Services
TOMS Institute carries out scientific research works and elaborates reports on design criteria in the sphere of ore processing, metallurgy of nonferrous and precious metals.
Top quality services performed by TOMS Institute are the result of a well-balanced combination of a long-term experience, highly qualified staff and well-developed laboratory, systematic and analytic base. About 100 science-research works reports and 20 design criteria are issued annually. The main area of the institute expertise comprises efficient technologies development aiming at refractory and hard ore processing.
The main area of the institute expertise comprises efficient technologies development aiming refractory and hard ore processing:
- Comminution (ore crushing and grinding laboratory);
- Mineral processing laboratory;
- Metallurgical laboratory;
- Analytical laboratory;
- Group for modern mineralogical investigations;
- Group for process design criteria development.
TOMS Institute experience:
Collaboration with leading engineering companies;
Performance of tests using equipment and methods of different manufacturers;
Results of test works performed by TOMS institute are used in PreFeasibility study, Feasibility study and design of processing plants;
Providing services for clients from all over the world.
Researches
Ore physical and mechanical characteristics study:
- Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS - Mpa);
- Conventional test on autogenous and semiautogenous grinding, SAG Design Test;
- SAG Variability Test (SVT);
- Bond Variability Test (BVT);
- JK Drop Weight Test (DWT, SMC);
- Bond Crushing Work Index Test (CWi);
- Bond Rod Mill Work Index Test (RWi);
- Bond Ball Mill Work Index Test (BWi);
- Bond Abrasion index (Ai);
- Point Load test (PLT);
- Ultrafine grinding tests in Netzsch-lsaMill, FLS-Deswik (laboratory and pilot plant installations);
- Riot tests and development of flowsheets with High Pressure Grinding Rolls (Koppern pilot HPGR);
- Calculations and modeling of crushing and grinding circuits using JKSimMet software package.
The testing results are designated for ore preparation circuits development for processing plants under construction (process design criteria, project design feasibility study) and optimization of crushing and grinding equipment in operating plants. AIl indices are used by leading manufacturing plants and engineering companies as input data for equipment sizing and selection
TOMS institute is included in the international SAG Design Consulting Group and performs SAGDesign Tests in the CIS and other countries.
Gravity and magnetic separation:
- Conventional processing methods (jigging, table concentration, spiral separation);
- Centrifugal processing in Knelson, Falcon concentrators with batch concentrate discharge (precious metal recovery, mercury);
- Centrifugal processing in Knelson concentrators with continuous concentrate discharge (precious metals, sulphides recovery, heavy metals concentration Cr, W, Sn, Fe etc.);
- Dense media separation in a special plant;
- Magnetic separators with different magnetic intensity.
Areas of expertise:
- Research works for recovery rates using gravity separation methods;
- Gravity tests performance (GRG Test, E-GRG Test, testing in KC-CVD, GAT Test, multi-stage tests);
- Modeling of gravity equipment operation in grinding circuit with different volume of ore forwarded to processing;
- Gravity pilot tests (100-5000 kg).
Flotation:
- Rotation in mechanical machines (Russia);
- Rotation in mechanical machines Denver-Metso(USA);
- Rotation in forced-air machines Outotec (Finland);
- Rotation in pneumatic machines Pneuflot Humboldt (Germany);
- Rotation in pneumatic machines Imhoflot H-Cell (Germany);
- Rotation in pneumatic machines Jameson Cell (Australia).
Areas of expertise:
- Research works for recovery rates using flotation concentration methods;
- Selection of optimal flotation modes (grinding size, reagent mode, flotation kinetics technological flowsheet structure);
- Cleaning operations modeling, including ultrafine grinding of concentrates;
- Rotation performance in open and closed cycles;
- Rotation processing values determination using enlarged samples (100-5000 kg).
Thickening and filtering:
- Thickening testworks (conventional and high-rate thickeners);
- Filtering testworks (ceramic filters, pressure filters);
- Determination of parameters and technology development of semidry stockpiling of processing plant tailings.
Pilot plant testing:
- Ore pilot tests according to different process flowsheets (gravity gravity- flotation, gravity-leaching, gravity-flotation-leaching);
- Riot plant installations have a flexible process design and this makes it possible to treat continuously up to 3-5 tons of ore (capacity 20-100 kg/h).
Complex of tests for determination of physical and mechanical, as well as process properties of ore helps to carry out technological deposit mapping, to recommend an efficient ore processing flowsheet and prepare recommendations for design criteria.
Metallurgy
TOMS institute implements metallurgical studies of different types of ore and processing products, containing nonferrous metals (Au, Ag, Pt, Zn, Cu, Pb,Mo, Co. Nb, Ni etc.).
TOMS institute metallurgy laboratory is fully equipped and uses advanced methods that allow performance of the following works:
- Leaching tests in standard conditions (bottle tests, etc);
- Intensive cyanidation tests on gold-containing products in ACACIA reactor:
- Tests to identify CIP process parameters (sorption isotherm, sorbent gotype, tanks etc.);
- Modeling of CIP (RIP) and CIL (RIL) processes, Pump Cell;
- Intensive leaching tests of Au, Ag concentrates under the influence of temperature and using special reagents;
- Heap leaching (physical and mechanical characteristics of ore and ore pellets, leaching under agitation conditions, in percolator and in columns of 6 meters high);
- Copper, zinc and other metals recovery from productive solutions (EW. SX-EW);
- Autoclave oxidation of any mineral products- gold containing ores and concentrates, sulphides, aluminum bearing products, zink fumes etc. (POX);
- Testing by means of modern hydrometallurgical processing technology of refractory concentrates: ultrafine grinding and mild oxidation in special reactors without temperature and pressure influence ore preparation for leaching, separation of refractory sulphides (Au, Ag, Cu, As, Fe ores). Research is carried out using automated pilot plant;
- Hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical tests for any type of minerals;
- Tests for metallurgical products and processing tails detoxification (cyanide destruction, arsenic detoxification etc.);
- Development of flowsheets for metallurgical treatment as well as recommendations for technology development report;
- Pyrometallurgical treatment of precious metal concentrates;
- Precious metals refining;
- Albion Process Testwork (specially designed Albion Process Leach Reactor, Au, Zn, Cu)
TOMS institute offers new technologies in this sphere:
- Cyanide containing flows detoxification, cyanide regeneration and nonferrous metal recovery from solution;
- Detoxification and disposal of arsenic bearing products;
- Detoxification and disposal of mercury bearing waste;
- MMS Cyanide Destruction Process CN-D.
TOMS institute suggested a way for copper sulphide products processing that is based on a combination of hydrometallurgical and flotation technology. This technique not only helps to increase copper recovery into final product, but also to significantly decrease the amount of concentrate (up to 3 times) that is subsequently fed to autoclave decomposition or even to completely eliminate this section.
Mineralogical research
Mineralogical research includes sample preparation for the studies, petrographic, chemical and mineral content study of different types of ore, detailed study of base ore minerals characteristics with their chemical composition determination, as well as precious metals characteristics. Conventional and innovative research methods using contemporary equipment are used in mineralogical investigations.
The study of material composition includes the following types of works and research:
- Preparation of transparent, polished and pellet specimens;
- Material size distribution characteristics with basic elements determination in size fractions;
- Petrographic composition study;
- Material chemical composition determination together with separate phases of valuable components;
- Mineralogical analysis with determination of ore quantitative mineral composition;
- Determination of ore sulphidity and oxidation level1;
- Heavy fractions content study using stereomicroscope and in pellet specimens using polarization microscope;
- Image analysis of ore minerals using mineralogical analyzer for solid materials Mineral-C7;
- Physical and chemical characteristics of gold and its contaminants;
- Size distribution characteristics of any valuable component;
- Phase analysis;
- Automated quantitative analysis of minerals, rocks, ore (Qemscan Automated Mineralogy Analyzer).
Design criteria
TOMS institute has been preparing Design Critera more than 20 years. Design Criteria involve the following:
- Ore characteristics;
- Metallurgical balance;
- Environmental impact assessment;
- Electrical Parameters;
- Criteria Summary;
- Mineral processing;
- Metallurgy
- Reagents;
- Tailings;
- Water supply;
- Filtration and drying.
Working parameters, description of technology, equipment
The Design Criteria are used throughout all stages of a design (scoping study, feasibility study, basic engineering and detailed design) as the primary written source of information for the engineers carrying out the design work, and the source document for further work. Design Criteria are issued annually by TOMS Institute for further design of ore processing and metallurgical plants dealing with recovery of gold, silver, copper, iron, carbon, tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, niobium, zinc, lead and other valuable components.
Major part of these technologies is successfully implemented in mining industry.