BR112013006374A2 - mixture of extracted material - Google Patents

Abstract

MIXING OF EXTRACTED MATERIAL. A method of mixing the extracted and / or stored material from different sections of a mine and / or more than one mine includes dry sorted or extracted material and production of an improved material, and mixing the improved material with other material from the mine and / or with material from one or more of another mine and produce the product of the specification required by the customer.

Description

Patent Specification Report for "MIXING ~ 'EXTRACTED MATERIAL".

. The present invention relates to a method for mixing extracted material to produce a mixed product of a specification required by the customer. The extracted material can be a metal or non-metal material. Iron-containing and copper-containing ores are examples of metalliferous materials. Coal is an example of a non-metalliferous material. The present invention relates particularly, although in no way "10 exclusively to an extraldo material in the form of iron ore (and stockpiled iron ore) and is described below in the present context. However, the present invention also extends to other extracted and stored materials. It is known to extract iron ore in large blocks of ore from banks. In this conventional mining operation, the ore blocks are usually substantial, for example, 40 m in length by 20 m in depth and 10 m in height and contain 8,000 tonnes of ore, normally a section of a bank is tested by chemical analysis of ore samples taken from a series of 20 holes drilled in the section for determine whether the ore is: (a) high grade, (b) lower grade or (C) waste material on a mass average basis.The cutoff points between high and low grade and between low grade and residual material depend on a range of f and may vary from mine to mine and in different sections of mines. When the analysis is complete, 25 a piece of protective material from the section is prepared. The plan locates the perforated samples of the section on a map. Regions of (a) high grade, (b) lower grade or (c) residual material are determined by sample analysis (such as chemical testing and / or abundance of ore / material type) and are marked on the plan, with marked boundaries that separate 30 different regions. The limits are also selected taking into account other factors, such as geological factors. The regions define blocks to be posted

- ,, & riorly extracted. The ore blocks are detonated using explosives and are removed from a mine shaft and transported from the mine excavation. The ore is processed inside and outside the mine shaft depending on the grade determination for each block. For example, residual ore is used to fill the mine, low grade ore is stored or used to mix with high grade ore, and high grade ore is further processed as needed to form a marketable product. . The further processing of high grade ore strips from simple crushing and screening to a range of standard sizes through processes that benefit or improve iron ore to produce a product of a specification required by the customer.

W Processing can be dry or wet. A significant proportion of low grade ore is not mixed and remains as stockpiled ore. Consequently, there are 15 large reserves of mined ore, which have been classified as low grade ores that have potentially significant economic value despite the low grade of the ore. International Application PCT / AU2009 / 001364 (International Publication WO 2010/042994) on behalf of the applicant describes a method for classifying extracted material, such as iron ore including low quality iron ore, comprising: (a) determining whether a volume of material to be extracted is upgradeable and extracting the volume of material or determining whether a volume of a material in a stock of extracted material is improved: and 25 (b) after reducing the appropriate size (for example , by crushing and sieving), the dry classification of the extracted or stored material that is established to be improved and the production of an extracted material improved. The improved extracted material may be a product that meets a specification required by the customer or may be suitable for further processing, for example, by mixing with another material, to produce a product of a specification required by the customer.

The International Order also describes a classification device. dry classification to classify the extralated or stored material, which is determined

· Undermined to be improved.

Disclosure in the International Order specification is incorporated by cross-reference in this document.

The International Order method approach of determining whether the material is upgradeable is a completely different approach from conventional mining, as discussed above, which is based on making an assessment of the average mass of the ore blocks and categorizing the "10 ore as high grade, low grade or residual material.

In the International Order (and in this document) the term "upgradeable" is understood to mean that the material extracted or stacked is a material that is capable of being classified dry to improve the actual or potential economic value of the material.

The international application describes what is meant by the term "improving" in the following terms. "The cliténos to determine if, a material (including the material to be extracted / and the material / stored) is me / time / are not limited to a specific gmu and may incur / re relevant factors m / na in partici'cu- / ag such as the characteristics of matenaL and may include other factors, 20 such as market requirements for the material.

The characteristics of the matehal may include the extent to which the valuable components of a matehal may be released, for example, by reducing the size of the part, the abundances of the mineral, and the types of materials.

In some situations, the term "me / horável" can be understood here 25 to mean that there is a range of degrees in which the parts / cu / as indiv / duals that make up the material in a vo / ume of matehal to be extraldo, such as a hollow hollow of the type described above, for which some parts are older / older than other parts, and there would be a benefit in separating the vo / ume of material into upper and lower components.

In other situations, the term "me / horáve /" can also be understood here to mean that there is a range of degrees of material in the parts of the material in a stock of extra material / what has c / signed as bay material w / age, according to which some parts are more and / or higher than other parts, and there would be a benefit in separating the stocked material in upper and lower 5 / age components.

In other situations, the term "me / horáve /" can also be understood here as meaning that the material contains parts of "impurities" within a vo / ume of material to be extracted / or in a stock.

For example, in the context of coal, impurities may comprise any one or more of shale and silica and other components of ash.

The term "degree ': as used in this document, it is understood that only an average of the amount of a constituent is added to a given vo / ume part / cu / as of a forest / extraldo, such as as miného, expressed as a percentage, with the cu / cu / o quality being based on quantities by weight.

In the context of iron ore, grade refers to the percentage by weight of iron and other constituents of m / nium that are considered to be important for children.

The other constituents include, as an example, only, aluminum / phosphorus.

The International Order describes that the term "dry sorting" is understood as any sorting process that does not need added moisture for the purpose of effecting separation.

The term "dry classification" is understood to have the same meaning as in this specification.

The method and apparatus described in the International Order make it possible to recover value of extracted and stored material, such as iron ore that would otherwise be classified as low grade material or residual material, as described above, on a mass average basis.

This is particularly the case where the particles in the low grade material or waste material comprise a group of discrete particles that are above a quality threshold and another group of discrete particles that are below a quality threshold.

The method and the apparatus also make it possible to recover the value of material extracted and stored as

4N such as coal containing shale and silica particles or other "impurities" by the separation of carbon particles and these "impurity" particles. O

. end result is the production of products with the specifications required by the customer. 5 The International Order describes that dual energy x-ray analysis is an option for use in determining whether an extracted material is an improvement.

The International Order also describes that dupfa energy x-ray analysis is an option for use in the dry classification of particles of material that has been determined to be an improved material. "10 International Application PCT / AU2009 / 001179 (International Publication WO 2010/025528) on behalf of the applicant describes a method and an apparatus for analyzing dual energy x-rays of an extracted material.

The term "dual energy x-ray analysis" is understood in this document to mean the analysis that is based on the processing of data 15 of the transmitted x-rays detected through the entire thickness of each particle obtained at different photon energies.

Such processing makes it possible to minimize the effects of non-constituent factors on the detected data so that the data provide clearer information about the composition, type or shape of the material.

The cleavage in the International Order specification is incorporated by cross-reference in this document.

The applicant has carried out additional research and development work on the method and apparatus for classifying the extracted or stacked material and the method and apparatus for dual energy x-ray analysis of an extracted or stored material described in International orders above.

In particular, the applicant has done more research and development work on a dry classifier for extracted or stacked material that uses dual-energy x-ray analysis to help determine whether particles of an extracted or stacked material 30 they are above or below a quality threshold, and then the dry classification of the particles of the material based on the determination of the grade / quality.

The above description should not be considered as a description. common knowledge in Australia or elsewhere.

- The applicant realized that the dry classification method and the apparatus described in the International Orders above can be used 5 in a wide variety of situations in a mining operation to facilitate the production of a range of products according to the required specifications by the customer. In particular, the applicant realized that the use of the dry and apparatus classification method is not limited to the classification of extracted and stored material that has been determined to be "10 better and extends to any extracted and stored material. In particular, the applicant has realized that there are considerable benefits in terms of product design according to required specifications that can be achieved in the selective use of the dry grading method and an apparatus in a mining operation for processing 15 none, but not necessarily all the material extracted in a mine and / or in a mining operation shipping facility. In particular, the applicant realized that the selective use of the dry classification method and the apparatus can provide a great deal of flexibility for mine operators in production scheduling to meet customer requirements 20 and to maximize value recovery from mines, in particular including stored material, which has been classified as low grade or waste material. In particular, the applicant realized that the selective use of the dry sorting method and the apparatus can provide considerable flexibility to a mining operation and make it possible to maintain tonnages of material shipped to customers in situations where there are interruptions not programmed in mining operations in one or more mines. In addition to the previous one, in the context of the present invention, the applicant realized that the dry classification method and the apparatus provide an opportunity for considerable flexibility to mix the material extracted and / or stored from different sections of a mine and / or multiple mines to produce a range of different blended products that meet customer requirements.

In addition, the applicant has realized it. than this opportunity for flexibility extends to dry sorting and

. mixture of material extracted and / or stored in locations ranging from mines to customer operations and any locations between those locations. According to the present invention, a method is provided of mixing the material extracted and / or stored from different sections of a mine and / or more than one mine that includes extracted or stored dry classification material and production of an improved material, and mixing the improved material with another material from the mine and / or with material from one or "10 from more than one other mine and produce the product of the specification required by the customer." According to the present invention is provided a method of mixing the material extracted and / or stored from different sections of a mine and / or more than one mine to produce a mixed product of a specification required by the customer, the method including the steps of: (a) dry classification of material extracted and / or stored from at least one section of at least one mine in at least one dry classifier and producing an improved material, and (b) mixing the improved material with another material from mine 20 and / or with a or d material and more than one other mine and produce the product of the specification required by the customer.

The dry classification step and the mixing step can be carried out in any suitable place or places.

For example, the dry sorting step and the mixing step are carried out in a mine or mines, a transport facility, such as a sea port, or a customer operation.

As a particular example, in a situation where the material extracted and / or stored is iron ore and the customer's operation is a steel plant, the dry classification step and the mixing step can be carried out at the plant steel industry.

In this situation, the improved material can be mixed with other material from the mine or from one or more other mines, including mines from other suppliers of the steel mill.

The dry classification and mixing of iron ore at the steel plant makes it possible to take into account the parameters of the other material at the steel plant and

- to operate the dry classification step to ensure that the mixed product meets the specification required by the customer. The mixing step may include mixing (a) the improved material from the dry classifier or classifiers and (b) extracted and / or stocked material that is not dry classified material.

The mixing step may include mixing improved material from only a plurality of dry classifiers. "10 The term" improved "material, as used here is understood to mean that the dry classifier material has a higher + measure of a selected parameter that is relevant to the specification required by the customer than the average measure of said parameter in the material that supplies the classifier 15 In any situation, the product specification required by the customer can be based on any one or more than an appropriate parameter for the product.

For example, the product specification required by the customer may be based on any one of more than one grade, particle size distribution, particle size and density. The grade may be based on an element in the material or other elements. elements and / or compounds in the material.

For example, in the case of iron ore, one element can be iron, another element can be phosphorus, one compound can be alumina, and another compound can be silica. 25 Typically, the product specification required by the customer is a combination of at least two parameters.

The mixing step can be based on the grade to achieve a specification required by the customer for the grade of the product.

The mixing step can be based on particle size 30 to achieve a specification required by the customer for the particle size.

The mixing step can be based on the size distribution

particle size to achieve a specification required by the customer for * particle size distribution. r The mixing step can be density-based to achieve a specification required by the customer for density. 5 The mixing step can be based on the particle shape to achieve a specification required by the customer for the particle shape.

The mixing step can be based on two or more of the above parameters to achieve the specifications required by the customer for these "10 parameters.

The method can comprise monitoring the operation of the - dry classifier or classifiers for graduation and / or another parameter that is relevant to the specification of the product required by the customer. The method may comprise controlling the operation of the dry sorter or sorters to produce improved material having parameters as required for use in the mixing step to produce the mixed product of the product specification required by the customer.

The defined method may include controlling the operation of the dry sorter or sorters using a control system that monitors all material being processed in the mine or mines that is used in the mixing step, including material that is not being processed. processed in the dry classifier or classifiers, whereby production operators are able to take into account the parameters of any non-dry classifier feed for the mixing step, which are relevant to the mixed product when determining adjustments operational for the dry classifier or classifiers so that the improved material of the dry classifier or classifiers has the required parameters to facilitate the production of the mixed product of the specification required by the customer when mixed with non-dry classifier material.

The mine or mines may be part of a mining operation that also includes a shipping facility for sending the project.

& duct of specification required by the customer for a customer, a transport connection for transporting material from the mine to the shipping facility,

- and a mixing facility.

The transport connection can transport any one or more of an extracted material, stocked material, improved material produced in the dry classifier or classifiers, and the product of the specification required by the customer for the shipment installation.

The boarding facility may be a maritime port facility, with the capacity to load one or more than one product transport vessel.

The boarding facility can be a rail-road installation. ro, capable of loading one or more than one product transport train.

The transport connection can be a railway and / or a highway system.

The mixing facility can be in any suitable location.

The improved material of the dry classifier or classifiers can be any suitable percentage by weight of the total production of the mine or mines taking into account relevant factors including capital and operating costs of the equipment and the specifications required by the customer and the properties of the material extracted mine or mines.

The improved material of the dry or dry sorter can be less than 25% by weight of the total production of the mine or mines.

The improved material of the dry classifier or classifiers 25 may be less than 20% by weight of the total production of the mine or mines.

The improved material of the dry classifier or classifiers can be less than 15% by weight of the total production of the mine or mines.

The operating base of a dry classifier can be modified, as needed, from time to time. 30 For example, the dry classifier can be operated for a period of time taking into account a particular element in the material that is relevant to a customer's specification and can be operated for another period of time taking into account another element in the material that is relevant to another customer specification.

. As an additional example, a threshold quality for a particular element can be increased or decreased over time depending on the quality of that element in other material extracted or stacked from the same mine and / or other mines that is used in the mixing step. The improved material of the dry classifier or classifiers can be further processed to facilitate the production of the mixed product to the specification required by the customer. For example, the "10 improved material can be reduced in size, for example, in a crusher, to a desired particle size range. As an additional example, the improved material can be subjected to grading operations. Additional sorting operations can be wet or dry sorting operations. 15 The material fed to the dry classifier or classifiers can be extracted or stored material that has been assessed as being upgradeable material, as described in this document. As the dry classifier or classifiers are operated to classify the material for improvement, mining operation 20 may include analyzing the material to be extracted or material in existing stockpiles of extracted material to determine whether the material is an improved material. may comprise taking a plurality of samples, such as perforated samples, from a volume of material to be extracted 25 do, such as an ore block of the type described above, before mining the material and analyzing the samples, for example, by determining the quality of each of the samples, and performing an assessment of whether the ore in the volume of ore is upgradable. The analysis may also comprise taking a plurality of 30 samples of a stocked material and analyzing the samples, for example, by determining the quality of each of the samples, and making an assessment of whether the material in the stocked material is better.

The number of samples needed in any given situation. will depend on factors related to a particular mine or a section of the

- mine to be explored.

Any suitable technique can be used to analyze the 5 samples in the analysis step.

The dry classifier or classifiers can use any suitable analytical technique to determine the basis for classifying particles of the material being processed in the classifier.

There may be a correlation between the analysis technique used in the "10 step analysis and the dry classifier or classifiers.

A suitable analytical technique for the analysis step and dry classifiers or classifiers is dual energy x-ray analysis.

Other analytical techniques include, for example, X-ray fluorescence, radiometric, electromagnetic, optical and photometric techniques.

The applicability of any one or more of these (and other) techniques will depend on factors related to the ore of a particular mine or a section of the mine to be explored.

The dry classifier can be adapted for dry classification, based on the analysis of a parameter, such as the degree of individual particles of the material.

The material can be extracted using any suitable mining method and equipment.

For example, the material can be extracted by drilling and blasting ore blocks from a well and transporting the ore extracted from the well by trucks and / or transporters. 25 As an additional example, the material can be extracted through surface miners that move on the floor of a well and transported ore extracted from the well by trucks and / or conveyors.

The present invention also provides a method of producing a product of a specification required by the customer in the mining operation described above, the method of which involves extracting material from at least one mine, transporting material from the mine or mines to a mining facility. boarding, and boarding a product to the required specification

µ by the customer, for a customer, and whose method also includes processing at least part of the material in the mine or mines or in the installation of

- embark on at least one dry sorter and the production of an improved extracted material, and production of at least some product of the specification required by the customer by mixing updated material and other material from the mine or mines.

The present invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an example of a plan of protective material "10 for a section of a mine bank in a conventional mining operation, with the Figure being the Figure 1 of the International Order specification PCT / AU2009 / 001364; Figure 2 is an embodiment of a mining operation in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 3 is a flow chart illustrating one, although not the only, embodiment of the method and an ore sorting apparatus according to the present invention, with the Figure being Figure 2 of the International Pedod Specification PCT / AU2009 / 001364. The description of the invention is in the context of a material extracted in the form of iron ore.

Note that the invention is not limited to iron ore and extends to other extracted materials that contain valuable components.

The invention generally relates to metallfered and non-metalliferous materials.

In addition to iron ore, copper is an example of a metalliferous material.

It is not an example of a non-metalliferous material.

Figure 1 is a plan of protective material for a section 51 of a bank in an open cast iron ore mine operating like a conventional mine.

The plan shows the locations of a series of holes 53 (indicated by crosses) that have been drilled to obtain samples.

The samples are analyzed to determine the grade of ore in the samples.

The plan also shows tests and is marked with a series of limits 55 that divide the section into a series of blocks 57 based on whether the ore in the blocks is determined by the sample analysis being (a) high grade,

- (b) low grade or (c) residual material based on grade of the ore.

There are six blocks 57 shown in the Figure.

High quality BIOCos 5 are called "HG" low grade blocks are called "LG", and the residual blocks are called "VV 'in the Figure.

The cutoff points between the high and low grades and between the low grade and residual material depend on a range of factors and can vary from mine to mine and in different sections of mines.

Each ore block 57 is detonated using "10 explosives and is removed from a mine shaft and transported from the mine excavation.

The ore is processed inside and outside the mine shaft depending on the quality determination for each block.

For example, residual ore is used to fill the mine, low grade ore is stored or used to mix with high grade ore, and high grade ore is further processed as needed to form a marketable product.

Processing can be dry or wet.

In a conventional iron ore extraction operation, low grade ore blocks are not normally mixed with another ore and are stored and not sold and therefore represent significant lost economic value.

However, some or all of these blocks and the existing stocks of previously mined ore that have been classified as low quality material may be suitable for improvement in accordance with the present invention and are processed including dry graded as for example, with reference to the flow chart in Figure 3. As described above, International Order PCT / AU2009 / 001364 describes an alternative approach to mining material that, in the context of iron ore, is based on assessing whether a being mined or stockpiled ore is "upgradable", with an assessment of whether ore is upgradable based on a number of factors.

Factors include whether ore particles can be classified within particle streams that are above or below a quality threshold.

Upgradable ore includes ore that has discrete particles that are above the quality threshold and discrete particles that are below the quality threshold.

The assessment may include assessing the extent to which the ore size reduction can separate ore 5 into such discrete particles.

Ore that has iron finely spread through all the particles is generally not ameliable.

The present invention is based on an embodiment of the applicant in which dry classifiers, particularly dry classifiers that process ore to be mined or stock ore that is better and would otherwise be classified as low ore grade based on conventional mining methodology, it can provide a mining operation with considerable flexibility to mix extracted and / or stocked ore to produce a range of mixed products that have the required specifications of the customer and to maintain maximum tonnage - 15 gens of ore shipped in situations where there are interruptions of the scheduled operation in one or more mines.

In particular, the present invention is based on the applicant's perception that this opportunity for flexibility extends to dry sorting and mixing of extracted and / or stocked material in locations ranging from mines to customer operations and any locations between those locations. .

With reference to Figure 2, the completion of the mining operation according to the invention illustrated in the Figure comprises three iron ore mines identified by the numbers "1", "2" and "3". Each of the mines produces crushed ore of a particle size range 25 required for customer product requirements that is transported by trains to a shipping facility in the form of a sea port.

The ore is discharged from the trains in stocks of raw materials.

The stockpiled material is then loaded onto ships and transported to customers in Australia and abroad.

Each of the mines is operated to load 30 trains with iron ore of a selected quality, which may be different for different mines.

The basis of the selection is that the ore on the trains can be mixed to produce ore mixed to the specification required by the customer.

between.

As shown in the Figure, at the particular point in time for the mining operation captured by the Figure, mine 1 produces mine trains.

- "A" quality ore, mine 2 produces "B" quality ore trains, and mine 3 produces "C" quality ore trains. The discharge sequence 5 of the trains is controlled to mix the ore so that stocks include ore in the specification required by the customer in terms of ore quality.

The operation of the mines is monitored and controlled to produce ore of selected qualities that can be mixed at the port to produce a product to the specification required by the customer.

Each of the "10 mines includes one or more of a dry classifier, such as a dry classifier operating based on dual energy x-ray analysis, as described in International Application PCT / AU2009 / 001179, to classify - tion of extracted or stored ore that has been assessed as "upgradeable" as described above.

Each of the mines also extracts and processes ore extracted and stored in accordance with the conventional mining practice of categorizing ore blocks as high grade, low grade, and residual material based on an assessment of the average block mass. .

In the case of mine 1, the dry classifier (s) in the mine process 10 ° /, of the material extracted in the classifier.

In the case of mine 2, the dry classifier (s) in the mine process 15% of the material stored in the classifier.

In the case of mine 3, the dry classifier (s) in the mine process 10 ° 6 of the total extracted production of the extracted ore and stored in the classifier.

The mining operation also includes a control system that monitors the production of the mines in terms of parameters for a specific product specification required by the customer.

These parameters can include degree, particle size, particle size distribution, density and shape of the particles.

In the present embodiment, quality is the key parameter.

The grade may be the iron content.

The grade can be the content of other elements and compounds in iron ore.

One of these elements is phosphorus 30 ro.

One such compound is silica.

Another compound is alumina.

The parameters also include the required product tonnage for the customer.

The control system

read the results in terms of the degree of dry classifiers that is required. to produce improved ore from separators which, when

· Mixed with other ore produced from the mines, produces the mixed product of the specification required by the customer.

The control system adjusts the

5 operation of dry separators as required to produce the material improved to the required degree (or other selected parameter or parameters). For example, the control system can adjust a threshold grade for the ore, with ore above the threshold grade being improved material and ore below the threshold grade being residual material.

It can be seen that the

"10 dry classifiers operate to adjust the mine's production to smooth out disturbances in the degree of the other material supplied to the mixer installation to enable the product to be made to specification.

As a particular example, in a situation where most of the ore in mine 1 is below a specification required by the customer for the grade of the ore,

15 the dry classifier (s) in mine 1 and / or other mines can be operated to provide improved ore that is above the grade required by the customer to mix with ore that is below the grade required by the customer and elaborate a product in the specification.

This is a particularly useful result where the improved ore comes from stocks that are classified

20 of them as low grade.

This use of low grade ore makes it possible to recover the value of the mining operation. The flowchart shown in Figure 3 is an embodiment of a dry classification operation that includes the use of a dry classifier as described above. 25 The flowchart shown in Figure 3 is described in the context of the ore that has been transported from a mine shaft to a primary crusher 3 and is crushed in the crusher.

Note that the invention also extends to those situations in which the ore is crushed and classified in the mine shaft. 30 Referring to Figure 3, the ore crushed in the primary crusher 3 is fed to a sieve 5 for the removal of unwanted fine materials in the crushed ore, for example, in the form of a live sieve

'bratory, which separates the ore based on the size of the particles in one -

* over-dimensioned fraction of +75 mm and an under-dimensioned fraction of -75 mm.

The over-sized fraction of the unwanted 5 material removal sieve 5 is transferred to a secondary crusher 7 and, after reducing the size in the crusher, it is transferred back to the primary crusher flow 3. The undersized fraction of the sieve 5 for the removal of unwanted fine materials is transferred to a sieve 9 for the removal "10 of unwanted fine materials downstream, for example in the form of a vibrating sieve, which separates the ore based on the size of the k particles in an over-sized fraction of 8 -75 mm and an under-sized fraction of -8 mm.

The undersized fraction of the sieve 9 for removing fine material is a stream of fines that is transferred for further wet or dry processing.

The over-sized fraction of the unwanted fine material sieve 9 is transferred to a product sieve 11, for example, in the form of a vibrating sieve.

The product sieve 11 separates the ore based on the particle size in an oversized fraction of 32-75 mm and an undersized fraction of -32 mm.

The oversized fraction of the product sieve is transferred to the secondary crusher 7 and, after reducing the size in the crusher, 25 is transferred back to the flow of the primary crusher 3. The undersized fraction of the product sieve 11 is transferred for a downstream product sieve 13 that separates the ore based on the size of the particles in an oversized fraction of 8 -32 millimeters and an undersized fraction of -8 mm. 30 The undersized fraction of the product sieve 13 is a fine stream that is transferred for further processing with the undersized fraction of the sieve 9 for the removal of fine materials.

The oversized fraction of the product sieve 13 is a

The product stream, at least in terms of par- size distribution. 0 · ticle. The oversized fraction of the product sieve 13 is transferred to an ore classifier and the particles are classified on the basis of ore grade, that is, average composition of the particles in two streams. Classifier 15 can be a classifier that uses dual X-ray analysis or any other appropriate analysis technique to determine the degree of ore of particles processed in the classifier. A "10 chain, called a" chunk "in the Figure, of the ore classifier 15 comprises ore that has an iron concentration above a grade of ore threshold, for example 63 ° / o of weight in Fe. This chain is a chain required product, in terms of particle size distribution and composition, and forms a marketable product or a product that can be mixed with other ore streams to produce a marketable product. The other chain, called "scrap" in the Figure, of the ore classifier 15 comprises ore that has a concentration of iron below one grade of ore, for example, 63% of the weight in Fe. This current is transferred to a stock to be used, for example, as 20 A fundamental characteristic of the flowchart described above is in Figure 3 that the grade classification step is performed only on the ore that is in the required particle size distribution, that is, the fraction of size 8-32 mm. the fraction is an oversized fraction 25 of the product sieve and there is no classification of fines ore. The embodiment described above is an example of a series of possible embodiments for classifying ore in a dry classifier. There are a large number of other possible embodiments, each of which has particular characteristics that may be appropriate depending on the requirements of a particular mining operation. Many modifications can be made to the embodiment of the present invention described above in relation to Figures 2 and 3, without departing from

W of the spirit and scope of the invention. + As an example, although the completion of classifier 0

- shown in Figure 3 describes particular size fractions, the present invention is not so limited and extends to the separation of ore into any size fractions (particle sizes) suitable for a particular mine and mining operations and mining requirements downstream market.

Specifically, it is found that the present invention is not limited to the specific product size fractions described with respect to the embodiment. "10 Furthermore, although the embodiment of the classifier shown in Figure 3 describes a particular product grade, the present invention is not so limited and extends to any suitable grades for a given market.

Claims (25)

W «1, Method of mixing material extracted and / or stored from different sections of a mine and / or more than one mine to produce a mixed product of a required customer specification, the method including the steps (a) dry classification of material extracted and / or stored from at least one section of at least one mine in at least one dry classifier and producing an improved material, and (b) mixing the improved material with another material from the mine " 10 and / or with material from one or more of another mine and produce the product of the specification required by the customer. - Method according to claim 1, wherein the dry sorting step and the mixing step are carried out in a mine or mines, a transport facility, such as a sea port, or a client. 3. Method according to claim 2, in which, in a situation where the material extracted and / or stored is iron ore and the customer's operation is a steel plant, the dry classification step and the mixing stage are carried out at the steel plant. 20 A method according to claim 3, which includes mixing the improved material with another material from the mine or from one or more of another mine, including mines from other steel mill suppliers. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mixing step includes mixing (a) the improved material from the dry classifier or classifiers and (b) extracted and / or stored material which is not dry classified material . 6. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mixing step includes mixing the improved material only from a dry classifier range. 30 7. Method according to any of the preceding claims, in which the specification of the product required by the customer is based on any one of more than one gradation of distribution of size t ", f 2/4 of particle, density and particle format and Fq. A method according to claim 7, wherein the graduation is based on an element in the material or other elements and / or compounds in the material. 5 9. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the specification of the product required by the customer is a combination of at least two parameters. 10. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mixing step is based on grading to "10 achieve a customer specification for grading the product." 6 A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mixing step is based on particle size, to achieve a specification required by the customer for the particle size. 15 12. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mixing step is based on particle size to achieve a specification required by the customer for the particle size distribution. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 20, wherein the mixing step is based on graduation to achieve a specification required by the customer for density. 14. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mixing step is based on particle shape to achieve a specification required by the customer for the particle shape. 15. Method according to any of the preceding claims, which includes monitoring the operation of the dry classifier or classifiers for graduation and / or another parameter that is relevant to the specification of the product required by the customer. 30 1 (3. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, which includes controlling the operation of the dry classifier or classifiers to produce improved material having parameters as required for use in the mixing step to produce the mixed product of b, W product specification required by the customer . ^ 17. Method according to any of the preceding claims, which includes controlling the operation of the dry classifier or 5 classifiers using a control system that also monitors all material being processed at the mine or mines that is used in the mixing step, including material that is not being processed in the dry classifier or classifiers, by which production operators are able to take into account the parameters of any classifier feed "10 not dry for the mixing step, which are relevant to the mis-" product fused when determining operational settings for the dry or classifier. sifiers so that the improved material of the dry classifier or classifiers has the required parameters to facilitate the production of the mixed product of the specification required by the client when mixed with 15 material) of non-dry classifier. 18. Method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the improved material produced in the dry grading step is less than 25% by weight of the total production of the mine or mines. 20 19. Method according to any of the preceding claims, which includes dry sorting material in the dry sorting step for a period of time taking into account a particular element in the material that is relevant to a customer specification and for another period of time taking into account another element in the material that is relevant to another customer specification. 20. Method according to any of the preceding claims, which includes dry grading material in the dry grading step taking into account a minimum threshold grade for a given element and increasing or decreasing the minimum threshold grade over time 30 depending the graduation of this element in other material extracted or stored from the same mine and / or other mines that is used in the mixing stage. 21. The method of any one of claims b:. precedents, which includes the processing of improved material from the dry classifier or classifiers, in addition to facilitating the production of the mixed product to the specification required by the customer. 5 22. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the material fed to the dry classifier or classifiers includes material extracted or stored which has been assessed as being upgradeable material, as defined herein. 23. The method of any one of the preceding claims, which includes the use of X-ray analysis, such as dual energy x-ray analysis, as an analytical technique for determining the basis for classifying the particles of material being processed in the dry classifier or classifiers. 24. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 15, which includes classification material in the dry classification step based on the analysis of a parameter, such as the grading of individual particles of the material. 25. Method of mixing material extracted and / or stored from different sections of a mine and / or more than one mine to produce a mixed product of a required customer specification, the method including the steps of: (a) dry classification of material extracted and / or stored based on the degree of at least one section of at least one mine in at least one dry classifier and produce an improved material, where the improved material is at least 25% by weight of the total production of the mine or mines and (b) mixing the improved material with another material of the mine 'and / or with material from one or more other mine and producing the product of the specification required by the customer.