tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post1478368989367867105..comments2024-03-26T21:47:45.016+00:00Comments on MEI's Barry Wills: Obsolescence. Is this the future for mineral processing?MEIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14834780351452765156noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-55178071840576121532013-06-13T14:08:58.638+01:002013-06-13T14:08:58.638+01:00I think Biotechnology will have more important rol...I think Biotechnology will have more important role in the future of mineral processing especially Bioleaching of low grade sulfide minerals. <br />Considering the current high price of metals, many companies have reduced the Cut of Grade in mines/explored deposits and they are going to process low grade ores by comminution-concentration facilities. However, if due to any crisis, the metal prices falls down, no one will ignore enormous amount of money invested in low grade mines and they will go to reduce the cost of comminution even by losing some percentage of recovery.<br />In this case, I am sure Bioleaching will be one interesting option in the future. Other parts of bioleaching operating cost is really less than concentration methods. <br />Abbas Tabatabayi, Kamoto Copper Concentrator, DR Congo<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-17362094469476844292013-06-12T08:46:53.429+01:002013-06-12T08:46:53.429+01:00For materials such as copper, moly, iron, I don...For materials such as copper, moly, iron, I don't see much evidence of decline in mineral processing. Same for many industrial minerals and those coals requiring processing. Pure economic facors will encourage use of these processes for considerable time into the future. <br /><br />Conversion into electricity and then use for electrowinning or refining will be problematic as many locations already struggle with electricity shortages. This particularly in face of growing demand for personal use and restricted development of any electricity generating capacity . <br />Robert Seitz, USA<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-73216589480633049482013-06-11T08:33:04.026+01:002013-06-11T08:33:04.026+01:00Personally I blame the geologists. Why aren't ...Personally I blame the geologists. Why aren't they finding those high grade coarse grained deposits any more?<br /><br />The ore dressing aspect of metal winning is in decline, in part because of the less amenable orebodies now being exploited. Technologies such as in situ leaching threaten to put the miners out of work too.<br /><br />I think that in the future hydromet (in which I particularly include electrowinning) will become increasingly dominant over pyromet. This is because pyromet will always need a reductant, and that this reductant will be (either directly or indirectly) fossil fuel and carbon dioxide will be produced. As energy becomes increasingly renewable electrowinning of metals will become much more environmentally favourable. Present electrowinning operations based on hydroelectricity, for example, enjoy considerable environmental advantages. As the price to emit carbon dioxide increases, as I believe it will, this advantage will increase. <br />John Rayner, AustraliaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-25261364273304618442013-06-08T10:11:35.040+01:002013-06-08T10:11:35.040+01:00Yes, everything changes in this world and change i...Yes, everything changes in this world and change is the law (It is not exception).<br /><br />There is already bioleaching/bacteriological leaching coming in a big way. <br />. Also for weak copper oxidic ores direct leaching is already prevalent.Using S/X E/W route.<br />So may be in future things will change and ...... <br />Ahmed Hitawala, Chemaf, D.R. Congo<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-24727325425180744742013-06-07T16:39:36.982+01:002013-06-07T16:39:36.982+01:00Hi Barry, I remember talking about this when autoc...Hi Barry, I remember talking about this when autoclaves became part of the gold-processing culture. <br /><br />Autoclaves are becoming more common in producing metals, copper, nickel, gold, silver, molybdenum and who knows what else, replacing traditional pyromet systems. As we advance in our understanding of hydrometallurgical systems I think we will find more recovery applications by combining systems like autoclaves with solvent extraction/electrowinning. In copper, there are active efforts to heap leach sulfides rather than sell to smelters, not because it's cheaper, but because the penality elements of some concentrates make them un-sellable. Economies of scale also change the balance when these same systems grow larger, lowering operating costs and opening up previously un-economic technologies to new products.<br /><br />But I think we will always have some pyromet. Smelters are doing pretty well right now but the expertise to build new ones is getting scarce. All things change. <br />Susan (Sue) Ritz, SGS/KD Engineering, USAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-8884816147037155732013-06-07T09:18:06.386+01:002013-06-07T09:18:06.386+01:00You never know,Robert! Future extraction of metal...You never know,Robert! Future extraction of metals from the sea looks attractive, as the oceanic abundances of metals are orders of magnitude higher than those on land. The concentrations are, however, extremely low (Cu for instance is 0.0009 ppm), making extraction in amounts comparable to production from hard rock mining impossible on the basis of the energy needed. A very interesting paper has been written on this, in Sustainability, Vol. 2 (2010) (http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/2/4/980/pdf) and the conclusion is that for most elements extraction from seawater is so energy expensive that it must be considered beyond our possibilities in the short and medium term. The exceptions are the four high concentration elements already being commercially extracted (Na, Mg, Ca, K) and perhaps lithium.MEIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14834780351452765156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-114563207670035712013-06-06T16:57:22.641+01:002013-06-06T16:57:22.641+01:00When we get to point of mining garbage dumps or se...When we get to point of mining garbage dumps or seawater as higher grade sources of ore who knows what will happen. <br />Robert Seitz, USA<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-81566104984010665192013-06-06T16:42:00.415+01:002013-06-06T16:42:00.415+01:00I totally agree with you Robert. My question was r...I totally agree with you Robert. My question was really to provoke some debate about the future. Believe me I am not advocating the abolition of mineral processing. I have a vested interest in its continuing evolution- MEI Conferences! MEIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14834780351452765156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-34482334219335162522013-06-06T16:40:24.210+01:002013-06-06T16:40:24.210+01:00Many variables to consider in this:
- time frame f...Many variables to consider in this:<br />- time frame for obsolescence<br />- nature of the ores (grade, liberation, complexity, ..)<br />- cost of energy<br />- nature of the products<br /><br />As long as mineral processing operations (with macro-scale separations) have economic benefit they will likely remain. After that direct processing may be our alternative. <br />Robert Seitz, Freeport-McMoRan Cu and Au, Inc., USA<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-307319727509486972013-06-05T16:39:56.290+01:002013-06-05T16:39:56.290+01:00Never say 'impossible' D.D. Yes, I know di...Never say 'impossible' D.D. Yes, I know direct hydro and pyro may not be economically feasible at the moment, but who knows in the distant future? I am not sure why giving some thought to how ores of the future might be treated is 'doing immense damage to the world economy'. It is only by giving such thought that 'unforeseen technologies will develop'. MEIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14834780351452765156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-19909580787482086262013-06-05T12:59:17.020+01:002013-06-05T12:59:17.020+01:00Impossible!
Hydrometallurgy and pyro metallurgy ...Impossible! <br /><br />Hydrometallurgy and pyro metallurgy are simply not economically feasible for low grade minerals which must be upgraded to the maximum possible extent using "easy mechanical means" and this has been proven by history.<br /><br />Till the 1950s many companies around the world operating blast furnaces, getting iron ores from captive mines where using size ranges up to 200 mm and grades around 58% to 60% Fe. Now those very companies, from their captive mines, use size ranges 10 mm to 25 mm or even 9 mm to 16 mm with at least 62% Fe, producing huge quantities of waste which are only partially utilized by sintering and pelletisation.<br /><br />Similarly many people wish, and so do I, that there should be no mining, and beneficiation of coal for power generation; all power should come from wind and solar energy. But this only wishful thinking. Coal mining, and beneficiation, will continue to expand.<br /><br />These are only a few examples. Those who are thinking that "Mineral Processing" will be obsolete are not only living in a fools' paradise but are doing immense damage to the world economy.<br /><br />Unforeseen technologies will develop but cannot replace mineral processing in the foreseeable future.Prof. D.D.Misrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17393683137893991170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-86798939872723791542013-06-04T17:03:18.180+01:002013-06-04T17:03:18.180+01:00I agree with your Louis. I don't envisage the ...I agree with your Louis. I don't envisage the demise of mineral processing for some time yet, but there will come a time, I have no doubt, when grinding-flotation will no longer be economically viable. What will be the alternatives?MEIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14834780351452765156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-39848092317900650322013-06-03T21:12:57.373+01:002013-06-03T21:12:57.373+01:00Short of a maajor breakthrough, Mineral Processing...Short of a maajor breakthrough, Mineral Processing will exist for years to come in one form or the other. Maybe the Sun's energy will somehow get harnessed to vaporize ore with metal recovery performed by selective vapour concentration, but I doubt if the current 'crush-grind-concentrate' processes will disappear quickly. However, there certainly will be improvements to current equipment, making them more efficient, probably replacing current equipment(similar to what happened to the 'STAMP MILL' 50-60 years ago).Louis Bernardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-27943317559460962892013-06-03T12:53:00.213+01:002013-06-03T12:53:00.213+01:00Good direction to work with as the world is facing...Good direction to work with as the world is facing energy shortage. <br />Any references of work regarding banded iron formations, as these are also highly energy consuming, sometimes making them uneconomic to process. Nagaraj Kulkarninoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6908362959739425575.post-83089438828699162002013-06-03T09:36:34.315+01:002013-06-03T09:36:34.315+01:00Keep dreaming!! Us Mineral Processers will be here...Keep dreaming!! Us Mineral Processers will be here for a while - we still have significant value to add, and we are getting increasingly innovative...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com