Ball milling and mineral processing – from ore crushing to high-value utilization

The inextricable bond between ball milling and minerals. In the field of mineral processing, ball milling technology occupies a pivotal position. From ore extraction to high-value products ,ball milling is a key link and plays an irreplaceable role in improving the utilization rate of mineral resources and promoting the development of related industries.

Working principle

Ball milling is a process of refining materials through friction, impact, and other effects. Specifically, the ball mill is mainly composed of a cylinder, a liner, a grinding medium, a drive device, and other components. First, the drum holds materials and grinding media. Meanwhile, the liner protects the drum and alters media motion. Furthermore, grinding media, like steel or ceramic balls, crush materials directly. Finally, the drive system powers the ball mill’s operation, ensuring smooth processing.
During milling, ball rotation creates strong impact forces.
These forces quickly reduce minerals to the desired size.
Compared to hammer or roller mills, ball milling is finer.
It can not only achieve micron-level or even nano-level crushing effects, but also has a good classification effect.

The role of ball milling in mineral processing

There are many kinds of minerals. Common non-metallic minerals such as quartz sand, kaolin, calcium carbonate, etc. are widely used in construction, ceramics, chemical industry and other industries. Ball milling plays a vital roles in mineral processing, mainly in two aspects: such as particle size refinement and activity improvement.

• Particle size refinement and classification: Ball milling can break mineral particles into tiny particles and adjust the particle size distribution through proper control. This is of great significance for the subsequent processing of minerals, especially the extraction and utilization of fine minerals. For example, in metal minerals, particle size refinement can increase the leaching rate of minerals and improve the recovery rate of resources.
• Increasing Mineral Activity: Ball milling increases the specific surface area and crystal defects. This significantly enhances mineral reactivity. Finer particles improve reaction rates and solubility in chemical processes. This benefits metal smelting and non-metal processing.

Factors affecting ball milling effect

The efficiency of ball milling depends on several factors.
Key factors include grinding media, milling time, rotation speed, and mineral properties.

Selection of Grinding Media：
Grinding media significantly affect ball milling efficiency. Different materials, such as steel or ceramic balls, impact grinding performance differently. Generally, harder balls provide stronger impact forces. As a result, they improve grinding efficiency.

Milling Time and Rotation Speed：
Milling time and speed directly affect particle size and grinding efficiency. If too short, minerals may not be fully ground. If too long, energy consumption increases, and equipment wears faster. Moreover, excessively high or low speed reduces impact efficiency. Therefore, optimization depends on mineral properties and processing needs.

Mineral Type and Hardness：A mineral’s hardness, structure, and shape affect milling efficiency. Harder minerals require stronger impact forces for effective grinding. In contrast, softer minerals reach the desired size more easily.

Optimization and innovation of ball milling technology

With the continuous advancement of technology, ball milling technology is also constantly being optimized and innovated.

Improvement of ball mill and new equipment: Modern Ball Mills are no longer limited to traditional drum designs. Nowadays, advanced models like high-energy, vibrating, and jet mills have emerged. These innovations enhance efficiency and adaptability. Moreover, It can also adapt to the processing requirements of various minerals by adjusting different operating parameters.

Energy-saving and environmentally friendly technology:
With the increasing awareness of environmental protection, energy-saving ball milling technology has gradually become mainstream. By optimizing the design and operation of the ball mill, energy consumption can be significantly reduced while reducing noise and dust pollution. In addition, the research on green ball milling technology is gradually promoting the sustainable development of this technology.

Application cases of ball milling in the mineral industry

Calcium carbonate processing

Case Background:
A calcium carbonate mine has abundant resources. However, the product from the raw ore has a large particle size. This size cannot meet the demand for ultrafine calcium carbonate in industries like plastics and rubber. To expand its market and increase product value, the mine decided to adopt ball milling for ultrafine processing.

Ball Milling Application:
The mine introduced an advanced stirred ball mill. Special grinding media and additives were used. After crushing the raw calcium carbonate to a certain size, it was sent to the stirred ball mill. In the high-speed stirring mill, calcium carbonate particles were continuously ground finer. This ultrafine product has excellent dispersibility and filling properties. It is widely used in plastics, rubber, and coatings. This process significantly increased the product’s value and market competitiveness.

Wollastonite processing

Case Background:
A wollastonite mine has good crystal morphology. However, the raw ore has uneven particle size and impurities. To produce high-quality wollastonite products, the mine aimed to meet the needs of ceramics and friction materials industries. This required grinding and surface modification of the wollastonite.

Ball Milling Application:
The mine first used a ball mill to grind the raw wollastonite. The target particle size was below 200 mesh, with over 95% passing.
During the milling process, appropriate grinding aids were added to improve efficiency and product quality.
After milling, the wollastonite underwent surface modification.
This treatment enhanced its oil affinity and dispersibility. The modified wollastonite product serves as a reinforcing filler in ceramics. It improves strength and toughness in ceramics. In friction materials, it enhances the stability of the friction coefficient and wear resistance. This modification shows promising application prospects.

Environmental Protection

Ball milling technology is also used in the comprehensive utilization of mineral resources. For waste slag, low-grade ore, etc., ball milling can improve their reuse value through refinement and activation processes, reduce resource waste, and achieve a win-win situation of environmental protection and resource reuse.

Conclusion

Ball milling, as an important mineral processing technology, plays a key role in improving precision and recovery rates.
With the continuous development of ball milling technology, new equipment and energy-saving techniques have emerged.
This expansion enhances the application prospects of ball milling in mineral processing. In the future, ball milling technology will evolve toward higher efficiency, environmental friendliness, and intelligence. It will provide technical support for efficient and green mineral resource utilization.

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