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An iron ore upgrading and efficiency improvement solution for a concentrator in the Pilbara region of Western Australia
one.Client Background and Core Pain Points
Our client, IronClaw Minerals, is located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, the "heart of the global iron ore industry." Its concentrator primarily processes fine-grained, disseminated magnetite from neighboring mines.
With deeper mining, the content of fine-grained magnetite, less than -200 mesh (<75μm), in the raw ore increased significantly. Their existing downstream magnetic separator, operating at high slurry velocity, washed away the magnetic minerals before they could be captured. This resulted in tailings with an iron grade as high as 12%, a significant loss of valuable resources. The client urgently needed a magnetic separation solution that could efficiently recover fine-grained minerals while maintaining concentrate grade to meet increasingly competitive market conditions and meet resource utilization requirements.
two.Tailored Solution
Meeting the client's core needs of "increasing recovery while maintaining grade," we recommended the CTB wet drum magnetic separator, which is optimal for fine-grained mineral separation.
Processing Material: Fine-grained magnetite, with a feed size of -200 mesh accounting for 75% and a feed grade of ~32% Fe.
Capacity/Operating Conditions: A single unit can process 40-50 cubic meters of slurry per hour, with two units connected in parallel for secondary concentrating.
Core Equipment Configuration and Customization Features:
Semi-countercurrent separation structure: Slurry is fed from the bottom of the drum in a semi-countercurrent flow to the direction of rotation. This design prolongs the residence time of magnetic minerals in the magnetic field, ensuring sufficient adsorption of fine particles. It also effectively flushes the adsorption layer with topwater, removing middlings and intergrown particles, thereby achieving both high recovery rates and high concentrate grades.
High-Performance Magnetic System: Utilizing neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) magnetic material and a computer-optimized magnetic circuit, the drum surface generates a high-intensity, wide-angle magnetic field with a magnetic field strength of up to 1500 mT, providing a strong capture capability for fine, weakly magnetic particles.
Wear-Resistant and Corrosion-Resistant Design: The drum surface is coated with a 5mm-thick polymer wear-resistant lining, effectively protecting it from slurry erosion. Key components of the entire machine are made of stainless steel or heavy-duty anti-corrosion coatings, adapting to the harsh, high-temperature, and highly corrosive environment of the Pilbara region.
Automated Control Integration: Equipped with a variable frequency speed control, customers can flexibly adjust the drum speed according to ore variability, optimizing separation efficiency. Integrated interfaces for liquid level and concentration monitoring are also included, allowing for future plant-wide automation upgrades.
three.Implementation and Outstanding Results
The CTB wet drum magnetic separator has been installed and commissioned at a concentrator in the Pilbara, Western Australia, and is now in secondary concentrating operation, with results far exceeding expectations.
Technical Improvements:
Concentrate Grade: Steadily increased from 65.5% to over 68.5%.
Recovery Rate: The recovery rate for -200 mesh fine-grained magnetite has significantly increased from 78% to 92%, and the overall tailings grade has been reduced to below 6.5%.
Significant Economic Benefits:
The improved concentrate grade has resulted in a market premium of approximately AUD 15 per ton.
The increased recovery rate is equivalent to recovering over 15,000 tons of high-grade iron ore concentrate from the tailings annually.
Altogether, this solution generates over AUD 1.2 million in direct incremental economic benefits for the customer annually.
Excellent Operational Feedback: David Wilson, Concentrator Manager at IronClaw Minerals, commented, "Hengci's CTB wet drum magnetic separator has revolutionized our understanding of fine iron ore recovery. Its ingenious semi-countercurrent design maintains concentrate quality while achieving impressive recovery rates. Not only has this equipment delivered immediate economic returns, but its robust design also ensures extremely low maintenance costs, making it ideally suited to the harsh Pilbara environment. It's one of the most successful technological investments we've ever made."
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