PROGRAM : BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY:
EXTRACTION METALLURGY
SUBJECT : METALLURGICAL ACCOUNTING A2
CODE : MEAMTA2
DATE : SSA EXAMINATION
JULY 2019
DURATION : (X-PAPER) 08:00 - 11:00
WEIGHT : 40: 60
TOTAL MARKS : 40
FULL MARKS : 40
EXAMINER : MR. CRAIG NSAKABWEBWE
MODERATOR : MS M MADIBA
NUMBER OF PAGES : 6 PAGES
METALLURGICAL ACCOUNTING MEAMTA2 -2-
INSTRUCTIONS :
1. QUESTION PAPER MUST BE HANDED IN.
2. AN INDIVIDUAL FORMULA SHEET IS ALLOWED
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES:
1. PLEASE ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS.
2. THE QUESTION ONE REFERS TO THE COMPLEX COPPER CONCENTRATION
CIRCUIT IS SHOWN IN FIGURE 1a and 1b.
3. THE QUESTIONS TWO AND THREE REFER TO THE TIN CONCENTRATOR
PLANT DESCRIBED BELOW
METALLURGICAL ACCOUNTING MEAMTA2 -3-
DESCRIPTION OF A COMPLEX COPPER CONCENTRATION CIRCUIT
The flowsheet of a copper concentration circuit is shown in figure 1a below. The circuit has
been reduced in node form in figure 1b.
Ball Mill
2 3 4 6 7
Rougher Scavenger T 1
11
Spillage
5 9
Cleaners
Figure 1a. Flotation Circuit
2 3 4 6 7
1 2 3 4
8
5 11
9 1
5 6
10
Figure 1b. Flotation Circuit in Node Form
METALLURGICAL ACCOUNTING MEAMTA2 -4-
DESCRIPTION OF A TIN CONCENTRATOR PLANT
The flowsheet of a section of the concentrator plant treating the chalcocite ore is shown in
Figure 1. This section treats 30 dry tonnes of cassiterite per hour of feed (density of solids:
3.215t /m3). The feed containing 10 % moisture, is supplied to a ball mill, which discharges a
pulp of density 1.8110 t/m3. The ball mill discharge is diluted to 45% solids before being
pumped to cyclones. The size distributions of streams around the classification cyclones are
shown in Table 1.
Make up water
Mill Header Tank Ball Mill
Underflow Overflow
Gravity Circuit
Tailing Concentrate
s
Thickener
Water Dewatered tailings
Figure 2. Tin Concentrator Circuit
METALLURGICAL ACCOUNTING MEAMTA2 -5-
Table 1: Size analysis of cyclone-stream weight % in each fraction
Size range in
microns Experimental data (%)
Feed U/Flow OF/Flow
+ 350 5.60 3.30 12.40
250-350 5.40 3.10 12.50
150-250 5.80 3.20 9.91
100-150 9.80 10.4 0.29
-100 49.0 51.9 0.29
The cyclones underflows of a pulp density 1.38042t/m3 and containing 0.9% tin, are fed to a
gravity concentration circuit consisting of a shaking table separation, which produces a tin
concentrate containing 45% Sn, and a tailing containing 0.5 % Sn. The tailing containing
70% moisture, is dewatered to 70 % solids in a thickener, which supplies water to the ball
mill feed and ball mill discharge.
Question 1(10 MARKS)
With the aid of a connection- matrix, determine the minimum number of stream that need to
be sampled in order to produce a complete circuit mass balance.
Question 2(20 MARKS)
2.1. Determine the adjusted % weight of size fractions in the cyclone products. The adjusted
size fractions are consistent with the calculated best-fit flow rates of the cyclones. (5)
2.2. Determine the monthly performance of the plant by completing the Table 2 below: (10)
METALLURGICAL ACCOUNTING MEAMTA2 -6-
Table 2.Monthly Performance of the Plant
Item Weight (t) Assay (%) Weight Metal (t) Distribution
Metal (%)
Feed
Concentrate
Tails
2.3. Determine in liter per hour, the flow rate of make-up water required for the header tank.
(5)
QUESTION 3 (10 MARKS)
With the aid of a diagram neat, explain how you could apply a simple feed-back control loop
for the control of water level in mill header tank. Label all the elements making your diagram
neat
