Ore dressing

Ore dressing separates valuable minerals from waste rock through physical processes such as crushing, grinding, and concentration. It prepares ore for extraction without chemically refining the valuable metal.

Comminution: The reduction of solid materials to smaller particles by crushing and grinding. Crushing and grinding break ore apart so valuable minerals can be separated from waste.
Ore: Rock or sediment containing minerals that can be extracted economically under given conditions. Dressing begins with ore and changes its composition without extracting its metals.
Ore sorting: The separation of individual ore pieces using sensors or physical properties before fine grinding. Sorting can discard barren rock early and reduce the amount of material sent through the plant.
Ore grade: The concentration of a valuable component in an ore, commonly expressed as a percentage or mass per tonne. Concentration upgrades low-grade feed, while declining grades generally require processing more rock.
Hydrometallurgy: Metal extraction using aqueous solutions and chemical reactions. Unlike physical dressing, hydrometallurgy dissolves and recovers metals through solution chemistry.
Mineral liberation: The degree to which mineral grains are physically freed from other minerals in an ore. Dressing depends on exposing valuable grains rather than leaving them locked in waste.
Gangue: Unwanted minerals associated with valuable minerals in an ore deposit. Dressing aims to reject gangue while retaining valuable mineral grains.
Coal preparation: The processing of mined coal to remove mineral matter and control product size and quality. Coal preparation applies dressing principles to a major fuel resource.
Comminution energy: The energy consumed in crushing and grinding material to smaller particle sizes. Grinding is often a major energy demand in ore dressing.
Pyrometallurgy: Metal extraction and refining using high-temperature processes. Smelting chemically transforms concentrates after dressing rather than separating mineral grains physically.

Linked from 6 pages