Mineral Processing and Sustainable Exploration and Mining
Objectives
Provide students technical and practical concepts of mining and processing of ores, with emphasis on metallic ores and special sands, namely, choosing the most appropriate techniques, equipment’s and procedures, and environmental impacts. Students will be able to integrate team-works concerning the execution of technical mining projects, as well as to integrate the teams of monitoring and optimization of processes and preparation of environmental impact studies. Learn mining exploration techniques and methodologies. Learn the steps and activities in an exploration and mining project. Mining project development, environmental impact assessment and licensing of exploration and mining projects.
General characterization
Code
12340
Credits
6.0
Responsible teacher
António Carlos Gil Augusto Galhano, José António de Almeida
Hours
Weekly - 5
Total - Available soon
Teaching language
Português
Prerequisites
None.
Bibliography
Lowrie, R. L. (2002) SME Mining Reference Handbook, SME.
Fuerstenau, M.C. & Han, K.N. (2003) Principles of Mineral Processing, SME.
Wills, B.A. & Napier-Munn, T. (2015) Wills’ Mineral Processing Technology, 8th Edition: An Introduction to the Practical Aspects of Ore Treatment and Mineral Recovery, Butterworth-Heinemann.
Darling, P. (2011) SME Mining Engineering Handbook, Third Edition, Volumes 1 & 2 3rd Edition, SME.
King, R.P. (2001) Modelling and Simulation of Mineral Processing Systems, Elsevier. W. C.
Peters (1988) - Exploration and Mining Geology. 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons.
R. Marjoribanks (1997) - Geological Methods in Mineral Exploration and Mining. Chapman & Hall.
S. Haldar (2013) - Mineral Exploration, Principles and Applications, 1st Edition, Elsevier
Teaching method
Available soon
Evaluation method
The evaluation is of the continuous type, in each session / week a questionnaire and / or problems are proposed that must be delivered until the end of that week. The works proposed each week have the same weighting in the final grade. This questionnaire / problems can be replaced by a final exam.
Subject matter
Mining and mineral processing objectives. Mineralogical images and image processing. Liberation size. Physical and geomechanical properties of rocks for mineral processing and separation / concentration. Unit operations of liberation and separation. Comminution. Mechanical screening. Technologies and equipment’s for screening. Technologies and equipment’s for separation. Circuits of comminution-screening. Circuits of separation. Transport of solids and sludge. Decantation. Flocculation. Mass balance. Recovery indexes. Consumption of energy and water. Tailings dams. Environmental impacts. Techniques and stages of mining. Samples, pathfinders and equipment. Project and well logging techniques in exploration. Environmental impact in concessions. Life cycle of a mine and mining infrastructures. Methods of excavation and mineral extraction. Excavation and blasting. Mine closure.