Simulations of Vertimill Pilot Scale tests for Itabirite

Abstract

The Minas-Rio Project is the biggest project from Anglo American in the world and considers Vertimill in the regrinding circuit to adequate the particle size distribution to feed slurry pipeline that will pump the ore from Conceicao do Mato Dentro in Minas Gerais State to Acu Port in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. A Vertimill pilot test campaign was carried out at Metso's pilot plant facility located in York city, Pennsylvania State, USA, to provided information to sizing the industrial grinding circuit. The main objective of this work is proposing a way to simulate the industrial Vertimill using the population balance model, normally used to simulate ball mills. The simulations were based on the selection and breakage functions determined from the laboratory tests using a batch ball mill. The simulations were performed using a Vertimill model implemented in the ModsimTM plant-wide simulator. The results of simulations shows that was possible to simulate the pilot tests, with good accuracy, considering simple laboratory tests with small quantities of samples.