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SAGMILLING.COM Wiki. Theory and equations for power based modelling of mineral comminution circuits.

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Grinding Circuit Modelling Documentation

This documentation describes the operating and underlying mathematics of the SAGMILLING.COM grinding circuit modelling program. It is intended to be used by the model users who want to operate and understand the functioning of grinding models.

Quick start video to get familiar with the operation of the software is available from here: http://amber.agdconsulting.ca/public/sagmilling_Intro1.webm

Operating the Software

General concepts
- Detailed concepts - Aggregating sample testwork
- Detailed concepts - Intellectual Property
Entering test results
- Testwork Program
- How to declare new Sample Names
Creating a circuit model
- Modelling: Transfer size limits
Creating/modifying a mill
How to show a sub-set of results
How to copy data out of a table and into a spreadsheet
How to design a new circuit using grindability testing
How to make temporary changes to models or grindability test data and without saving
Design choices: HPGR or SAG?
Design choices: Pebble crushing or not?
Design implications of Transfer Size

Specific Energy Models

Theory of power models
All Model types: specific energy consumption models
SAG and ball mill circuit models
- Raw Bond/Barratt SAB & SABC model
- Optimized Bond/Barratt Models (including phantom cyclone allowance)
  - Optimized Bond/Barratt model SABC (pebble crushing)
  - Optimized Bond/Barratt model SAB (pebble recycle)
- Amelunxen SAG Grindability Index (SGI) SAB and SABC model (similar to SPI™)
- Morrell Mi (SMC) SAG & ball mill model
Single-stage SAG milling models
Rod mill and ball mill circuit models
- Bond/Rowland rod mill & ball mill model
Multi-stage crushing and ball milling models
- Bond/Rowland multi-stage crushing and single-stage ball mill model
- Morrell multi-stage crushing and single-stage ball mill model
- Bond HPGR and ball mill model (using work indices) warning, experimental!
- Morrell HPGR and ball mill model

Mill power draw models

Measurement of power (motor input versus shell, etc.)
Media density for rods and balls
Model types: mill power draw
- Austin SAG model (hybrid phenomenological and empirical model)
- Morrell C-model for SAG & ball mills (phenomenological model with empirical fitting). Sub-divided into:
  - a simplified model with 'typical' defaults and
  - a full model with all parameters editable.
- Loveday/Barratt SAG model (uses an internal table of empirical "Power Numbers")
- Nordberg ball mill model (largely empirical model)
- Nordberg rod mill model (largely empirical model)
- Crusher model (power allowance)