Sensor-based sorting application for minsur s.a. san rafaelcassiterite ore concentration

In this study, the applicability of X-Ray Transmission (XRT) sensor based sorters for Minsur S.A. cassiterite waste dump enrichment is investigated. For this reason, a process modeling is created based on the detection efficiency for sorting process performance estimation. By means of this modeling, it is possible to estimate the sorter and sorting plant pre-concentration results. Modeling is created with the data recorded from the sorters. Experimental work is applied to the waste dump cassiterite ore with the grade of 0.6 Sn%. Hence two exemplary flowsheets are considered for evaluation of low-grade material. Modeling is developed by following the flowsheets and is calibrated with partition coefficients. A bench-scale test is conducted to investigate the accuracy of the modeling and hereby the actual partition coefficients are obtained. These partition coefficients indicate detection efiiciency. According to the experimental results, with the first flowsheet it is possible to obtain a product grade of 0.93 Sn% with a recovery value of 99.10%. With second flowsheet, a product is obtained with a grade of 1.15 Sn% and recovery of %98.98. Experimental study approves the recovery and the waste grades. However, depending on production data and partition coefficients of the pre-concentration plant, the concentrate grades are lower and the masspull values are higher than the modeling. By considering the test results, the most fitted flowsheet for the plant is chosen.