Improving high voltage pulse selective breakage for ore pre-concentration using a multiple-particle treatment method

High Voltage Pulse (HVP) comminution has the potential to be used in ore pre-concentration. Mineralisation after HVP breakage is concentrated into the finer sizes and size separation can then be used to produce high and low grade ore streams. Previous work on this technique has been performed using a single particle (SP) testing method where HVP energy is applied to every single particle. This paper presents an improved method where HVP is applied to multiple particles (MP). The MP method gives HVP the “freedom” to differentiate between particles and selectively only break those containing mineralisation. The MP method is shown to result in better mineralisation deportment into the finer sizes, at a lower specific energy, than the SP method of HVP application. This enables higher metal recovery and waste rejection rates during ore pre-concentration. HVP MP breakage consumes more energy but generates a better ore pre-concentration result than mechanical breakage. The ways to further enhance HVP selective breakage using the MP method are discussed.