IsaMill processing to produce high-grade magnetite
Xstrata Technology’s IsaMills will be used for the new magnetite processing circuit being developed at Xstrata Copper’s Ernest Henry Mine in Queensland as the miner upgrades its operations for the move from open pit to underground mining.
The mill – to be installed in the first half of 2011 – will be the first used for magnetite processing, the company said.
The magnetite circuit will process the tailing from the existing copper concentrator at Ernest Henry Mine, through regrinding and magnetic separation, to produce a high-grade magnetite concentrate
The IsaMill will be required to grind the magnetite bearing material down to ~40µm, to enable a premium grade concentrate to be produced. Planned concentrate production is approximately 1.2mtpa for export to Asia.
“IsaMill has transformed many base metal operations through its energy efficient grinding action, and we see this playing an important role in some parts of the iron ore industry, where there is a need to efficiently grind to fine sizes to enable saleable concentrates to be produced,” IsaMill strategy manager - mineral processing Katie Barns said.
Xstrata Copper’s manager - magnetite project, John Twomey, said Xstrata Technology would provide a M10,000 IsaMill package to the site, which would include the IsaMill, powered by a 3mW motor, as well as feed and discharge pumpboxes, steel work and media addition system.
Xstrata Technology is supplying two M3000 IsaMills for Xstrata Copper’s Antapaccay copper project in Peru, and three M1000 IsaMills to form part of the regrind circuit for molybdenum processing at Thompson Creek Metals’ Endako project in Northwest Canada.
There are almost 90 IsaMills™ installed world wide.
The Xstrata Technology contact is Lindsay Clark, mineral processing general manager, 07 3833 8500.
www.xstratatech.com
