Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

Tantalum is a strategic metal with multiple applications in the new technologies. Tantalum deposits are scarce in EU. Thus, more efficient extracting processes are necessary to contribute to major European independency on these critical raw materials. Tantalum occurs mainly in pegmatites and leucogranite deposits and its placers. Europe does not produce tantalum; however, several deposits are susceptible of being exploited if technologies of processing are improved. This work is part of the Optimore Project which aims to develop modelling and control technologies, using advanced sensing and advanced industrial control by using artificial intelligence techniques, for the more efficient and flexible tantalum and tungsten processing from crushing to separation process. In this paper, a preliminary study of characterization of tantalum ores from leucogranite and alluvial deposits is presented to be used as a base for design the milling experiments to optimize the tantalum recovering during the processing. In the ore deposits tantalum appears in solid solution with niobium in complex oxides, which forms low grade aggregates which need to be processed by means of a separation process. Tantalum ores characterised here belong to alluvial placers of pegmatitic origin located in the Bolivian Amazon Craton and to leocogranites of Penuota, in Spain. Ta bearing minerals of the Bolivian placers are mainly from the columbite group minerals. In Penouta microlite is abundant and often it has a zoning characterised by a Nb-rich core followed by a Ta-rich rim of several cm in thickness., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

Peer Reviewed

Tantalum is a strategic metal with multiple applications in the new technologies. Tantalum deposits are scarce in EU. Thus, more efficient extracting processes are necessary to contribute to major European independency on these critical raw materials. Tantalum occurs mainly in pegmatites and leucogranite deposits and its placers. Europe does not produce tantalum; however, several deposits are susceptible of being exploited if technologies of processing are improved. This work is part of the Optimore Project which aims to develop modelling and control technologies, using advanced sensing and advanced industrial control by using artificial intelligence techniques, for the more efficient and flexible tantalum and tungsten processing from crushing to separation process. In this paper, a preliminary study of characterization of tantalum ores from leucogranite and alluvial deposits is presented to be used as a base for design the milling experiments to optimize the tantalum recovering during the processing. In the ore deposits tantalum appears in solid solution with niobium in complex oxides, which forms low grade aggregates which need to be processed by means of a separation process. Tantalum ores characterised here belong to alluvial placers of pegmatitic origin located in the Bolivian Amazon Craton and to leocogranites of Penuota, in Spain. Ta bearing minerals of the Bolivian placers are mainly from the columbite group minerals. In Penouta microlite is abundant and often it has a zoning characterised by a Nb-rich core followed by a Ta-rich rim of several cm in thickness., Peer Reviewed

Peer Reviewed

Another title in MEI Conference: Energy consumption applied to high pressure grinding rolls modelling with population balance models. http://www.min-eng.com/comminution16/paps.html, High pressure grinding rolls are a good alternative for comminution. This device presents low operative cost and high energy performance. Modelling of 16 mono-size assays have been carried out using grinding rolls with controlled operative pressure and tangential velocity. Back-calculation of the different parameters of the model have been developed with MATLAB software. The fitting of the simulated curve is in a good agreement with the experimental data in a wide range of tests. The present model describes correctly the physical behaviour of the particles within the high pressure grinding roll. The error is low except for experiments with small feed particle size. This situation could be explained because for fine particle sizes the bed compression phenomenon is predominant. The particle size distribution has been monitored in the input and output for each assay. The validation experiments show that the model is consistent. The selection function describes adequately the breakage probability of the particles inside the high pressure grinding rolls. Then, the present model is a good alternative for simulating a high pressure grinding roll process., Peer Reviewed

Peer Reviewed

Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

Another title in MEI Conference: Energy consumption applied to high pressure grinding rolls modelling with population balance models. http://www.min-eng.com/comminution16/paps.html, High pressure grinding rolls are a good alternative for comminution. This device presents low operative cost and high energy performance. Modelling of 16 mono-size assays have been carried out using grinding rolls with controlled operative pressure and tangential velocity. Back-calculation of the different parameters of the model have been developed with MATLAB software. The fitting of the simulated curve is in a good agreement with the experimental data in a wide range of tests. The present model describes correctly the physical behaviour of the particles within the high pressure grinding roll. The error is low except for experiments with small feed particle size. This situation could be explained because for fine particle sizes the bed compression phenomenon is predominant. The particle size distribution has been monitored in the input and output for each assay. The validation experiments show that the model is consistent. The selection function describes adequately the breakage probability of the particles inside the high pressure grinding rolls. Then, the present model is a good alternative for simulating a high pressure grinding roll process., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)