Grinding media in the mining

industry
A comprehensive roadmap
by
Ken Seecharran (Mining Consultant)

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

THE MILLING PROCESS

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

THE NEED FOR MILLING
Ore/Rock has to be broken down to a finer size to free (LIBERATE) the valuable minerals
from waste, it is only then that a separation can be effected

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

A MINEs COST PROFILE

The cost profile of a typical mine is as follows:

10% power
10% diesel
10% explosives
10-20% labour
10 mining chemicals
10-20% maintenance spares
10% overheads and general administration, and
10% grinding media
IT IS THIS NICHE WE WILL DISCUSS TODAY
Declining metal prices makes this a prerequisite

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.THE WAY FORWARD.

The near-surface, coarse-grained ores have been depleted. Deeper, finer-grained

ore is now being mined.
TO RELEASE AND RECOVER THE METAL VALUES FROM SUCH ORES REQUIRES
FINER GRINDING.
HENCE THE CONTINUED NEED FOR GRINDING MEDIA
Deeper ore is concomitant with declining head grade
To compensate for declining head grades, operations treat a larger tonnage.
For this, bigger machines are required
HERE AGAIN, THE NEED FOR GRINDING MEDIA ARISES
SAG mills were introduced as the mills that meet this requirement due to
the economy of scale

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.THE HISTORY OF GRINDING MEDIA.

Initially, chilled cast iron mill balls were the vogue at that time:
Head grades (ore grades) were higher
Power cost was lower
Labour rates were cheaper
Scrap steel was abundant, and
THE COST OF GRINDING MEDIA WAS ACCEPTABLE
As pressure on these drivers rose, the corresponding need to reduce the cost
of grinding increased.

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.THE ALLOYING PROCESS.

ALLOYING ENTAILS FILLING OF THE INTERSTITIAL SPACE

OF THE IRON LATTICE, THUS MAKING IT MORE RIGID
AND HARDER

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.THE ALLOYING PROCESS.

WE CAN ADJUST BALL HARDNESS TO MEET CUSTOMERs NEEDS

THROUGH OUR SUPERIOR AND PRECISE ALLOYING PROCESS

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.THE ALLOYING PROCESS.
Initially, Carbon and Manganese were used to fill the interstitial spaces
Molybdenum was then introduced, finally progressing to Chrome
Magotteaux were the pioneers of high-chrome grinding media. Millions of dollars
were spent on research. When production commenced, millions more were spent
on quality assurance. IT IS THIS HIGH QUALITY THAT MAKES THE MAGOTTEAUX
MILL BALL POPULAR WITH BIG PLAYERS LIKE BHP, FREEPORT, GLENCORE and
CODELCO
Magotteaux balls are expensive, because:
They invest in quality staff
They have the best quality assurance in the industry
They are at the centre of metallurgical research, Liege, Belgium
The spo sor gri di g s posia , a d
They roll out research findings to industry eg SENSOMAG
Annual capacity 200 000t
Number of foundries 10 globally
Tonnes to cement industry 65 000

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

. APPROXIMATE USAGE.
Forged mill balls = 45%
Mainly used in SAG mills as cast balls shatter
Chrome alloy mill balls = 35%...BUT GROWING
Popular in gold ore processing, and
When a hard and abrasive ore is being processed
Chilled cast mill balls = 20%...AND DECLINING
Used if the ore is relatively soft, and
If cheap scrap is readily available
These balls are:
Low tech
Easily produced, and
Cheap

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

. APPROXIMATE USAGE.

A surge in high-chrome usage is anticipated over the next 5 years as the

demographics of plant managers change.
At present, the composition is:
through the Ge eral Fore a route Contented with the status quo
through the Diplo a + E perie e route 50:50 chance of wanting change, and
through the Graduate route Willing to embrace change

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

. MARKETING STRATEGY.

Once a network of 3-4 customers is established in a country, there will always be

an order in the pipeline. It might be prudent to offer a discount on the grounds
that the most needed customer is supplied first. THAT WAY, THE PRODUCER USES
THE CUTOMER CAH FOR THE MANUFACTURING PROCE
It is a marketing imperative to have an in-country agent. Such person knows:
The language
The purchasing culture
The usto s depart e ts rules, regulatio s a d ha its
Who is contemplating plant trials through their network, and
Be able to influence the decision makers
It is beneficial to get a foundry close to the mine to supply balls, this helps with:
1) Cash flow because of just-in-time delivery
2) Reduced stockholding at the mine, and
3) Sourcing of scrap steel which could come from the mine

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

. MARKETING STRATEGY.
The approach in supplying grinding media these days is a holistic one. This includes:
1) Supply of grinding media and corresponding mill liners. The hardness must be
matched. If the balls are harder they will cannibalise the softer liners. A liner
change could last 36 hours and cost $750 000
2) Monitoring of the percentage of broken balls. 1% a i u is the i dustr s
norm. Broken mill balls:
a) Wear out pumps, pipelines and cyclones
b) Plug discharge grates and cause peening
c) Sit in the mill and take up space reducing throughput and consuming power,
and
d) Add Fe ions to the pulp which affects metals recoveries

Forged Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.EXAMPLES OF BROKEN/POOR QUALITY BALLS.

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.EXAMPLES OF BROKEN/POOR QUALITY BALLS.

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.EXAMPLES OF BROKEN/POOR QUALITY BALLS.

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.EXAMPLES OF BROKEN/POOR QUALITY BALLS.

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.EXAMPLES OF BROKEN/POOR QUALITY BALLS.

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.EXAMPLES OF BROKEN/POOR QUALITY BALLS.

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.ADDITIONAL HIDDEN BENEFITS.
A HOLISTIC APPROACH IS NEEDED TO IDENTIFY ALL POSSIBLE BENEFITS OF
USING GOOD QUALITY MILL BALLS. ONE AREA OFTEN OVERLOOKED IN USING
A POOR QUALITY MILL BALL IS THE PEENING OF A MILLs DISCHARGE GRATE

The detrimental effects being:

Reduced mill throughput
Overgrinding of the ore
Increased power consumption, and
Reduced liner life (a major cost component)

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

. MARKETING STRATEGY.

The slump in steel price has led to a drop in the price of mill balls, as follows:
Type of Mill Ball

CIF East Africa

Jan 2014 ($/t)

CIF East Africa

Apr 2016 ($/t)

125mm forged

960

780

65mm 25% Cr

1 350

1 085

65mm 15% Cr

1 210

980

65mm 10% Cr

1 180

780

Magotteaux 65mm 25% Cr

2 560

2 295

650

510

80mm cast chilled steel

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

. TESTING OF MILL BALLS.
Testing of a new type of mill balls is a protracted affair.. There are two approaches:
1) Empty the mill of all of the old charge of balls. Feed a graded charge to the
mill. Testing can commence in 7-10 days. That time is required to get the correct
charge granulometry
2) Start adding the new charge and wait for 3 months for the old balls to be
exhausted. IT IS ONLY THEN THAT THE TEST CAN START.. During the grinding out
of the older balls, consumption could go up if the older balls were softer, through
the process of cannibalism. The CFO and CEO will not be impressed. The plant
manager has to defend himself. Many tests are aborted at this stage!
Monitoring of:
Mill throughput
Mill power consumed
Ball consumption
Grind size, and
Plant recoveries
WILL BE USED TO EVALUATE THE NEW BALLS vs THE OLD

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

. AIA ENGINEERING.
Based on a visit to the facilities in January 2014, the comments are made:
1) AIA has the assets which are well maintained
2) Production is not centralised. There are 3 foundries in Ahmadabad
3) Safety standards are abysmal, inside and outside of the plants
4) Management is extremely secretive. They did not show their quality assurance
(QA) procedures (sampling and analysis)
5) The operation is not energy efficient. Significant savings in fuel can be made. Hot
balls are cooled down then reheated before quenching
6) Breaki g off of flash a d dross is do e a uall . Else here, this fu tio is
carried out automatically in a rotating drum
7) The liner foundry is world class. QA is impeccable:
a) Four samples are taken from each liner for chemical analysis, and
) A jig represe ti g the usto ers ill is o stru ted a d the li ers trial fitted
8) AIA is well established in the cement industry in India. Those attributes cannot be
replicated in the mining industry. THEY LACK THE TECHNICAL SKILL TO PENETRATE THE
HIGHLY-COMPETITIVE MINING MARKET!
9) Buying ferrochrome from Kazakhstan is the best value for money option because:
a) Kazakhstan is a high-volume low-cost producer
) Last ears de aluatio of the Te ge ould e e efi ial, a d
c) AIA has an office in Dubai, the city in which Kazchrome has its marketing office. Such
synergy ought to be exploited

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

. THE CHINESE APPROCAH TO MILL BALLS MANUFACTURING.

In a specific country, Chinese entrepreneurs will:

1) Supply homeowners with a 1t induction furnace
2) uppl those s all s ale fou dries ith s rap steel a d allo i g aterial
3) Provide the services of a centralised QA supervisor
4) Buy all of the balls produced, and
5) Market the i ture of ill alls u der the o pa s a e
THE DISADVANTAGES ARE NUMEROUS, NAMELY:
QA is abysmal, and product quality highly variable, due to:
1) Different melting temperatures
2) Different alloying, and
3) Different quenching
SUCH BALLS WORK WELL WITH SOFT ORES
The advantages are:
1) Low labour cost
2) They attract no VAT charges
3) Just-in-time delivery is possible
4) Often, the host governments embrace small-scale industries with no, or low, taxes
5) HSE inspectors tend to be lenient, and
6) Raw materials can be obtained from the mine at minimal cost. The trucks delivering mill balls
can backhaul scrap steel

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

....INDUCTION FURNACE....

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

.THE PRICING STRUCTURE.

Usually:
30% of the cost with a confirmed order. Magotteaux is 50%
40% when the ship is loaded, Magotteaux is 30 % and
30% when the ship docks at its destination, Magotteaux is 20%
The downturn/downsizing in the mining industry means that there are
dozens of cancelled orders in China in which customers have lost their
30% deposit. That deposit, or a greater part of it, is passed on to new
customers as a discount

SUCH MOVE/TACTIC IS EPHEMERAL

.......AND IS CONTINUALLY CHANGING
DURING THIS PERIOD OF DOWNTURN
IN THE MINING INDUSTRY, AS
CANCELLED ORDERS ARE EXHAUSTED

Grinding Media in the Mining Industry

Thank You
The End
Any Questions?