ATTEST: Grindability test instrument for estimating rock attrition

Purpose and goal:

The objective of this research project is to develop and assess an innovative test method specifically designed for the evaluation of the grinding response of rock and drill core materials, with a particular emphasis on autogenous grinding processes (including AG mills and pebble mills). This novel test method has high potential to replace the current attrition testing approaches used in industry, which are often characterized by their time-consuming and labor-intensive nature.

Expected results and effects:

The impact of an efficient, i.e. small-scale and fast, attrition grinding test, when fully developed and implemented, will be a production with less disturbances from ore variations, thus resulting in optimized mill capacity, better control of size reduction, and related liberation and finally less costs.

Approach and implementation:

The project aims at (i) the detailed design and manufacturing of a prototype instrument tailored for attrition grinding using small sample sizes, and (ii) the comprehensive performance assessment of the prototype based on key metrics, including fines generation per kWh of energy consumed, critical stone build-up, and wear index. Additionally, the project involves a critical comparative analysis, where the results obtained from the prototype will be scrutinized alongside with those generated using the industry accepted attrition tests.