Advances in Gravity Concentration

Summary: Gravity has been an essential force in mineral and coal processing for centuries. While some newer separation technologies developed during the industrial age are widely used, gravity-based separators remain the prominent means of producing concentrates from coal, iron ore, rare earths, industrial minerals, tin, and tungsten ores. Recent advances in gravity-based separation technologies have significantly improved op...erational efficiencies. The 14 papers included in this SME compilation focus on state-of-the-art developments and future trends in gravity concentration technologies. This resource provides a much-needed platform for leading experts to discuss recent developments in the design, optimization, and control of gravity-based separation processes and their associated applications. It will help practitioners in the mineral and coal-processing industries understand these new concepts and the benefits they offer. It is also a valuable resource for educators and researchers to promote the use of efficient processing engineering principles to their industrial counterparts. The book is divided into three major sections: fundamentals, coal applications, and non-coal applications. The fundamentals section reviews developments in the knowledge of particle characterization, particle-setting kinetics, slurry rheology, and overall process modeling. Papers examine novel technological and circuitry advances in coal and non-coal applications and discuss technologies incorporating other physical forces, such as those associated with surface chemistry properties and their relative efficiencies. [read more]