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Reinaldo Brandao Gomes et al.
Mining
Minerao
Mine/Mill production
planning based on a
http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/0370-44672015690173 Geometallurgical Model
Reinaldo Brandao Gomes Abstract
Doutorando
Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto - UFOP The Pau Branco mine supplies two blast furnaces with iron ore lumps, and cur-
Escola de Minas REDEMAT - rently, charcoal consumption for pig iron production accounts for 47% of the blast
Superintendente Tcnico da Vallourec furnaces operational cost. A geometallurgical model is presented to support an eco-
Ouro Preto - Minas Gerais Brasil nomic study considering reserve volumes, product quality, and operational costs based
reinaldo.brandao@vallourec.com on the metallurgical performance of different iron ore typologies. Sample analysis pro-
vides values required in the model. From the model, an alternative production plan is
Giorgio De Tomi presented with a positive impact of USD 25.6M over the current net present value of
Professor Associado the mining/mill system.
Universidade de So Paulo - USP
Departamento de Engenharia de Minas e Petrleo Keywords: sustainable development, iron ore, tailings, filtering, dry stacking.
NAP.Minerao
So Paulo - So Paulo - Brasil
gdetomi@usp.br
Paulo S. Assis
Professor Titular
Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto UFOP
Escola de Minas
Departamento de Engenharia Metalrgica
Ouro Preto Minas Gerais Brasil
assis@em.ufop.br
1. Introduction
Higher environmental and socio- gives quantitative information about min- ing production, consequently enhancing
economic demands in the exploitation erals, elemental grades, and lithology. The sustainability and socio-economic factors
of future mineral resources require com- process model must be capable of receiving (Gomes et al., 2015).
prehensive knowledge of ore bodies even the information from the geological model This paper describes the develop-
in the early stages of the mining process. and forecasting the metallurgical response ment of a geometallurgical model for
Geometallurgy combines geological and for any given geological unit (sample, ore Pau Branco Mines iron ore lumps. The
mineral processing information to create block, or geometallurgical domain). These model is used to define an alternative
a spatial model for production planning two models are combined into a produc- production plan, considering impacts
and management. tion model capable of handling the time on reserve volume, product quality,
Geometallurgy is described as an frame and different scenarios for ore min- along with mine and beneficiation op-
integration of fundamental economic ing and processing. The production model erational costs. In addition, the impact
geology and deposit mineralogy into the returns figures such as the amount of final on charcoal consumption, which is
process of designing successful mine plans product in a given time, production value, defined as a function of iron lump qual-
and resource recovery schemes (Hoal, and production costs (Lund et al., 2013, ity, and accounts for about 47% of the
2008). A geometallurgical model can Lamberg, 2011). cost for pig iron production, is evalu-
be established with three sub-models: a Applying the geometallurgical con- ated. An economic study on the mine/
geological model, a process model, and a cept improves resource efficiency, reduces mill systems net present value (NPV)
production model. The geological model operational risks, and helps in optimiz- is also discussed.
Iron ore lumps produced in Pau Branco supply two blast furnaces for seamless tube production at Vallourec,
REM: R. Esc. Minas, Ouro Preto, 69(2), 213-218, apr. jun. | 2016 213
Mine/Mill production planning based on a Geometallurgical Model
Brazil: Barreiro and Jeceaba. The raw linear regression models. This model esti- the economic value of the mine/mill
material quality influences the charcoal mated charcoal consumption and pig iron system. This model allows adjustment
consumption in these blast furnaces, production cost as functions of raw mate- of the mineral process, better control of
which accounts for much of the steel rial quality, including Fe and contaminant mine and plant operation, decreases the
production cost. Faleiro et al. (2013) content in the iron ore lumps. variability of feed quality, and supports
developed a statistical model to predict A geometallurgical model for the an economic study to define the impact
charcoal consumption in blast furnaces iron ore lumps of Pau Branco Mine was of production plans on the NPV of the
based on response surface models and developed with the aim of maximizing mine/mill system.
Rich Dolomitic BIF ( T3 ) medium Fe, high hydratation and clay. 30%
Presence of martite, goethite, and hematite
For each typology, 06 samples lurgical response. Each sample was of the benches from where typologies
of 33 kg were collected from different homogenized, quartered, and submit- were taken: goethitic BIFs (T1), rich
locations inside the mine pit, chosen ted for chemical, and mineralogical siliceous BIFs (T2), rich dolomitic BIFs
based in geological data, aiming to characterization (3 kg), and metallurgi- (T3), poor siliceous BIFs (T4), and poor
be representative in terms of metal- cal tests (30 kg). Figure 1 shows some dolomitic BIFs (T5).
Figure 1
Typologies from Pau Branco mine.
For each typology, 6 samples were
collected to perform laboratory scale tests.
Chemical analyses of the samples analysis of iron ore lumps provided overall photomicrographs of the typologies, and
were performed at the Vallourec chemi- concentrations of the main constituents the minerals present in the samples are
cal laboratory. The method utilized for (Gomes et al., 2015). Mineral identifica- compiled in Table 2. The chemical analysis
chemical composition analysis was X- tion was done by point counting using of the different typologies is described in
ray fluorescence (XRF). Multi-element reflected-light microscopy. Figure 2 shows Table 3.
214 REM: R. Esc. Minas, Ouro Preto, 69(2), 213-218, apr. jun. | 2016
Reinaldo Brandao Gomes et al.
Figure 2
Photomicrograph showing minerals
present in the different typologies. hemati-
te (HS and HM), magnetite (MG), goethi-
te (GO), quartz (QZ). Bar Scale 0.2 mm
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5
Table 2
Quartz 3.95 9.14 5.66 1.44 2.43
Mineralogical semi-quantitative
analyses, defined by optical microscopy.
The numbers represent the percentage in Gypsite 4.44 0.68 0 2.81 0.56
volume of each mineral.
Figure 3
Typologies before and after laboratory
metallurgical tests. T1, T3 and T5 presen-
ted a significant increase in Fe content,
due the elimination of LOI, SiO2, and
Al2O3 particles. Bar scale (300 mm).
From January to June/2015, indus- typology, and the chemical analysis results CF, obtained from the industrial plant
trial tests were performed to calibrate for both ore, and product were registered. tests. Accordingly, the geometallurgical
the model, at least 50 batches for each The expected CF, obtained from the model was calibrated, and supported a
typology. During a batch, the industrial geometallurgical model, considering the production plan, considering gains and
plant feeding was restricted to a specific typology fed, was compared to the actual losses in both mine, and blast furnace.
3. Results
The CFs obtained through indus- ness of the typologys definition and (Fe and contaminants SiO2 , Al2O3, and
trial plant processes were coherent, sampling. Those results are shown in LOI) and the geometallurgical model
compared to that obtained in the labo- Table 4. After this evaluation, the CFs was calibrated.
ratory, indicating the representative- were adjusted for each of the variables
T1 T2 T3 T5 T5 Average
4. Discussion
Because of the good alumina CF log washer has a high efficiency; besides by attrition because of their fragility. In
obtained by the processing of T1, T3, and this, the high hydration present in these contrast, quartz (SiO2 particles are not
T5, an iron content increase was noted in typologies allows the breakage and libera- fragile enough to be eliminated, and the
the final product. This improvement is tion of both silica and alumina particles. best CF for silica is observed in T3 owing
related to the presence of goethite and its The same can be observed for LOI in T1. to the high hydration and consequent
associated clays minerals, over which the Both clay and LOI particles are eliminated fragility of its particles.
216 REM: R. Esc. Minas, Ouro Preto, 69(2), 213-218, apr. jun. | 2016
Reinaldo Brandao Gomes et al.
Base Case 0
Scenario 01 25.6
Table 6
Processed ore 60.62 7.66 1.62 4.31
Comparison between two alternatives
for iron ore processed lump quality.
REM: R. Esc. Minas, Ouro Preto, 69(2), 213-218, apr. jun. | 2016 217
Mine/Mill production planning based on a Geometallurgical Model
5. Conclusions
Geometallurgical modeling of iron centration coefficients were determined Faleiro et al. (2013), and a negative NPV
ore lumps was applied to the Pau Branco and introduced into the geometallurgical impact of USD 4.4M was estimated. De-
Mine reserve. Samples of the typologies model. A mine plan was developed con- spite this, the gain in iron ore lump reserve
present in the Pau Branco Mine were col- sidering an increase of 0.5% Al2O3 in iron and reduction of mine operational costs
lected, characterized, and submitted to ore lumps compared to the current quality. summed to an overall positive impact of
metallurgical tests in order to define the The impact on pig iron production USD 25.6M in the NPV, indicating the
behavior of the ore through beneficiation operational cost due to this change was feasibility of the production plan for the
treatment in an industrial plant. Con- calculated using a model developed by mine/mill system.
6. References
218 REM: R. Esc. Minas, Ouro Preto, 69(2), 213-218, apr. jun. | 2016