Mineral Processing Systems: 5-Day Professional Training Course

Course Overview

The Mineral Processing Systems training program is an intensive 5-day course designed for metallurgists, process engineers, plant operators, mining engineers, and technical professionals involved in mineral extraction and concentration. This comprehensive hands-on training delivers practical expertise in comminution, classification, gravity separation, flotation, dewatering, and plant design—covering the complete mineral processing value chain from run-of-mine ore to final concentrate production.

Participants master fundamental principles, equipment selection, circuit design, process control, and optimization techniques applicable to precious metals, base metals, industrial minerals, and coal processing. With emphasis on plant performance improvement, troubleshooting, metallurgical accounting, and modern process technologies, graduates gain immediately applicable skills that enhance recovery rates, reduce operating costs, and optimize throughput across processing operations.

Target Audience: Metallurgists, process engineers, plant managers, operators, mine geologists, technical services personnel, project engineers, and professionals involved in mineral processing design, operation, and optimization.

Prerequisites: Engineering or science degree or equivalent experience; basic chemistry, physics, and mathematics; understanding of mining operations and ore characteristics.

Day 1: Mineral Processing Fundamentals and Comminution

Morning: Introduction to Mineral Processing Systems

Establishing comprehensive understanding of mineral processing principles, terminology, and the integrated approach to liberating and concentrating valuable minerals from ore.

Learning Outcomes:

• Mineral processing objectives: liberation, concentration, recovery, grade

• Understanding ore mineralogy and liberation characteristics

• Process flowsheet development: unit operations and circuit design

• Metallurgical accounting: mass balancing, recovery calculations, concentrate grades

• Key performance indicators: recovery, grade, concentrate quality, throughput

• Economic drivers: operating costs, reagent consumption, energy efficiency

• Environmental considerations: tailings management, water usage, emissions

Fundamental Concepts:

• Ore characterization: head grade, mineralogy, liberation size, deportment

• Understanding gangue minerals and deleterious elements

• Concentration ratio and enrichment ratio calculations

• Grade-recovery relationships and optimization trade-offs

• Process water management and recirculation strategies

Afternoon: Crushing and Primary Comminution

Understanding size reduction principles and primary crushing equipment for reducing run-of-mine ore from meters to centimeters scale.

Learning Outcomes:

• Comminution theory: Bond Work Index, crushing mechanics, energy efficiency

• Crusher types: jaw, gyratory, cone, impact, roll crushers

• Crusher selection criteria: capacity, reduction ratio, feed characteristics

• Closed-circuit crushing with screening

• Surge storage and feed control systems

• Understanding wear mechanisms and liner selection

• Circuit design: primary, secondary, tertiary crushing configurations

Equipment Operations:

• Jaw crusher applications: coarse feed, high reduction ratios

• Gyratory crushers for high-capacity primary crushing

• Cone crushers: standard, short-head, and modern HP/MP configurations

• Screening equipment: grizzlies, vibrating screens, scalping screens

• Understanding CSS (closed side setting) and its impact on product size

• Crushing circuit optimization for downstream processing efficiency

Practical Exercises:

• Calculating crushing circuit mass balances

• Sizing crushers for specific throughput requirements

• Analyzing screen efficiency and performance

• Troubleshooting common crushing problems: bridging, choking, excessive fines

Day 2: Grinding, Classification, and Circuit Design

Morning: Grinding Mills and Size Reduction

Advanced comminution covering grinding mills that reduce ore from centimeters to micrometers, liberating valuable minerals for subsequent concentration.

Learning Outcomes:

• Grinding theory: Bond equation, mill power draw, grinding efficiency

• Mill types: ball mills, SAG mills, AG mills, rod mills, vertical mills

• Mill internals: liners, grinding media, discharge mechanisms

• Understanding critical speed, charge volume, and mill filling

• Grinding media selection: balls, rods, pebbles—size distribution and material

• SAG/AG mill design and operation: pebble ports, grates, pulp lifters

• Energy efficiency and optimization strategies

Circuit Configurations:

• Single-stage versus multi-stage grinding

• SAG-ball mill circuits (SABC) for modern operations

• Closed-circuit grinding with classification

• IsaMill and stirred media mills for fine grinding

• Understanding circulating load and its optimization

• Pebble crushing and critical size management

Afternoon: Classification and Particle Size Control

Separating particles by size to control product fineness and optimize grinding circuit efficiency through hydrocyclones, screens, and classifiers.

Learning Outcomes:

• Classification principles: settling velocity, particle density effects

• Hydrocyclone design and operation: vortex finder, spigot, apex angle

• Hydrocyclone performance: D50, sharpness of separation, capacity

• Spiral classifiers and rake classifiers (historical context)

• Fine screening: sieve bends, high-frequency screens

• Understanding partition curves and classification efficiency

• Circuit optimization: cyclone cluster arrangement, pressure control

Practical Applications:

• Sizing hydrocyclones for specific separations

• Calculating circulating loads in closed-circuit grinding

• Analyzing classification efficiency and correction methods

• Troubleshooting: roping, coarse overflow, equipment wear

• Optimizing grind size for downstream flotation or leaching

Hands-On Exercises:

• Mass balance calculations for grinding circuits

• Analyzing particle size distributions and liberation

• Cyclone performance evaluation using Plitt or Krebs models

• Circuit simulation using HSC Chemistry or JKSimMet

Day 3: Gravity and Magnetic Separation Methods

Morning: Gravity Concentration Techniques

Physical separation methods exploiting density differences between valuable minerals and gangue without chemical reagents.

Learning Outcomes:

• Gravity separation principles: specific gravity, settling rates, Stokes’ Law

• Concentration criteria and application guidelines

• Jigs: Baum, Denver, Batac jigs for coal and alluvial applications

• Spirals: Humphrey, Reichert spirals for fine particle recovery

• Shaking tables: Wilfley tables for laboratory and small-scale operations

• Centrifugal concentrators: Knelson, Falcon, Gekko for gold recovery

• Dense media separation (DMS): cyclones, drums, cones for pre-concentration

Equipment Selection:

• Matching gravity equipment to particle size and density characteristics

• Understanding capacity limitations and efficiency ranges

• Gravity recoverable gold (GRG) testing and circuit design

• Flash flotation and gravity circuits for coarse gold recovery

• Upgrading iron ore, chromite, tin, tungsten, and tantalum

Afternoon: Magnetic and Electrostatic Separation

Separating minerals based on magnetic susceptibility and electrical conductivity differences for iron ore, rare earths, and industrial minerals.

Learning Outcomes:

• Magnetic separation theory: paramagnetic, ferromagnetic, diamagnetic minerals

• Low-intensity magnetic separators (LIMS): drums, pulleys for iron ore

• High-intensity magnetic separators (HIMS): rare earths, ilmenite, wolframite

• Wet versus dry magnetic separation applications

• Electrostatic separation: conductors versus non-conductors

• Equipment selection based on mineral properties

• Circuit design for taconite, magnetite, and rare earth processing

Industrial Applications:

• Iron ore beneficiation: magnetite versus hematite processing

• Beach sand mineral separation: ilmenite, rutile, zircon

• Rare earth element concentration and purification

• Feldspar and mica separation for ceramic applications

• Removing tramp iron and protecting downstream equipment

Practical Exercises:

• Calculating magnetic separator requirements

• Evaluating separation efficiency and product quality

• Designing gravity-magnetic combination circuits

• Troubleshooting contamination and recovery issues

Day 4: Froth Flotation and Chemical Processing

Morning: Flotation Fundamentals and Reagents

Understanding surface chemistry principles enabling selective separation of valuable minerals through froth flotation—the most widely used concentration method.

Learning Outcomes:

• Flotation theory: surface chemistry, contact angle, hydrophobicity

• Three-phase system: solid-liquid-gas interactions

• Flotation reagents: collectors, frothers, modifiers, activators, depressants

• Collector mechanisms: xanthates, dithiophosphates, fatty acids, amines

• pH control and its critical role in selectivity

• Understanding flotation kinetics and residence time

• Naturally floating versus collector-induced hydrophobicity

Reagent Chemistry:

• Thiol collectors for sulphide minerals: copper, lead, zinc, nickel

• Fatty acid collectors for oxide minerals: phosphate, iron oxide

• Amine collectors for silicate and potash flotation

• Frother selection: MIBC, pine oil, polyglycol ethers

• Depressants: lime, cyanide, zinc sulphate, sodium silicate

• Understanding reagent consumption and optimization

Afternoon: Flotation Equipment and Circuit Design

Practical application of flotation principles through mechanical cell design, circuit configuration, and process optimization.

Learning Outcomes:

• Flotation machine types: mechanical cells, column cells, pneumatic cells

• Mechanical cell components: impeller, diffuser, tank, froth removal

• Cell sizing: residence time, air flow rate, reagent addition points

• Flotation circuits: rougher, scavenger, cleaner configurations

• Locked cycle testing and pilot plant programs

• Understanding recovery-grade curves and optimization

• Modern control systems: froth imaging, on-stream analyzers

Circuit Configurations:

• Bulk flotation for polymetallic ores

• Selective flotation: differential flotation of Cu-Pb-Zn ores

• Reverse flotation for iron ore and phosphate

• Flash flotation for coarse particle recovery

• Regrinding between cleaning stages

• Tailings scavenging and resource recovery

Practical Applications:

• Designing flotation circuits for specific ores

• Calculating reagent dosages and addition points

• Analyzing flotation test results and optimization strategies

• Troubleshooting: poor selectivity, low recovery, excessive froth

Day 5: Dewatering, Tailings Management, and Plant Design

Morning: Solid-Liquid Separation and Dewatering

Removing water from concentrates and tailings through thickening, filtration, and drying for shipping, tailings disposal, and water recovery.

Learning Outcomes:

• Thickener design: conventional, high-rate, paste, deep cone thickeners

• Flocculant chemistry: anionic, cationic, non-ionic polymers

• Filter types: vacuum drum, disc, pressure, belt, filter press

• Concentrate moisture specifications for transportation

• Paste thickening for tailings disposal and backfill

• Thermal drying for high-value concentrates

• Water recovery and recirculation strategies

Equipment Selection:

• Thickener sizing using Kynch theory and flux analysis

• Filter selection based on particle size, throughput, moisture targets

• Understanding filtration rate and cake moisture relationships

• Flocculant testing and optimization

• Clarification for process water recovery

Afternoon: Tailings Management and Integrated Plant Design

Comprehensive approach to tailings disposal, environmental management, and integrated processing plant design from conceptual through detailed engineering.

Learning Outcomes:

• Tailings storage facility (TSF) design: conventional, dry stack, paste

• Environmental regulations and compliance requirements

• Water balance and closed-circuit water management

• Acid rock drainage (ARD) prevention and mitigation

• Dust control and fugitive emissions management

• Plant layout: equipment arrangement, material flow, maintenance access

• Sampling protocols and metallurgical accounting systems

Process Optimization:

• Plant mass balancing: two-product and three-product formulas

• Reconciliation between predicted and actual performance

• Key performance indicators: availability, utilization, rate, recovery

• Bottleneck identification and debottlenecking strategies

• Energy efficiency and cost reduction opportunities

• Advanced process control and automation strategies

Final Project and Assessment:

• Complete flowsheet design for specific ore type

• Equipment selection and sizing calculations

• Mass balance development and recovery projections

• Economic evaluation and operating cost estimation

• Presentation of integrated processing plant design

• Certificate of completion and professional recognition

Course Deliverables

• Comprehensive training manual with unit operations, design equations, and case studies

• HSC Chemistry or equivalent process simulation software access

• Flowsheet design templates and calculation spreadsheets

• Equipment vendor catalogs and selection guides

• Sample test work data and laboratory procedures

• Video tutorials on equipment operation and troubleshooting

• Professional development certificate

• Access to alumni network and ongoing technical support

Why Choose This Course?

Complete Value Chain: End-to-end coverage from crushing through concentrate production including all major unit operations.

Practical Focus: 60% hands-on calculations, flowsheet design, and troubleshooting with real plant data and case studies.

Industry Relevance: Content developed by experienced metallurgists with decades of plant design and operations experience.

Immediate Application: Techniques and tools directly applicable to improving existing plant performance and designing new facilities.

Equipment Expertise: Comprehensive coverage of modern equipment from leading manufacturers with selection criteria and sizing methods.

Career Advancement: Mineral processing expertise opens opportunities in operations, engineering, consulting, and management roles across commodities.

Conclusion

The Mineral Processing Systems course delivers essential knowledge and practical skills for optimizing mineral concentration operations. Master the fundamentals and advanced techniques that maximize recovery, improve product quality, and reduce operating costs across diverse processing applications.

Enroll today to advance your metallurgical expertise and drive measurable improvements in mineral processing performance.

Keywords: mineral processing course, comminution training, flotation fundamentals, crushing grinding, metallurgy course, process engineering, gravity separation, magnetic separation, dewatering systems, plant design, flowsheet development, mineral concentration, extractive metallurgy, SAG mill, ball mill, hydrocyclone, flotation circuit, tailings management, metallurgical accounting, process optimization training