ENG. DE MINAS

Constantly the moisture is a problematic control point to the mining industry, because it can generate several disorders as the handling, loading and unloading of ore, transportation and even at the metallurgical process. Therefore it is necessary to use drying methods that can varies from natural drying until industrial equipment systems. The Poços de Caldas unit of Votorantim Metais has approximately 27% moisture content on its shipped bauxite, which implies a high surcharge on freight and with the steam used for drying the bauxite before the metallurgical process. To solve the problem of ore drying, different methods were studied and analyzed, among which the methods of natural drying, fines washing, drying systems with hot gas generator, fluidized bed dryer and dryer hammer crusher. Analyzing the economic viability for each method against the reality of the Bauxite Production Unit from CBA at Poços de Caldas, the selected method for further studies were the 371