Minerals Processing Toolbox

A collection of resources managed by the AusIMM Metallurgical Society.

Chapter 1 - Laboratory Testing

Crushing and Grinding

Gravity Separation

Diagnostic Gold Leaching

Description of Heavy Liquids

Description of Heavy Liquids, PDF 44 KB (provided by The AusIMM)

Particle Size Terminology

Particle Size Terminology, PDF 118 KB (provided by The AusIMM)

Australian Mineral Processing Laboratory Capabilities

Metallurgical Testing Methods – General

Ex-Renison Tin Manual, PDF 303 KB (provided by Ron Goodman)

Metallurgical Testwork for Plant Design

Metallurgical Process Development for Plant Design PDF 183 KB (by David Lunt, Ian Ritchie and John Fleay. From proceedings Mindev ’97, provided by The AusIMM)
The Scheduling, Costing and Importance of Metallurgical Testwork Programs in Process Plant Feasibility Studies PDF 291KB (by W Anderson. From proceedings Minprex 2000, provided by The AusIMM)
Flotation data for the design of process plants Part 1 – Testing and Design Procedures (by R C Dunne, G S Lane, G D Richmond and J Dioses. Published in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy )
Flotation data for the design of process plants Part 2 – Case Studies (by R C Dunne, G S Lane, G D Richmond and J Dioses (published in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy)

Coal

Australian Standards for Classification, Analysis and Testing of Coal
Particle Size Measurement
Method for size distribution only
Laser Sizing Procedure (provided by Michael Young)
Method for size distribution and sized samples for assay and mineralogy
Screen Sizing Procedure (provided by Michael Young)
Cyclosizer Procedure to C7 (2-5 um)(provided by Michael Young)
Cyclosizer Manual (provided by Metcon Laboratories)

Links

Chapter 2 - Process Design and Equipment Selection

Moly-Cop Tools, ZIP 13 MB (for comminution circuits, provided by OneSteel)
Metso Basics in Mineral Processing Handbook, PDF 13 MB (provided by Metso)
Tabling, PDF 241 KB (provided by John Millar, Gravimet Services)

Grinding Media Data

Magotteaux Grinding Media Information, PDF 588 KB (provided by Magotteaux)

Grinding Mills – Sizing

Mill Calculations v2a, PDF 443 KB (provided by Brian Povey)
Mill Calculations v7, MS Excel 527 KB (provided by Brian Povey)
Introduction to Cyclones, PDF 42 KB (provided by Weir Minerals)

Classifiers

Sizing & Selection of Hydrocyclones, MS Excel 498 KB (provided by Alex Doll)

Slurry Pumping

Metso Slurry Pump Handbook, PDF 3.4 MB (provided by Metso)
Slurry Pumping, PDF 66 KB (provided by Tony Griffiths)
Slurrytech Curve Engine, PDF 22 KB (provided by TonyWatermann, Force Intech | Slurrytech)
SlurryTech Curve Engine: Calculator, XLS 1.4 MB
Slurrytech Curve Engine May 2008 Update, PDF
Small Pump Hopper Design, XLS 28 KB (provided by John Millar)

Conveyors

Screens

Samplers

OSA

Stockpiles

Magnetic and Electrostatic Separation

Crushing and Screening

Metso Crushing and Screening Handbook, PDF 10 MB (provided by Metso)
Polysius High Pressure Grinding Rolls for Minerals, PDF 2.4 MB (provided by Polysius)
Mineral Processing Handbook, PDF 3 MB provided by Telsmith)

Plant Development Studies

Guidelines for Mineral Process Plant Development Studies, (by Peter R Whincup, published in Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy)

Flotation

Selection of Mechanical Flotation Equipment, PDF 267 KB (provided by Outokumpu)
Large Flotation Cells in Copper Processing: Experiences and Considerations, PDF 1.0 MB (provided by FLSmidth)

Chapter 3 - Reagents

Tall-Bennet Flotation Chemicals Information, PDF 4.3 MB (provided by Tall-Bennett)

Nasaco International Reagent Information, PDF 89 KB

Orica Mining Chemicals Flotation Guidebook, PDF 3 MB (provided by Orica)

Cyanamid Red Xanthate Book kindly, PDF 2 MB (provided by Cytec Australia)

OxyChem Caustic Soda Handbook, PDF (provided by Simon Donegan)

Sodium Hydrosulfide Handbook, PDF (provided by Simon Donegan)

NorFalco Sulfuric Acid Handbook, PDF (provided by Simon Donegan)

Chapter 4 - Element, Mineral and Rock Information

Mineral Index, PDF 103 KB
Bulk Factors for Expansion of Common Rock Materials, PDF 37 KB (provided by The AusIMM)
List of Common Minerals in Order of Density, PDF 48 KB (provided by The AusIMM)
Periodic Table, PDF 63 KB

Mineral Database

http://un2sg4.unige.ch/athena/mineral/mineral.html
mindat.org/index.php
http://webmineral.com
Physical Properties of Unweathered Rocks, PDF 9KB (provided by The AusIMM)

Chapter 5 - Metallurgical Accounting, Mass Balancing and General Metallurgical Calculations

Mass Balancing for Design

(provided by Alex Doll of AGD Consulting)

Software links:

Mass balancing for Metallurgical Accounting

Software links:

General Metallurgical Calculations

Pulp Density Nomogram, PDF 16 KB (provided by Philip Clark)
Pulp Density Formulae, PDF 13KB (provided by John Millar, Gravimet Services)
Drawing a Nomogram, PDF 280 KB (provided by John Millar, Gravimet Services)

Pulp Density Tables

(provided by John Millar)

Code of Practice and Guidelines for Metal Accounting

Design for Metal Accounting by PG Gaylard, N Randolph, C MG Wortley and I Ralston, PDF 536 KB (provided by the SAIMM)

Slurry Flow Measurement

Slurry Flow Determination using Tracer Solutions, PDF 16 KB (provided by Newmont)

Chapter 6 - Sampling

Sampling of slurries, PDF 647 KB (provided by Outotec Australia)
Design for Sampling – Preliminary Exploration, PDF 1.5 MB (by Rob Morrison and Malcolm Powell, provided by the SAIMM)

Chapter 7 - Experimental Design and Statistical Analysis

Statistical formulae

Design and Analysis of Industrial Experiments, PDF 7 KB (provided by Peter Tilyard)
Glossary of Statistical Terms, PDF 25 KB (provided by the American Geosciences Institute)

Chapter 8 - Water, Fluid Flow and Hydrology

Water Discharge Quality Limits

Approximate Water Supply Requirements for Homes and Farms

Flow from Various Diameter Pipes, PDF 130 KB (provided by NSW Office of Water)
Circular Orifice Meter Discharge Table, PDF 77 KB (provided by Queensland Department of Natural Resources)
Rectangular and V-notch Weir Discharge Table, PDF 11 KB (provided by Queensland Department of Natural Resources)
Pressure Corresponding to Head of Water, PDF 4 KB (provided by The AusIMM)

Chapter 12 - Smelting, Refining, Shipping and Treatment Terms Revenue Calculations and Marketing

Reproduced from Cost Estimation Handbook for the Australian Mining Industry (Editors Michael Noakes and Terry Lanz) 1993, by permission from The AusIMM. Note that although the document is ten years old the underlying fundamentals have not changed. Smelting terms change from year to year. It is intended to update these within the document. Anyone able to provide current information is asked to contact Peter Tilyard.

View the chapter, PDF 360 KB.

Chapter 13 - Spreadsheets*

*Note regarding use of spreadsheets

The spreadsheets included in this chapter of the Mineral Processing Toolbox have been provided in good faith by practicing metallurgists. The Metallurgical Society does not guarantee their integrity. If you find any errors please could you contact Peter Tilyard. Numerous sophisticated spread sheets have kindly been provided in relation to equipment selection. However they are not accompanied by notes on either their use or their basis and The Metallurgical Society is reluctant to make them available, caveat emptor notwithstanding. Some of them may be proprietary.

Media Charge Analysis, XLS 28 KB (provided by Moly-Cop – OneSteel)
Tank Fabrication Costs, XLS 41 KB (provided by Tony Griffiths)
Size-Assay Distribution, XLS 39 KB (provided by Newmont)

Chapter 14 - Flotation General

An analysis of the theory and industrial practice of flotation:some aspects of the theory and its application to coal flotation, PDF 2 MB (by Robert Seitz)
The Handbook of Silicate Flotation, PDF 389 KB (provided by the UK National Archives)
The Orthosilicates, PDF 417KB (provided by the UK National Archives)
The Pyroxenes, PDF 369 KB (provided by the UK National Archives)
The Sheet Silicates, PDF 311 KB (provided by the UK National Archives)
The Framework Silicates, PDF 369 KB (provided by the UK National Archives)

Chapter 15 - Hydrometallurgy General

Handbooks

OxyChem Caustic Soda Handbook, PDF (provided by Simon Donegan)
Sodium Hydrosulfide Handbook, PDF (provided by Simon Donegan)
NorFalco Sulfuric Acid Handbook, PDF (provided by Simon Donegan)

Ammonia

Ammonia table, XLS (provided by Simon Donegan)

Steam

Steam table, XLS (provided by Simon Donegan)

Gold

Copper

Economic model for copper heap leaching in the US (USGS open file report, 2001), PDF

Nickel

Chapter 16 - Pyrometallurgy

Yazawa’s Diagram – Metallurgical Society Special Paper

The Metallurgical Society has published ‘Yazawa’s Diagram’ by Toguri and Willis as a one-off special paper in order to make it accessible to the international pyrometallurgical community.

The paper had its genesis more than 15 years ago when the late Mervyn Willis (University of Melbourne) and the late Jim Toguri (University of Toronto) discussed the possibility of extending Yazawa’s well known phase diagram to consider multiple phase systems. Mervyn Willis completed the paper in 2009, and the Metallurgical Society believes that, at 93, he set a record as the most mature author of a scientific paper published by The AusIMM. Mervyn asked that the paper serve as a memorial to Jim Toguri. Those who were taught or supervised by Mervyn at the University of Melbourne will also see it as a fitting culmination of his own research career.

Download the paper