Short-Rod Grinding In Ball Mills

THE ore of the Southeast Missouri lead district consists essentially of galena in dolomitic limestone. The galena usually is in a very finely disseminated condition. The experience of recent years in the concentrating plants of the St. Joseph Lead Co. has shown that dry crushing carried to a point where about 90 per cent of the ore passes a 14-mesh screen liberates the larger portion of the galena, and minimizes further necessary reduction in rod or ball mills. Concentration practice has attempted to carry size reduction to a point where economic unlocking of the galena is obtained, without causing undue sliming of the very friable galena. While 60 per cent of the tonnage of the district is treated by the flotation process, only 40 per cent of the total concentrates is produced by that means, as efforts have always been made to keep the grade and tonnage of flotation feed as low as possible. The milling practice of the district for some years has recognized the generally accepted idea of better selective grinding in rod mills as compared with ball mills, with the attendant decrease in production of fines. The function of rod and ball mills in the various concentrating plants is the grinding of table middlings and coarse tailings that carry lead values too high to be discarded. The simplified flowsheet in Fig. I illustrates the place of grinding mills in the circuit. The arrangement of classifiers, tables and mills constitutes a closed circuit within somewhat flexible limits. In 1937 experiments were conducted in replacing the ball charge in a 6 by 4-ft. ball mill with rods 2 in. in diameter and 51 in. long. This step was taken with some hesitancy, as it was easy to picture a mass of tangled and crossed rods. However, no difficulties developed, and after a short trial period, six more ball mills were converted to rod mills. These mills are of the spur gear and pinion, belt-driven type, using in most cases a 75-hp. motor and having a 9 1/2 -in. open trunnion discharge. As ball mills, they carried a charge of 16,000 to 20,000 lb. of balls, 2 in. in original size. The feed to the mills was dewatered by dewatering wheels and introduced at 70 to 75 per cent solids, with a single scoop feeder. One change in mill design was found advisable when rods were introduced. The existing end liners had an outward flare of 3 ½ in. in 12 in. These were replaced by linings having vertical interior faces, in order to prevent undue end travel of the rods. This change gave an effective working length of 5 2 ¾ in. inside the mill. No alterations were made in the shell liners, which are of the smooth type, made of manganese steel 2 in. in original thickness. The rods at present in use are 51 in. long and 1 3/4in. in diameter. The composition has been varied at times; at present they contain 0.70 per cent carbon and 0.70 per cent manganese. Some breakage and etching occurs as the rods become small, but this is considered preferable to using softer rods, which may kink and cause tangling of the charge. The mill charges are renovated occasionally, broken pieces being removed and the charge brought up