Análise teórica de um circuito de moagem reversa através da utilização do software ModSimTM

Abstract

Mineração Morro do Ipê is operationalizing its new Tico Tico project and this is in the ramp up phase. In this phase, the equipment's power supply is gradually increased, in accordance with the operational plan. During this period tests are carried out to verify how adherent the operation and process of the circuit/equipment is to the project. The iron ore treatment circuit of the Tico Tico project has a reverse grinding and classification circuit (the classification is fed first, where the mill feed is the underflow of this classification), which is unusual for iron ore processing. iron. Therefore, due to the lack of historical data relating to this process to understand and define possible mitigating actions, it was necessary to use a simulation system. The simulation generates scenarios and, with them, it is possible to suggest ways of working with the process variables to better control the operation. Important variables such as pulp density, content of the main elements of the ore, grain size, bWI, hardness, among others, can be mentioned to feed this simulation system. It was carried out using the modeling and simulation software ModSimTM. Four new power plant scenarios were chosen to be simulated, taking into account variations in iron and silica content present in the mine's mining plan. For this analysis, the HFSU mill model implemented in ModSimTM was chosen. Classification parameters were determined using the CurveFit module of ModSimTM. From the simulation results it was verified that as there is an impoverishment of the plant's new feed (increase in the SiO2 content and reduction in the amount of Fe), the circulating load of the circuit increases, the particle sizes of the feed flows, underflow and overflow of classification cyclones. For the process as a whole, the increase in the quantity of particles above 150 mm makes the flotation process and obtaining the quality of the final product more difficult, becoming the main variable to be observed in the simulations carried out. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the reverse grinding circuit adopted in the Tico Tico project, belonging to the company Mineração Morro do Ipê, evaluating and comparing the results generated for each scenario in relation to what was specified by the project.