Abstract In this study, a simulation of layout rearrangement in grinding/classification process was conducted to increase the throughput of an industrial plant processing 5.9 t/h of gold ore in Jeollanamdo province, Korea. The layout was rearranged to maintain the final product particle size while restoring the loss of throughput that has resulted from recent developments in mines. The process is composed of two-stage circuit, the first stage is an open circuit of the first ball mill and spiral classifier, and the second stage is a closed circuit of the second ball mill and hydrocyclone. Particle size distributions of each streams were predicted through simulation, using the population balance (PBM), Stokes’ and Plitt’s models for the ball mill, spiral classifier, and hydrocyclone, respectively. Lab-scale parameters for PBM were obtained by conducting batch grinding tests. The obtained lab-scale parameters were scaled-up using an empirical scale-up equation based on the industrial plant conditions. Using the obtained particle size distributions, the reduction ratio based on the 80% passing size was calculated to be 80.5 for the first ball mill, while it was only 1.19 for the second ball mill. To solve the process imbalance problem, a layout rearrangement that involves the switching of the first and second ball mills in the process was proposed. The final product was finer, with the 50% passing size reducing from 35 μ m to 31 μ m . The throughput of the industrial plant can therefore be increased by approximately 36% to 8 t/h. This study provides the guideline of the methodology which can help in adapting the simulation of layout rearrangement in the grinding/classification process for an industrial plant.

中文翻译：

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模拟磨矿/分级过程中的布局重新排列以提高工业金矿厂的产量

摘要 在这项研究中，为了提高韩国全罗南道省 5.9 t/h 金矿石加工工厂的产量，对磨矿/分级过程中的布局重新排列进行了模拟。重新布置布局以保持最终产品的粒度，同时恢复由于最近矿山开发而导致的产量损失。该工艺由两级回路组成，第一级为第一级球磨机和螺旋分级机的开路，第二级为第二级球磨机和水力旋流器的闭式回路。分别使用球磨机、螺旋分级机和水力旋流器的总体平衡 (PBM)、斯托克斯和普利特模型，通过模拟预测每个流的粒度分布。PBM 的实验室规模参数是通过进行批量研磨测试获得的。使用基于工业工厂条件的经验放大方程放大获得的实验室规模参数。使用获得的粒度分布，计算出第一台球磨机基于 80% 通过尺寸的压下率为 80.5，而第二台球磨机仅为 1.19。为了解决工艺不平衡问题，提出了一种布局重新安排，涉及工艺中第一和第二球磨机的切换。最终产品更精细，50% 通过尺寸从 35 μ m 减少到 31 μ m 。因此，工厂的吞吐量可提高约 36% 至 8 吨/小时。