RoStar project has developed a prototype of an ultra-fine grinding mill that liberates more ores and consumes less energy

The mill is a prototype of a new ultra-fine grinding mill for the liberation of high-value particles met in platinum-group metals containing ores, copper ores or other polymetallic ores with fine dissemination of mineral phases.

This mill consumes 20-30% less energy compared to similar established mills and increases ore liberation with at least 20% less locked ore at same particle size.

says Prof. Dr.-Ing. Urs Peuker at Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg. Peuker is the leader of the project RoStar, and core member of EIT RawMaterials

The RoStar prototype has proven to increase the operation period with 50% before maintenance is needed. Additionally, the maintenance itself is 50% faster compared to similarly established mills, due to an optimised rotor-stator geometry and improved wear resistance through a modular construction of the mill housing.

The RoStar mill offers an answer to the forthcoming challenges already seen in fine milling trends. Tangible applications are opened in re-grinding-flotation circuits, tailings re-processing as well as in enabling access to future deposits containing valuable or critical materials.

says Prof. Dr.-Ing. Urs Peuker, Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg

The mill will be a vertical fine grinding mill, where gravity forces enable a higher filling level than in horizontal mills and a hydraulic pressure on the grinding beads. The new improved design of the Mills Rotor/Stator system was launched into the market in the year 2018.

Deliverables of the RoStar innovation project will be a containerised pilot plant, a fine milling process with very low energy consumption. A flexible and mobile unit is set up and followed by a demonstration and proving of mill performance in a real industrial environment, the testing takes place at Assarel-Medet (SME) plant site in Bulgaria.

RoStar project partnership:

  • Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg (TUBAF), Germany (Lead Partner)
  • Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, CSIC (Spanish National Research Council), Spain
  • Assarel Medet, Bulgaria
  • CEMTEC, Austria
  • Maelgwyn Mineral Services Limited, United Kingdom
  • Sandvik AB, Sweden
  • Sandvik SRP AB, Sweden
  • Université de Liège, Belgium