MODELING AND SIMULATION OF MINERAL PROCESSING SYSTEMS USING MODSIM SOFWARE

1. SIMULATION
IN MINERAL
PROCESSING
USING MODSIMTM SIMULATOR
-SM Shashidhar

3. USER-FRIENDLY FLOWSHEET
EDITOR
 Simulation starts with the definition of
the flowsheet which is drawn initially
on the monitor using a specialized
graphics editor.
The graphic editor has an extensive
array of icons representing all the
mineral processing unit operations
encountered in practice.
The editor also allows for quick
modification of the flowsheet structure
and replacement of existing units.

4.  An ore dressing plant
simulator is a set of
computer programs
that provides a
detailed numerical
description of the
operation of an ore
dressing plant.
 The simulator must be
provided with an accurate
description of the ore that is
to be processed, a
description of the flowsheet
that defines the process and
an accurate description of the
operating behavior of each
unit operation that is included
in the flowsheet. The
simulator uses these
ingredients to provide a
description of the operating
plant.
ORE DRESSING PLANT
SIMULATOR

5. DATA SPECIFICATION
 Data required to simulate
processing plants describe
the characteristics of the
material treated, the
production rates targeted,
and the details of the unit
operations included in the
flowsheet. The processing
units are described by their
physical characteristics and
the parameters of the
mathematical models that
describe the operation of the
physical equipment.

6. ModsimTM
 Modsim is a versatile simulator for ore dressing
plants. It simulates the behavior of many unit
operations as they are situated in the flowsheet
using quantitative models that determine how
each unit will transform and/or partition its feed.
The user must define the quantity and nature of
the feed to the plant and the precise nature of
every stream in the plant is calculated thereby
establishing an exact material balance.

7. POPULATION BALANCE
METHOD
 MODSIM™ is based on the
population balance method and
is therefore capable of
accounting accurately for
variations in particle size and
mineral liberation characteristics
together with other critical
properties such as density,
mineralogical texture, elemental
composition, magnetic
susceptibility, energy content,
etc. Data structures incorporate
mineral and coal processing
flowsheets.

8. MODELS
 A wide array of models for the unit
operations is supplied. In most cases
alternative models are available so
that the user can investigate the
differences between various models
of the same unit.
Most of the significant models
available from the scientific literature
are included. Each model comes with
a set of realistic default parameters.
User-specified models for any unit
can be incorporated easily. Model
selection is fully interactive so
models can be changed with a
simple mouse click.

9. DATA OUTPUT
 Graphical, tabular and text
outputs display simulation
results quickly and clearly. All
output can be copied and
pasted on most word
processors for convenient
and effective report
production.
Graphics can be exported as
Encapsulated PostScript
(.EPS) or Windows Metafile
(.WMF).

10. INTEGRATED FLOWSHEETS
 crushing (jaw, giratory and cone
crushers, high pressure rolls)
 grinding (AG, SAG, Rod and Ball
mills)
 classification (screens and hydrocycl
ones)
 flotation
 gravity separation (jigs, tables,
cones, sluices, dense medium
vessels and cyclones, water only
cyclones)
 magnetic separation (dry and wet
drum separators and wet high
intensity separators)
 solid liquid separation (thickeners,
dewatering screens and filters).

11. FEATURES
 Is affordable, fully interactive and
user-friendly.
 Represents over 15 years of R&D
validated by numerous industrial
applications.
 Is designed for convenient and
intuitive operation for ease of
learning: basic user proficiency is
achieved in less than one hour.
 Requires no special training in
computer modeling or simulation.
 Allows easy incorporation of new
models using the Development Kit
supplied.
 Provides a comprehensive user manual
and on-line help. Manuals include
complete description of the mathematical
modeling methods and gives details of all
the models used.
 Offers several models for most unit
operations, including the most recent and
significant found in the scientific
literature. Each model comes with a
set of default parameters.
 Automatically calculates recycle streams
including regrinding.
 Allows the user to select various system
units: S.I., British, per hour, per day, etc.
 Provides an unlimited number of units and
streams per flowsheet.

12. BENEFITS
 MODSIM™ powerful and versatile capabilities make it the
perfect computer simulation tool for quarry operators, coal
processors, base metal and industrial mineral producers,
consultants and engineering firms in the mineral processing
field.
 MODSIM™ is a very cost effective solution for circuit design
and optimization.
 Mineral liberation simulation allows you to further optimize
your separation processes by characterizing how each
grade class and, ultimately, liberated minerals will be
affected.

13. OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF THE
PLANT
Ore dressing plants are collections of unit operations
connected by process flow streams that transmit
material from one unit to the next. The flow of materials
is directed by the flowsheet structure. Each unit
operation processes its own feed materials and will
separate it or transform it in accordance with the
specific objective of the unit.
The behavior of the plant as a whole depends on the operating
characteristics of each of the unit operations as well as on the nature of the
material that is processed in the plant. A simulator reduces the actual plant
operations, as defined by the flowsheet structure and the behavior of the
units, to a sequence of logical mathematical functions. The simulator can
then mimic the real plant performance.

14. DESIGN STUDIES
 Help the design engineer to find the best flowsheet.
 Ensure that design specifications will be met under all required operating
conditions.
 Choose the most suitable unit operations to be included in the plant. Size
the units correctly and so eliminate wasteful over-design and avoid the
catastrophe of under-design.
 Optimize the plant operation by achieving best economic combinations of
grade and recovery.
 Identify potential production bottlenecks. Provide comparative assessment
of competing manufacturers’ equipment. Define the performance
guarantees that should be met by suppliers. Find out what will happen if
performance guarantees are not met.

15. OPERATING PLANT
PERFORMANCE
 A good simulator can be used to assist in the operation of a
running plant in ways such as the following:
 Optimum performance of the plant can be approached. The
plant can be tuned to suit variations in feed quality and
flowrate.
 Plant bottlenecks can be found and appropriate steps taken
to eliminate them.
 Performance changes can be investigated by asking ‘what if’
questions.
 Operations that are not properly understood can be identified
and appropriate research effort undertaken to remedy such a
situation.

16. 1. RP King: Modeling and Simulation of
Mineral Processing Systems
ISBN: 978-0-08-051184-9
2. http://www.mineraltech.com/MODSIM/
3. htTP://www.utah.edu
REFERENCES AND THANKS

17. THANKS