Headquartered in Denmark, FLSmidth won in two categories – Innovation and Product Launches – in the 2023 Mining Technology Excellence Awards, for two of the innovative products the company launched.
The first product is the REFLUX™ Concentrating Classifier (RCC™), which helps improve mineral recovery from ores with declining average grades, while the other is a high-pressure grinding roll named HPGR Pro, which has innovative features that help enhance operational efficiencies as well as sustainability.
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REFLUX™ Concentrating Classifier – transforming traditional recovery methods
Building on the success of FLSmidth’s original REFLUX™ Classifier (RC), the RCC™ is engineered to optimise bed formation and split fluidisation, employing gravity-based separation techniques.
In contrast to traditional recovery methods such as spirals and shaking tables, the RCC™ stands out for its efficiency and compact design. Its smaller footprint allows for easy integration into tight spaces within existing plants, without the need for expensive foundations or tall structures. Additionally, the RCC is straightforward to set up and operate, requiring minimal operator input and simple control room operation.
By decreasing the mixing chamber size, the RCC™ shortens the residence time of particles, allowing for a quicker and more effective stratification by density. Consequently, this results in a higher concentration of heavy minerals and a lower ratio of gangue minerals in the bed.
The innovative split fluidisation system of the RCC™ introduces water both above and below the bed, with secondary fluidisation water being added through multiple points on the outside of an insert. This system creates a hydraulic floor in the mixing section of the classifier, enabling heavy or large particles to gravitate to the lower mixing chamber. The design ensures that light gangue particles are removed before they enter the bed, thereby improving the efficiency of the separation process.
The RCC’s innovative features have been validated through lab-scale trials, which have shown promising results. For instance, when tested with a tin producer’s tailings sample, the RCC rejected 99.9% of the gangue. Furthermore, comparative tests between the RCC100-40 and the RC100 under identical conditions revealed that the RCC100-40 nearly doubled the upgrade ratios while maintaining high recovery rates for tantalum and tin. These outcomes suggest that the RCC has significant potential for processing other low-grade ores and tailings containing valuable minerals.
HPGR Pro – a cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach to comminution
The second product that won Innovation and Product Launches awards for FLSmidth is the HPGR Pro, a high-pressure grinding roll that increases throughput by up to 20% and lowers energy consumption by up to 15%.
The HPGR Pro utilises a dry process that depends on the compression between two counter-rotating rollers to crush the feed material. The rotating side-plates ensure a uniform pressure profile, leading to improved material flow and even roll wear. Additionally, the wear segments on the side-plates can be adjusted or removed without the need to remove the rollers, streamlining maintenance processes and reducing downtime. This innovative design eliminates the need for grinding media and significantly reduces water usage, enhancing the sustainability of grinding operations.
The HPGR Pro also features a mechanical locking device known as the skew limiter, which prevents misalignment of the moveable roller. This ensures consistent pressure during operation and protects the rotating side-plates, resulting in a higher-quality product and fewer machine outages. Furthermore, the bearings of the HPGR Pro are lubricated with a constant stream of conditioned oil instead of grease, allowing for higher machine loads, reduced bearing temperatures, and extended service life.
The machine’s digital functionality is another aspect that sets it apart. Advanced digital tools enable continual process optimisation and predictive maintenance, ensuring that the HPGR Pro remains at the forefront of grinding technology. This digital integration informs operators of the machine’s status and facilitates ongoing improvements to the grinding process.
Company Profile
FLSmidth is a leading provider of full flowsheet technology and services for the mining and cement industries. For the mining sector, the company offers a complete technology and service portfolio for process plants, covering a wide range of key commodities such as copper, gold, nickel, lithium, zinc, rare earth, and iron ore.
With a global presence spanning over 60 countries, FLSmidth operates with close to 11,000 employees.
Through their MissionZero program, FLSmidth have set an ambitious target of providing solutions for zero-emissions mining and zero-emissions cement production by 2030.
Contact details
Vigerslev Allé 77
2500 Valby, Copenhagen
Denmark
+45 3618 1000
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