheme for Screens

Screen data
Screen surface length L m

Screen surface width W m

Aperture size a mm

Measured flow data

Sampling time

Material Wet weight Tare bucket Wet weight Dry weight

bucket sample sample
Undersize

Coarse

Calculated flow data

Material Mass flow Moisture Density
M (tonne/h) Fw (weight-%) ρs (g/cm³)
Undersize

Coarse

Feed

Fraction of feed
to coarse (mc)

Key numbers
Cut size d50 mm

Fraction coarser than d50 in feed f

Fraction coarser than d50 in coarse c

Screen efficiency E

Imperfection I
Compilation Min. Process. Form. 2014-01-23 11

Calculations for Tromp curve

Particle Cumulative % finer Mean Fractions weight (%) Fra.-wisel
size size recov. to
Undersize Coarse Calc. Feed Coarse Calc. Feed Coarse
d (mm) Cu Cc Cf dm (mm) ∆cc ∆cf EG

FORMULAS FOR SCREEN PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS

Mc
Mass fraction to coarse prod. mc = M = Mass flow
Mf

Calc. feed size distribution C f = mc ⋅ C c + (1 − mc ) ⋅ Cu

∆cc
Recovery of coarse to coarse EG = mc ⋅ ∆c = weight % in fraction
∆c f

c− f
Screen efficiency E=
c ⋅ (1 − f )

d75 − d25
Imperfection I=
2 ⋅ d50