EP4003614A1 - Agencement d'enrichissement, procédé et utilisation de l'agencement - Google Patents

Agencement d'enrichissement, procédé et utilisation de l'agencement

Info

Publication number
EP4003614A1
EP4003614A1 EP20746196.3A EP20746196A EP4003614A1 EP 4003614 A1 EP4003614 A1 EP 4003614A1 EP 20746196 A EP20746196 A EP 20746196A EP 4003614 A1 EP4003614 A1 EP 4003614A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
accordance
sensor
arrangement
beneficiation
sensors
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP20746196.3A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Lars GRÖNVALL
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Metso Outotec USA Inc
Original Assignee
Metso Outotec USA Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Metso Outotec USA Inc filed Critical Metso Outotec USA Inc
Publication of EP4003614A1 publication Critical patent/EP4003614A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C66/00—General aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts
    • B29C66/40—General aspects of joining substantially flat articles, e.g. plates, sheets or web-like materials; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles; Joining single elements to substantially flat surfaces
    • B29C66/41—Joining substantially flat articles ; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles
    • B29C66/45—Joining of substantially the whole surface of the articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/34—Sorting according to other particular properties
    • B07C5/342—Sorting according to other particular properties according to optical properties, e.g. colour
    • B07C5/3425—Sorting according to other particular properties according to optical properties, e.g. colour of granular material, e.g. ore particles, grain
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/34—Sorting according to other particular properties
    • B07C5/342—Sorting according to other particular properties according to optical properties, e.g. colour
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/34—Sorting according to other particular properties
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/34—Sorting according to other particular properties
    • B07C5/3416—Sorting according to other particular properties according to radiation transmissivity, e.g. for light, x-rays, particle radiation
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/34—Sorting according to other particular properties
    • B07C5/344—Sorting according to other particular properties according to electric or electromagnetic properties
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/34—Sorting according to other particular properties
    • B07C5/346—Sorting according to other particular properties according to radioactive properties
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/36—Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
    • B07C5/363—Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution by means of air
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
    • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
    • B29C37/00—Component parts, details, accessories or auxiliary operations, not covered by group B29C33/00 or B29C35/00
    • B29C37/02—Deburring or deflashing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C2501/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material to be sorted
    • B07C2501/0063—Using robots

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a beneficiation arrangement, for example within the mining industry.
  • gangue tends to be high in silicates and typically harder than the minerals to be liberated
  • removal of this hard and barren material prior to comminution stages also has the potential to significantly reduce energy consumption and processing costs, and may also reduce ore transport requirements. This can be done by separating large volumes of barren gangue from a fully loaded conveyor belt based on the grade as determined by sensor measurement.
  • sensors are available, and commonly include photometric, electromagnetic, radiometric and x-ray. The sensors are normally applied to loaded truck boxes or a fully loaded conveyor belts such that bulk quantities of ore can be evaluated.
  • US-2014/0144342 describes a method for blasting which achieves that those parts of the geological body to be mined having a higher grade have the finest fraction post-blasting whereas less valuable parts, such as gangue, have larger fractions. The more valuable, finer fractions can then be separated from the less valuable fractions by means of a screening device or other separation equipment.
  • An object of the invention is to overcome, or at least lessen the above mentioned problems, especially those related to sensor based stream sorting.
  • a particular object is to provide an arrangement for beneficiation for use with geological material.
  • a beneficiation arrangement for use with geological material comprising an entrance area for the geological material and a first sensor station comprising at least one sensor for determining a property of the geological material. It further comprises a first sorting station for sorting the geological material as well as an exit area where the geological material leaves the beneficiation arrangement.
  • the beneficiation system further comprises a conveying system for transportation of the geological material.
  • the conveying system extends between the entrance area and the exit area and the first sensor station is arranged along this conveying system, downstream of the entrance area. Further, the first sorting station is also arranged along the conveying system downstream of the first sensor station and the operation of the first sorting station is based on information retrieved by the first sensor station.
  • This arrangement has the advantage that the sensor station can be used to obtain relevant parameters about the geological material, such as metal ore, and the data obtained at the sensor station is then used to control the downstream sorting station where the geological material can for example be sorted into one stream of more valuable material, which can be forwarded to further treatment and one stream of less valuable material which can be transported for disposal.
  • the entrance area comprises a separation arrangement for dividing the geological material in a plurality of material flows before reaching the conveying system. This has the advantage that each part-flow can be treated optimally in the beneficiation arrangement.
  • the conveying system comprises separate tracks for each of the material flows. By providing separate tracks it is possible to convey and sort the material in parallel flows.
  • a track bypasses the first sensor station and the first sorting station.
  • beneficiation is to only treat those parts of the flow of geological material that requires treatment. Usually, what is meant by treatment in this field is comminution but if a parts of the material has already been determined to have a sufficient grade, there is no point in having it pass the sensors and sorting station. This would only consume beneficiation capacity that could be better used for other parts of the flow, or you could even argue that it would cause increased energy needed with no benefit.
  • the plurality of material flows are divided by means of a screening
  • particle size post blasting can be used to estimate grade.
  • more valuable parts of the ore body will have finer fraction whereas less valuable, barren material, gangue, will break into coarser fractions.
  • One possibility is for example to have the finest particles, or particles in a finer range, bypass the sensor station and sorting station and continue directly to further comminution.
  • the first sensor station comprises a plurality of sensors.
  • the plurality of sensors comprises different sensor types. By measuring different properties of the geological material, measurement accuracy can be further improved and the sorting station can be fed with information of higher quality.
  • the plurality of sensors comprises sensor types selected from a group comprising but not limited to: laser sensor; camera; color sensor; photometric sensor; magnetic resonance sensor; radiometric sensor; near-infrared sensor; Lidar; Radar; x-ray; gamma ray spectrometers; weight sensor.
  • sensor types selected from a group comprising but not limited to: laser sensor; camera; color sensor; photometric sensor; magnetic resonance sensor; radiometric sensor; near-infrared sensor; Lidar; Radar; x-ray; gamma ray spectrometers; weight sensor.
  • At least a first sensor of a first type and a second sensor of a second type are arranged in series within the first sensor station.
  • a plurality of sensors is arranged in series within the first sensor station, in particular 2-10 sensors, more particularly 2-7 sensors, even more particularly 3-6 sensors.
  • a first sensor is arranged upstream of a second sensor and wherein the second sensor is activated depending on information retrieved by the first sensor.
  • the sensors are serially arranged in an upstream-downstream arrangement and wherein a downstream sensor is activated depending on information retrieved by one or more of upstream sensor/s.
  • the sensors comprise sensors of different types.
  • At least two of the sensors are arranged in parallel with each other. In some situations, it can be advantageous to have two or more sensors perform their measurements simultaneously, for example to enhance measurement accuracy.
  • the at least two sensors arranged in parallel with each other are arranged in series with at least one further sensor.
  • the output data of the sensors is arranged to be combined in a fusion process.
  • Each of the sensors used has certain advantages and
  • the aim of sensor fusion is to use the advantages of the individual sensor to precisely understand the environment.
  • the fusion process is done as direct fusion.
  • the direct fusion is done by using sensor data from heterogeneous and/or homogeneous sensors and/or soft sensors and/or history values of sensor data.
  • the fusion process is done as indirect fusion.
  • the indirect fusion is done using previous knowledge about the environment and/or human input.
  • the fusion process is done as a combination of direct fusion and indirect fusion. In accordance with an embodiment of the beneficiation arrangement, the fusion process is done in a centralized manner. In this embodiment, the sensors forward their output data to a central computational unit which takes care of the correlating and fusing of the data as well as any decision making based on the outcome.
  • the fusion process is done in a decentralized manner.
  • the sensors do not simply forward their output data to a central computational unit. Instead, each or at least some of the units handle correlation and fusing themselves and has a certain amount of autonomy when it comes to how the outcome is used and what decisions to make based thereon.
  • some of the sensors are arranged in a competitive configuration. This can for example be used to detect sensors not working correctly.
  • a sensor station may comprise more than one sensor capable of determining the size of a particle of geological material, e.g. a laser scanner and a camera. It is then possible to have these two sensors work in a competitive configuration to see if they deliver comparable results. If not, error correction could be considered. It is thus not necessary or even required that the sensors work in a competitive configuration at all time.
  • At least some of the sensors are arranged in a complementary configuration.
  • a complementary configuration a plurality of sensors supply different information about the same geological material. During continuous operation, this is often more energy efficient than the competitive configuration.
  • sensors are arranged in a manner such that less energy requiring sensors are arranged upstream of more energy requiring sensors.
  • a more energy requiring sensors is activated in dependence of information retrieved by a less energy requiring sensor.
  • This arrangement makes considerable energy-saving possible.
  • Some sensor types are extremely energy intensive, for example x-ray, and if those sensors should be applied to the entire flow of material, which can exceed 3500 tons per hour, sometimes more than 6000 tons per hour and in certain applications even more than 15000 tons per hour, enormous amounts of energy would be required.
  • x-ray is a good way of improving measurement accuracy, the energy consumption makes it impossible to apply continuously.
  • the present invention instead makes it possible to apply sensors with high energy consumptions only in cases where previous, upstream and less energy intense sensors have not been able to establish the characteristics of a geological particle with a sufficiently high probability. Only when the data of previous sensors is not enough to determine if a particle is valuable or not, more energy intense sensors, such as x-ray, should be applied. This brings about considerable energy savings while maintaining excellent measurement accuracy.
  • the first sorting station comprises at least one robot arranged to sort geological material being transported by the conveying system.
  • the first sorting station comprises a group of robots.
  • the robots of the first sorting station comprise deflectors. Sometimes, deflectors are better suited to divert particles into the correct stream.
  • the group of robots are arranged in an upstream-downstream arrangement along the track of the conveying system.
  • separate tracks of the conveying system comprise separate first sorting stations. Since different tracks will convey geological material having different properties, e.g. particles of different size, it is advantageous to have separate robot sorting stations for each track. Smaller particles will probably require less powerful robots but instead speed is more relevant to be able to handle more particles per hour.
  • the at least one robot arranged to sort geological material comprises gripping means for picking and placing geological material.
  • the at least one robot arranged to sort geological material comprises vacuum suction means for picking and placing geological material.
  • the at least one robot arranged to sort geological material comprises pushing means for moving geological material during sorting thereof.
  • the entrance area comprises openings having pre-defined width and/or height.
  • the width and/or height of the openings are adapted to a particle size of the respective tracks such the particles can only pass through the openings one at the time.
  • the information of the sensors will be much more reliable of they can perform their measurements on individual particles.
  • the solution with openings having predetermined opening size will prevent particles of geological material from entering the conveying system in groups. Instead, the particles will enter one by one such that the system can differentiate between the individual particles.
  • the conveying system comprises one or more conveyor belts per track.
  • Conveyor belts are convenient way of transporting geological material, such as ore.
  • at least one of the tracks comprises more than one conveyor belt and wherein the conveyor belts are arranged to be operated at different speeds.
  • a conveyor belt of the tracks is operated at a speed exceeding the feed rate of geological material. This will ensure that the adjacent particles will become distanced from each other such that the system will be able to evaluate each particle individually. If the sensors are allowed to measure one particle at them time, measurement accuracy will be greatly improved.
  • the conveying system comprises one or more conveyor belts per track. Using two or more conveyor belts per track makes it possible to provide continuous sorting of material.
  • a first conveyor belt can for example transport the particles that have been considered valuable towards further comminution.
  • a second conveyor belt can transport the particles that have been considered to have little or no value towards gangue dumps or similar.
  • a further sensor station and/or sorting station is arranged between the first sorting station and the exit area.
  • a further sensor station and a further sorting station are arranged between the first sorting station and the exit area.
  • the beneficiation arrangement is arranged to use information retrieved by at least the further sensor station for system optimization.
  • the further sensor station can be used as quality assurance and can operate continuously as a last stage sensor and sorting station or can be applied at regular intervals as a control stage to determine if the system with the first sensor station and first sorting station is operating as intended.
  • the information retrieved by at least the further sensor station is relayed back into the system for quality check purposes.
  • a control unit is provided.
  • the control unit is arranged to obtain information from all other parts of the beneficiation arrangement and to process the information and send out instructions to the parts of the beneficiation arrangement based on that information.
  • a first sensor station comprising at least one sensor by means of a conveying system
  • the method further comprises the step of separating the geological material in a plurality of material flows at or near the entrance area before reaching the conveying system.
  • the method further comprises the step of having at least one of the material flows bypassing the first sensor station and the first sorting station. In accordance with an embodiment of the method, the method further comprises the step of using a screening arrangement for dividing the flows of materials based on particle size.
  • the method further comprises the step of applying a plurality of sensors in the first sensor station.
  • the method further comprises the step of applying different sensor types.
  • the method further comprises the step of selecting type of sensors from a group comprising: laser sensor; camera; color sensor; photometric sensor; magnetic resonance sensor; radiometric sensor; near-infrared sensor; Lidar; Radar; x-ray; weight sensor.
  • the method further comprises the step of arranging at least a first sensor of a first type and a second sensor of a second type in series within the first sensor station.
  • the method further comprises the step of arranging a plurality of sensors in series within the first sensor station, in particular 2-10 sensors, more particularly 2-7 sensors, even more particularly 3-6 sensors.
  • the method further comprises the step of arranging a first sensor upstream of a second sensor and such that the second sensor is activated depending on information retrieved by the first sensor.
  • the method further comprises the step of arranging the sensors serially in an upstream- downstream arrangement and such that a downstream sensor is activated depending on information retrieved by one or more of upstream sensor/s.
  • the method further comprises the step of applying sensors of different types.
  • the method further comprises the step of arranging at least two of the sensors in parallel with each other.
  • the method further comprises the step of arranging the at least two sensors arranged in parallel with each other in series with at least one further sensor. In accordance with an embodiment of the method, the method further comprises the step of combining the output data of the sensors in a fusion process.
  • the method further comprises the step of performing the fusion process in a centralized manner. In accordance with an embodiment of the method, the method further comprises the step of performing the fusion process in a centralized manner.
  • the method further comprises the step of arranging at least some of the sensors in a competitive configuration.
  • the method further comprises the step of arranging at least some of the sensors in a
  • the method further comprises the step of arranging sensors in a manner such that less energy requiring sensors are arranged upstream of more energy requiring sensors.
  • the method further comprises the step of arranging sensors such that a more energy requiring sensors is activated in dependence of information retrieved by a less energy requiring sensor.
  • the method further comprises the step of arranging at least one robot arranged to sort geological material being transported by the conveying system at the first sorting station. In accordance with an embodiment of the method, the method further comprises the step of arranging a group of robots at the first sorting station.
  • the method further comprises the step of arranging the group of robots in an upstream- downstream arrangement along the track of the conveying system. In accordance with an embodiment of the method, the method further comprises the step of arranging separate first sorting stations at the separate tracks of the conveying system. In accordance with an embodiment of the method, the at least one robot arranged to sort geological material comprises gripping means for picking and placing geological material.
  • the at least one robot arranged to sort geological material comprises vacuum suction means for picking and placing geological material.
  • the at least one robot arranged to sort geological material comprises pushing means for moving geological material during sorting thereof.
  • the conveying system comprises separate tracks for each of the material flows
  • the entrance area comprises openings having pre-defined width and/or height.
  • the width and/or height of the openings are adapted to a particle size of the respective tracks such the particles can only pass through the openings one at the time.
  • the conveying system comprises one or more conveyor belts per track.
  • at least one of the tracks comprises more than one conveyor belt and wherein the conveyor belts are arranged to be operated at different speeds.
  • a conveyor belt of the tracks is operated at a speed exceeding the feed rate of geological material
  • a further sensor station and/or sorting station is arranged between the first sorting station and the exit area.
  • a further sensor station and a further sorting station are arranged between the first sorting station and the exit area.
  • the beneficiation arrangement is arranged to use information retrieved by at least the further sensor station for system optimization.
  • the information retrieved by at least the further sensor station is relayed back into the system for quality check purposes
  • Fig. 1 shows a schematic structure of the beneficiation arrangement in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention.
  • the beneficiation arrangement 100 may start with a feeding arrangement, such as a feeding conveyor 10 which feeds geological material, such as ore or other geological material which may benefit from the invention.
  • the feeding conveyor 10 may obtain the material from an intermediate storage of material, directly from dump trucks or in any other suitable manner.
  • the material is typically run of mine ore coming directly from blasting and no previous crushing or similar has yet been performed. However, to avoid damage to the equipment, some type of size check is required. This could be done by using a so-called grizzly feeder.
  • the feeding conveyor 10 may then, if necessary, transport the material to a primary crusher 20, such as a jaw crusher or gyratory crusher which reduces the particle size prior to further processing.
  • a primary crusher reduces particle size to ⁇ 250mm, often to a size between 100- 200mm.
  • the material arrives at a screening arrangement 30 which splits the flow of material into for example three different material flows F1 , F2 and F3. The difference between these material flows being the size of the particles.
  • F1 may comprise particles having a size between 150-250mm
  • F2 may comprise particles having a size between 100-150mm
  • F3 may comprise particles having a size between 75-100mm.
  • these particle sizes are only exemplary and large variations may occur depending on the geological material to be treated, blasting methods and equipment used. Further, the invention is by no means limited to three flows of material.
  • an additional flow of material FG is provided.
  • One example is to use an optimized blasting method, as described in e.g.
  • This entrance area 40 comprises three entrances 41 , 42, 43, one for each material flow F1 , F2, F3, each entrance being fed by a corresponding output from the screening arrangement 30.
  • Each of these entrances 41 , 42, 43 comprises an opening having a pre-defined width and/or height. The width and/or height of these openings are adapted to the particle size of the respective material flow F1 , F2, F3 such that the particles can only pass through the openings one at the time. This is advantageous in that it ensures that particles don’t leave the entrances 41 , 42, 43 lying on top of each other or in heaps. Instead they will leave the entrance area 40 and enter a respective first conveyor belt of the conveying system CS one by one.
  • the openings of the entrances 41 , 42, 43 can be provided in the form of comb-shaped elements, i.e. pipes or similar extending in a generally vertical plane keeping the particles laterally spaced apart. After leaving the entrance area 40, the particles will be transported by the conveying system CS comprising one track per flow of material F1 , F2,
  • the conveying system CS typically comprises several conveyor belts, at least one conveyor belt per track.
  • the conveyor belts are preferably arranged to operate at a speed which is higher than the feeding rate through the respective entrances 41 , 42, 43. This means that the particles will become laterally separated by the openings of the entrances 41 , 42, 43 and longitudinally separated by means of the higher speed of the conveyor belt. Together, these arrangements make sure that the particles are kept separated.
  • the particles enter the first sensor station 50, 51 ,
  • first sensor stations 50, 51 , 52 there are three first sensor stations 50, 51 , 52. One for each flow of material F1 , F2, F3, i.e. one for each particle size range.
  • the first sensor stations 50, 51 , 52 each comprises a number of different sensors arranged to determine the content of the particles, i.e. to determine the amount of valuable material, such as iron, gold, copper, or other material, present in each particle.
  • the sensors are typically arranged in upstream-downstream arrangement and are arranged such that the
  • a downstream sensor is made dependent on the outcome of one or more upstream sensors. It may be the case that some sensors are very accurate when it comes to determining the content of a particle but will have substantial energy requirements.
  • One such sensor type is x-ray sensors. X-ray can determine the content to a high degree and could, if used to every particle, deliver very reliable output. But the drawback is that it requires large amounts of electricity.
  • Other sensors, such as laser scanners or cameras are less energy intensive but also less reliable in some situations. In accordance with the present invention, sensors using less energy are applied first and if they can deliver results, with a pre-defined level of certainty, the use of downstream, more energy intensive sensors need not be used.
  • an upstream, sensor such as a laser scanner
  • a given particle is comprises valuable material in an amount above a pre-defined limit and that this information is at a level of certainty above a given threshold
  • downstream sensors such as x-ray sensors.
  • upstream sensor/s are not capable to determine the amount of valuable material in a particle
  • downstream sensors are applied one after the other until a decision can be made. It is, however, also possible to apply the sensors in more intricate manners.
  • a first sensor determines that a particle seems to have a specific set of properties, it may, based on the outcome of previous measurements, be determined that this particle is best evaluated by a specific sensor or specific set of sensors of the sensor station. For example, a sensor arranged at a most upstream position, i.e. closest to the entrance area 40, determines that a particle seems to have properties identical or at least similar to previously sensed particles which properties in the end were best determined by a specific sensor, such as an x-ray, or specific set of sensors, the system can activate that or those sensors immediately and avoid using sensors that previously have proven to be unsuccessful. It should also be noted in this respect, that the sensors applied in the sensor station need not all be actual, physical sensors.
  • so-called soft sensors or virtual sensing means can be applied. These uses information available from other measurements and process parameters to calculate an estimate of the quantity of interest and may be used to provide feasible and economical alternatives to costly or impractical physical measurement instruments.
  • the sensors can be arranged in a sensor fusion process.
  • direct fusion may be applied. Direct fusion is the fusion of data from a set of sensors, soft sensors, and history values of sensor data.
  • indirect fusion may be applied which also uses information sources like a priori knowledge about the environment and also human input.
  • the first conveyor belt of the conveying system CS After leaving the first sensor station 50, 51 , 52, the first conveyor belt of the conveying system CS further transports the particles to first sorting stations 60, 61 , 62 comprising one or more sorting robots. It is advantageous if these conveyor belts have a certain minimum length. This will give the system enough time to process the data obtained at the first sensor stations 50, 51 ,
  • the system will send instructions to the first sorting stations 60, 61 , 62.
  • the conveying system CS comprises an additional conveyor belt running in parallel with the first conveyor belt.
  • the robots of the first sorting stations 60, 61 , 62 will receive instructions to either leave a given particle on the first conveyor belt or to move this particle to the additional conveyor belt.
  • Each of the first and additional conveyor belts are assigned to either particles deemed valuable enough for further comminution or to particles which are deemed less valuable and which will therefore be transported to a gangue dump or similar.
  • the different first sorting stations 60, 61 , 62 each comprises one or more robots capable of sorting particle of the sizes of the respective material flows F 1 , F2, F3.
  • the robots of a first sorting station 60, 61 , 62 may be arranged to handle larger particles than the robots of another first sorting station 60, 61 , 62.
  • the first sorting stations 60, 61 , 62 handling particles of smaller sizes must be able to handle larger number of particles per time unit than the first sorting stations 60, 61 , 62 handling particles of larger sizes.
  • the robots may work in accordance with principle of pick and place by lifting the particle using any of a gripping means; a vacuum means; a magnetic means or any other suitable means or they may work as a deflector, guiding, or knocking the particles to a correct position on the first or additional conveyor belt.
  • This second sensing and sorting station 70, 71 , 72 may comprise a sensor station having for example an x-ray sensor and a sorting station having a sorting robot.
  • This second sensing and sorting arrangement may be in constant use evaluating the particles deemed to be of less value and if the system, based on the data from the second sensor station, indicates that a particle is indeed of interest for further comminution, the second sorting station may move the particle back to the conveyor belt for valuable particles.
  • the data obtained in this second sensing and sorting station 70, 71 , 72 may be used for quality check of the first sensor stations 50, 51 , 52 and first sorting stations 60, 61 , 62 and the results may be looped back into the system such that function will improve over time. It is also possible to use this second sensing and sorting station 70, 71 , 72 in an intermittent manner, e.g. for regular quality checks or when processing geological material where the system has little or no previous experience and where the knowledge needs to be gathered in order to run-in the system properly. It can also be applied when new types of sensors are applied in the first sensor stations 50, 51 , 52 which need to be fine-tuned. When leaving the second sensing and sorting station 70, 71 , 72, the particles of less value are transported to a gangue dump or similar and the valuable particles are transported for further beneficiation and comminution.
  • a control unit 100 is arranged to receive information from all other parts of the beneficiation arrangement, such as sensor data, robot sorting statistics, conveyor belt speed, feeding rate from primary crusher, flow ratio between the different material flow F 1 , F2, F3 etc. Based on this input, the control unit decides on which actions are to be taken, i.e. instructions to the robots of the sorting stations; required conveyor belts speeds; which sensors are to be applied and in which order, etc.
  • the arrangement may not necessarily be connected to a central control unit which processes all the information and takes all the decisions in a centralized manner.
  • the parts of the arrangement such as the sensors, may themselves be responsible for processing the information obtained thereby, or even by other parts of the arrangement, and take actions for correlating and fusing the data and may have a certain autonomy in decision making in a decentralized manner.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Toxicology (AREA)
  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
  • Geophysics And Detection Of Objects (AREA)
  • Control Of Conveyors (AREA)
  • Analysing Materials By The Use Of Radiation (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un agencement d'enrichissement destiné à être utilisé avec un matériau géologique comprenant une zone d'entrée pour le matériau géologique, un premier poste de détection comprenant au moins un capteur destiné à déterminer une propriété du matériau géologique, un premier poste de tri destiné à trier le matériau géologique et une zone de sortie où le matériau géologique quitte l'agencement d'enrichissement. Le système d'enrichissement comprend en outre un système de transport destiné au transport du matériau géologique s'étendant entre la zone d'entrée et la zone de sortie, le premier poste de détection étant agencé le long du système de transport en aval de la zone d'entrée et le premier poste de tri étant agencé le long du système de transport en aval du premier poste de détection et le fonctionnement du premier poste de tri étant basé sur des informations récupérées par le premier poste de détection. La présente invention concerne également un procédé et une utilisation correspondants.
EP20746196.3A 2019-07-29 2020-07-24 Agencement d'enrichissement, procédé et utilisation de l'agencement Pending EP4003614A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE1950907A SE544132C2 (en) 2019-07-29 2019-07-29 A beneficiation arrangement for use with geological material
PCT/EP2020/070995 WO2021018781A1 (fr) 2019-07-29 2020-07-24 Agencement d'enrichissement, procédé et utilisation de l'agencement

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CN (3) CN112295714A (fr)
AU (1) AU2020323233B2 (fr)
BR (1) BR112022001586A2 (fr)
CA (1) CA3148772A1 (fr)
CL (1) CL2022000228A1 (fr)
MX (1) MX2022001289A (fr)
PE (1) PE20220541A1 (fr)
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PE20220541A1 (es) 2022-04-08
SE544132C2 (en) 2022-01-11
CN116945611A (zh) 2023-10-27
MX2022001289A (es) 2022-05-06
CL2022000228A1 (es) 2022-11-18
AU2020323233A1 (en) 2022-03-03
CN213255039U (zh) 2021-05-25
SE1950907A1 (en) 2021-01-30
BR112022001586A2 (pt) 2022-03-22
CA3148772A1 (fr) 2021-02-04
WO2021018781A1 (fr) 2021-02-04
AU2020323233B2 (en) 2026-04-02
CN112295714A (zh) 2021-02-02

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