Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Objectives The student is expected to gain basic knowledge and understanding of economic justification of mineral processing and operations required to produce a mineral concentrate from crude ore, flow sheet, circuit design of a mineral processing plant and an awareness of the differences between the various mineral processing operations.
Synopsis (1) Economic justification; calculations; two-product formulae; ore characteristics. (2) Primary, secondary and tertiary crushing and grinding. Screening. Classification - Stoke's and Newton's laws; free and hindered setting; hydraulic, mechanical and cyclone classifiers. (3) Thickening and filtration. (4) Concentration - gravity, flotation, electrostatic and magnetic separation, heavy media separation. (5) Flow sheets of plants - circuit design. (6) Smelter schedules - payments, penalties, transport charges. (7) Tailings disposal.
Assessment Examination: 40% + Assignments and laboratory: 60%