CLOSED-SYSTEM VACUUM CRUSHING / GRINDING / DRYING / SCREENING
Mineral ores are transported by conveyors, first to the Vertical-Shaft Primary Crushing process and then to the Vertical-Shaft Secondary Crushing/Grinding/Drying/Screening process, where they are ground to a diameter of 1–2 cm or less. They are processed under vacuum in completely enclosed systems, where their moisture is removed and they are ground to a particle size of 1–2 mm or less. The ground material that passes through the vacuum screening system is transferred by conveyors to holding silos.
The ground ores are retrieved from the holding silos by conveyors and transferred to Sequential-System Micronisation and Screening processes operating under vacuum. The ores are micronised to the maximum liberation size of the principal major minerals, separated by micron size using screens and transferred to the separation lines via enclosed conveyors.
During the first stage of the separation process, dense and abrasive mineral structures such as silica and quartz are largely separated from the ores using silica separators to reduce the processing load, time and costs. While this operation significantly facilitates the separation of the other ores, the recovered silica/quartz structures are processed separately. According to their quality, they are separated and purified for use in the construction, glass, ceramics, electronics and chemical industries and transported by conveyors to the SILICA HOLDING SILOS.
The micronised ores, which have largely been separated from silica, quartz and similar materials and graded by particle size using screens, undergo vacuum gravity separation with adjustable pressure and flow rates according to their weight. Through this pre-concentration process, minerals with different specific gravities—such as iron, copper, lead, gold, silver, cobalt, manganese, chromium and nickel—are transferred to separate holding silos.
Mixed ores separated by weight differences during gravity separation are transported from their silos to paramagnetic separators by conveyors. They are then separated according to their magnetic, paramagnetic and non-magnetic properties. During this process, iron minerals—which are present in high concentrations within many mineral structures—are removed from the ores. Paramagnetic ores such as nickel and non-magnetic ores such as silica are thoroughly separated from one another and transferred by conveyors to their respective silos.
The minerals, whose grades have been increased through numerous preliminary processes, are transferred by conveyors to electrostatic separators and separated into anions and cations according to their electrostatic properties under high voltage.
Once these processes have been completed, the detoxified mineral ores and minerals—which have been substantially separated by type and composition, enriched and upgraded—are transferred to refinery processes for purification and refining.
Minerals suitable for flotation, which have been concentrated and upgraded in the final electrostatic separation stage, are transferred by conveyors and subjected to wet sedimentation/flotation/washing/purification processes. Their grades are then increased to the highest possible levels according to their type and composition.
Depending on their type and composition, some minerals obtained from flotation or electrostatic separation are reacted with gaseous or liquid hydrogen or oxygen to purify them or to obtain specialised raw materials for the chemical industry.
Ores that have undergone pre-concentration and are suitable for thermal processing and purification are transferred to crucibles and processed by being heated gradually to temperatures ranging from 100°C to 3,000°C. According to their melting points, the target minerals are separated from the remaining mixed substances and minerals, poured into moulds in molten form and cooled. During this process, many minerals can be purified to levels ranging from 95% to 99%.
Oxide materials such as alumina and copper, whose grades have been increased through pre-concentration, or minerals converted into ingots through thermal processing are transferred to electrolysis cells. Through anode and cathode processes, purity levels of up to 99.99% are achieved.
The processed wastewater used throughout these operations is subjected to filtration and distillation to remove any remaining ores and minerals and is then regenerated. The ores recovered from the wastewater are reprocessed and returned to the economy.
To provide faster and more economical services, we plan to establish our pre-concentration, concentration and refining facilities particularly in regions with a high concentration of mines and mining operations.
