Special Issue "Advances in Mineral Processing"

Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. Roger Smart
University of South Australia, Division of Information Technology, Engineering and the Environment, Mawson Lakes Campus, GPO Box 2471, Adelaide SA 5001, Australia
Website: http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/Staff/homepage.asp?Name=Roger.Smart
E-Mail: roger.smart@unisa.edu.au
Phone: +61 8 830 23353
Fax: +61 8 830 23683
Interests: minerals processing; environmental waste processing; materials processing; biomaterials; surface science

Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. Kota Hanumantha Rao
Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Division of Sustainable Process Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, SE-971 87 Luleå, Sweden
Website: http://www.ltu.se/staff/h/hrao-1.10035?l=en
E-Mail: hanumantha.rao@ltu.se
Phone: +46 920 491705
Fax: +46 920 97364

Dear Colleagues,

Mineral and metal extractive industries play a significant role in the economic development of all nations and mineral processing is one of the key areas to bring forth necessary metals and several finished products of mineral origin from ores. Despite the continuous structural shift towards a knowledge-based society, our society cannot operate without minerals, the consumption of which increases with the standard of living. With a growing demand in the main exporting BRICS countries, the prices of metals continuously increased during the last decade, which-in-turn, increased mineral exploration activities by the mineral industry. Leaner grades and finer dissemination of values in the more recently processed ores have made them more difficult to process economically and it expected that, future ore bodies will be similar or more demanding. It has also become imperative to rationalise technological schemes of ore processing with due consideration to environmental degradation. The industry is meeting these challenges with new research, understanding and technology.

The purpose of this special issue is to review recent advances in mineral processing techniques and to project from current state-of-the-art technology to potential in future mineral processing with full regard to protection of natural environment. Due to ever growing, but often disparate, literature in mineral processing, we think a new special issue with cutting edge and critical review articles on best practices from the most research advances in both fundamental and applied aspects of all mineral processing would be opportune to organize current information and innovations.

We, therefore, request the authors to submit the manuscripts for this new special issue in all areas listed in the keywords covering recent advances and innovation in mineral processing that will be of direct interest to the mineral industry, researchers and practitioners.

Prof. Dr. Kota Hanumantha Rao
Prof. Dr. Roger Smart
Guest Editors

Submission

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. Papers will be published continuously (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed Open Access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. For the first couple of issues the Article Processing Charge (APC) will be waived for well-prepared manuscripts. English correction and/or formatting fees of 250 CHF (Swiss Francs) will be charged in certain cases for those articles accepted for publication that require extensive additional formatting and/or English corrections.

• mineralogy
• comminution
• liberation
• physical separation (gravity, electrostatic, magnetic)
• flotation (cells, bubble, surface chemistry, froth control)
• leaching (bioleaching, Eh control)
• reagents
• water quality control
• modelling and process simulation
• integrated diagnosis of losses
• rock and tailings disposal and environmental control
• base metal minerals
• industrial minerals (oxides, silicates, clays; iron minerals; PGM minerals)
• strategic (rare earth) minerals

Feature Paper:

Title: Characterizing Frothers Through CCC95-HLB Relationships
Authors: Wei Zhang, S. R. Rao and J. A. Finch
Affliation: Department of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, H3A 2B2
Abstract: Frothers are surfactants used to reduce bubble size and stabilize froth in mineral flotation plants. This paper describes a methodology to characterize frothers using bubble size measurements—summarized by CCC95 (Critical Coalescence Concentration 95%) – linked to the frother structure represented by HLB (Hydrophilic-Lypophilic Balance). Three frother families have been studied: aliphatic alcohols, PGE (polypropylene glycol ethers) and PPG (polypropylene glycols) as a function of frother concentration. Bubble size (D₃₂) was measured in a 0.8 m³ mechanical flotation cell. The D₃₂ data were fitted to a 3-parameter model to determine the CCC95 which represents the concentration giving the minimum D₃₂. Each frother family shows a unique CCC95-HLB relationship. Commercial frothers of the known family (structure) fit the relationship. The ability to estimate CCC95 from structure/HLB information is proving valuable in modeling bubble size in industrial flotation systems.

General Papers:

Type of Paper: Review
Title: An Integrated Approach for Improved Diagnosis of Chemical Factors Effecting Mineral Flotation Efficiency
Author: Andrea R. Gerson
Affiliation: Applied Centre for Structural and Synchrotron Studies, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia
Abstract: It is more common than not that for studies examining issues with respect to mineral processing efficiency to examine a single aspect of the system via a narrow number of analytical methodologies. For instance surface analysis may be undertaken without reference to solution speciation or liberation may be studied but surface speciation may not be taken into account. We propose an integrated approach whereby mineralogy, liberation, surface and solution speciation are examined in parallel to establish a chemical over view of the system. We review herein, a selected number of studies where this approach has been undertaken to highlight the resulting improved understanding of the mineral flotation system as a whole.

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Dimensioning of Flotation Circuits for Optimal Performance
Author: Nils-Johan Bolin
Affiliation: Division of Process Technology Boliden Mineral AB, SE-936 81 Boliden, Sweden
Abstract: Dimensioning of flotation circuits have often been done by using residence time as the only dimensioning parameter. When column flotation was introduced in the 80ties, carrying capacity and lip length capacity was observed to be important factors. Three cases from Boliden Mineral AB's experiences are given witch emphasis the limitation given by carrying capacity.
Keywords: flotation; dimensioning

Type of Paper: Review
Title: Enhancing the Processability of Aqueous Industrial Mineral Pulps
Authors: Jonas Addai-Mensah and Ataollah Nosrati
Affiliation: Ian Wark Research Institute University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia; E-Mails: Jonas.Addai-Mensah@unisa.edu.au (J.A.); Ataollah.Nosrati@unisa.edu.au (A.N.)
Abstract: This paper investigates pulp mineralogy and chemistry relationships with particle interactions and leaching behaviour and how these impact on processability. Of interest are industrial mineral type of ores comprising silicates, oxides and clay minerals which display temporal rheological and incongruent leaching behaviour with a striking impact on mixing, particle interactions and metal extraction rates. Review of several case studies performed under industrially relevant conditions is presented and the influential role played pulp mineralogy and chemistry, in tandem with process variables such temperature and pH, is highlighted.  Effective methods for pulp chemistry and particle interactions regulation for enhanced processability are also discussed.

Type of Paper: Article
Title: A New Direction for Biomining: Extraction of Metals by Reductive Dissolution of Oxidized Ores
Authors: David Barrie Johnson, Barry M. Grail and Kevin B. Hallberg
Affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor LL57 2UW, UK; E-Mail: bss041@bangor.ac.uk (D.B.J.)
Abstract: “Biomining”, the biotechnology which uses microorganisms to extract metals from ores and concentrates, is currently used exclusively for processing reduced ores and mine wastes. Metals of economic value also occur extensively in oxidized ores, such as nickel laterites. While these are not amenable to oxidative dissolution, the ferric iron minerals they contain can, in theory, be disrupted by iron reduction causing associated metals to be released. We have harnessed the ability of the facultatively anaerobic, acidophilic bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferroooxidans to couple the oxidation of elemental sulfur to the reduction of ferric iron in the goethite fraction of a limonitic nickel ore at 30 °C. Nickel and other metals (Co, Cr and Mn) were effectively solubilised and maintained in solution due to the low pH (1.8) of the leach liquor. The results highlight the potential for the bioprocessing of oxidized, iron-rich ores using an approach that is energy-saving and environmentally-benign.
Keywords: oxide ores; bacteria; bioleaching; reduction