Ball Mills

For semi-autogenous circuits, see SAG mill liners, feed-end and discharge components.

Key equipment for fine grinding and regrinding. Liner and media consumption strongly affect operating costs; rubber composite liners offer advantages in suitable low-impact zones.

Ball mills finely grind ore through the impact and rolling action of grinding balls inside a rotating shell. Wear parts are concentrated in the shell lining and feed and discharge systems and account for substantial consumable demand in grinding operations.

Equipment Parts

Part Identification and Technical Details

Shell liners, lifters, head liners, grates (grate mills), pulp lifters, trunnion liners, grinding balls and gear-drive parts (gear mills) are principal.

Individual parts

Individual and Maintenance Parts

Shell Liners

Shell Liner / Shell Plate

Material families: Cr-Mo alloy steel / high-Cr white iron / rubber or Poly-Met composite (public layer—not a machine grade)
Installation and function: Replaceable working face inside the shell; forms profile with lifters and protects the shell

Lifter Bar / Lifter Plate

Material Options: Manganese steel / chromium-molybdenum alloy steel / rubber
Installation and Function: Lifts grinding balls to the required release height

Head liner

End Liner / Head Liner

Material Options: Manganese steel / chromium-molybdenum alloy steel
Installation and Function: Protects the inside of the mill head

Feed-End Liner

Feed End Liner / Inlet Liner

Material Options: Manganese steel / high-chromium cast iron
Installation and Function: Protects the feed end

Discharge grate / Grate plate

Discharge Grate / Grate Plate

Material Options: Manganese steel / alloy steel
Installation and Function: Controls discharge particle size

Pulp Lifters

Pulp Lifter / Discharge Lifter

Material Options: Manganese steel / rubber
Installation and Function: Lifts ground slurry to the discharge outlet

Steel Balls / Grinding Media

Grinding Balls / Steel Balls

Material Options: High-carbon steel / alloy steel / high-chromium cast iron
Installation and Function: Grinding media that directly break and grind the material
Maintenance Category: Very High

Trunnion Liner

Mill Trunnion Liner

Material Options: Babbitt metal / copper alloy
Installation and Function: Protects the trunnion

Bearing Bush

Bearing Bushing / Trunnion Bushing

Material Options: Copper alloy / Babbitt metal
Installation and Function: Supports rotation of the mill shell

Feed Chute Liner

Material Options: Wear-resistant steel plate / high-chromium cast iron
Installation and Function: Protects the feed chute

Ore Discharge Chute Liner

Discharge Chute Liner

Material Options: Wear-resistant steel plate / rubber
Installation and Function: Protects the ore discharge chute

Materials for similarly named parts may differ by OEM, machine model and operating conditions. Confirm the machine model, drawing and measured dimensions before ordering or manufacture.

Material Information

Manganese steel (ZGMn13): a conventional liner material with impact-induced work hardening.
Chromium-molybdenum alloy steel (Cr-Mo Steel): a candidate for fine-grinding liners requiring hardness and wear resistance.
Rubber composite liners: noise reduction, corrosion resistance and easier handling during installation.
High-chromium cast iron balls (Cr10-28%): abrasion-resistant grinding media.
Forged steel balls: tough, impact-resistant grinding media.

Brand Applicability

Metso Outotec, FLSmidth, thyssenkrupp, CITIC Heavy Industries (CITIC HIC), Northern Heavy Industries

Industry Applications

Gold, copper and iron ore processing, cement clinker grinding, limestone grinding for power plant desulfurization, and fine grinding of industrial minerals

Materials for similarly named parts may differ by OEM, machine model and operating conditions. Confirm the machine model, drawing and measured dimensions before ordering or manufacture.

Liner-system material families (2026-10-31 · Metso public layer)

Shell plates / lifters / head liners: Cr-Mo steel, high-Cr white iron, rubber or Poly-Met composites as families; composites split rubber cushion vs metal inserts.
Grates / pulp lifters: grate-discharge only; overflow ≠ grate—do not mix kits.
Girth gear / pinion: gear-drive mills only; GMD does not auto-list a girth gear.
Project lines (Ivan / Fenghuan): liner trial schemes and grinding-ball media stay at structure/function/family; PI/contracts/shipping stay archive-only.
Hard stop: no machine-specific grade, hardness, rubber recipe or fixed change interval on the parameter table.

Project-line mapping notes (2026-11-01 · Ivan/Fenghuan)

Allowed: existence/purpose of SAG/ball liner industrial trial schemes; grinding-ball media at family level; cooling-chamber function/structure boundary only.
Forbidden: PI/contracts/shipping lists/quotations/background checks/controlled rare-earth docs → archive only, never parameter tables.
No fake pages: filter-press / magnetic-separator without site slugs are not created.

Engineering Selection Considerations

Ball Mill Wear Parts: From Machine Data to Manufacturing Requirements

Shell, feed-end, discharge-end, grate and diaphragm interfaces are specific to the installation. Drawings or measured part records provide the basis for replacement inquiries.

What information is needed for a ball mill liner inquiry?

Provide the installed mill model, serial number, liner location, part or drawing, dimensions, fastening arrangement, material requirements, processed material and operating conditions.

Why must the liner location be identified?

Shell, head, feed-end, discharge-end and diaphragm or grate parts have different structures and loads. The installation location determines the required drawings and material assessment.

Can an old drawing be used directly for manufacturing?

An old drawing can provide a starting point, but its revision and interfaces must be compared with the installed part before manufacturing.

Identification

Identification and Inquiry Checks

Identify shell, feed-end, discharge-end and flow-path liners separately. State wet/dry duty, overflow or grate discharge, mill dimensions, speed, ball charge, media size, slurry and fastening. Grates and discharge components apply only to matching designs; confirm materials, backing and fastening individually.