Evaluation of the performance of an industrial SAG mill grinding circuit

Within the scope of this study, a performance evaluation was carried out with the samples obtained from the industrial semi-autogenous grinding circuit. There are two different hydrocyclones groups in the grinding circuit operating with semi-autogenous mill and ball mill as closed circuit. The samples taken from the grinding circuit were analyzed in terms of solid percentage (%) and particle size distribution as well as for the mass balance studies. In order to determine the grindability parameters of the studied samples, drop weight, abrasion and Bond tests were conducted. As a result of weight reduction and wear test, A, b and ta parameters were found to be 63.26, 1.33, 0.44, respectively. Bond work index value was calculated as 13.77 kWh/t. While the amount of bypass material was calculated as 62% in the first hydrocyclones group, this value was calculated as 30% in the hydrocyclones group operating in a closed circuit with a ball mill. It has been determined that the capacity of the entire circuit can be increased by increasing the ball mill rotating load and sufficient margin for the capacity increase in the semi-autogenous mill.