THE INFLUENCE OF LINER DESIGN ON THE RATE OF PRODUCTION OF FINES IN A ROTARY MILL

Autogenous Milling trials were conducted in a 1.8 m diameter batch mill, to assess the influence of linear design on the rate of production of fine. A reproducible sampling technique was established for assessing the mass of fines in the mill at any time during the run. It is believed that a simple and cost-effective technique has been developed for testing the metallurgical performance of liners. Changes in the liner design were found to cause variations of up to 40% in the rate of production of fines and the energy efficiency of a mill. The height and spacing of the lifters are intimately interrelated, and different configurations to those reported in the literature were found to be optimal. The power draw is principally a function of the mass of grinding media, as opposed to the total mass of the charge. With the correct liner design, it should be possible to minimize the energy consumption while maximizing the milling rate. The liner profile can also be designed to optimize the impact point of the charge, which will increase the maximum impact energy and the work done by the charge.