Copper Mining Wear Parts for Four Process Routes

Process Routes

Four Copper Mining Process Routes

Each route identifies the main equipment and wear locations. The process route determines the equipment combination and the wear-part selection.

Route One · Large-Scale Mining

Large Open-Pit Porphyry Mine

Large open-pit porphyry mines commonly use gyratory primary crushing followed by SAG and ball milling. Key wear areas include gyratory liners, SAG liners and slurry pump wet-end parts.

Main equipment: Main Equipment: Gyratory crushers, SAG mills, ball mills, hydrocyclones, slurry pumps and flotation cells

Route Two · Energy-Efficient Circuit Design

Three-Stage Crushing–HPGR–Ball Milling

HPGR can provide an alternative to a SAG circuit, with energy savings dependent on ore and process conditions. Feed stability, tramp-iron removal and distribution across the roll width affect roll surface wear.

Main equipment: Main Equipment: Gyratory crushers, cone crushers, HPGR, ball mills, hydrocyclones, slurry pumps and flotation cells

Route Three · Underground Mining

Underground Block Caving

Underground space constraints place crushers in chambers and introduce ore bins, ore passes, hoisting and long-distance conveying. Relevant wear parts include LHD bucket teeth, ore bin liners and ore pass liners.

Main equipment: Main Equipment: Underground jaw/cone crushers, ore bin grizzlies, LHDs, shaft hoists, long-distance belt conveyors, and surface SAG milling, ball milling and flotation

Route Four · Hydrometallurgical Copper Processing

Oxide Ore Heap Leaching–SX/EW

Heap leaching with SX/EW focuses on crushing, screening, leach-solution transport, solvent extraction and electrowinning. Select pump, piping and valve materials for the solution chemistry, solids content and erosive conditions.

Main equipment: Main Equipment: Crushers, screens, heap-leach irrigation systems, acid-solution pumps, solvent extraction tanks, electrowinning cells and pipe elbows

Equipment and Wear Parts