Comparison of dry and wet grinding process in an electromagnetic mill is presented in this paper. The research was conducted in a batch copper ore grinding. Batch mode allows for precise parametrization and constant repetitive conditions of the experiments. The following key aspects were tested: processing time, feed size, size of the grinding media, mass of the material and graining media, and density of the pulp. The particles size distribution of the product samples was analyzed in the laboratory after each experiment. The paper discusses the experimental results as well as the concept of dry and wet grinding and classification circuits for the electromagnetic mill. The main points of the discussion are the size reduction effectiveness and power consumption of the entire system.

The paper presents a study on the effectiveness of the grinding process in an electromagnetic mill devoted to ultrafine grinding, and the influence of processing parameters on the mill’s performance. The research was focused on the optimization of the duration of the grinding process and selection of the grinding media type in order to obtain the highest relative increase of the selected particle size fraction. Copper ore with a particle size between 0–1 mm was used in the experiments. A model was created that determines the relationship between the processing time and efficiency of the grinding, and can be used for the optimization of the process. A comparison of the relative growth of particle size fractions in milling products was performed. The obtained milling efficiency results measured by the growth of the analyzed particle size fraction in the milling product confirmed that the best grinding media set includes a grinding medium with a diameter of 1 mm and a length of 10 mm.

The Fuerstenau upgrading plot, relating recovery of an ore component in concentrate (ϵ) versus recovery of the remaining components in the tailing (ϵ _r ), was found suitable for analysis and evaluation of industrial separation data of five copper mineral processing plants. The past, present, and future performance of the flotation plants was analyzed with the Fuerstenau curve. It was found that all the plants tend to produce concentrates with the recovery of the remaining components in the tailing near ϵ _r = 95.5%. Additional laboratory flotation tests using industrial final products provided industrial floatability of the ores. The industrial floatability curves had their maximum curvature at about ϵ _r = 95.5%. This represents optimum of the industrial separation. Similarity of the industrial performance and the industrial upgradeability of the ores indicates that the flotation plants work near the optimum point as far as the recovery of the remaining components in the tailing is concerned. However, there is fluctuation of the industrial separation results of the other upgrading parameter (always two upgrading parameters are required), that is the recovery of the useful component (Cu) of the ore in the concentrate. For improved evaluation of the considered industrial separation, the reason of the fluctuation has to be determined. Finally, a simplified procedure of relating industrial and laboratory separation results is offered. It can be useful for predicting future industrial separation results.