Advantages and disadvantages of horizontal wet ball mill

As the core equipment in the field of mineral processing, the horizontal wet ball mill is widely used in wet grinding scenarios such as chrome ore and rare earths due to its unique structure and process characteristics. This article analyzes its technical advantages and existing challenges in combination with the latest industry practices.

‌1. Core advantages‌

Grinding efficiency and fineness advantages‌ ‌The wet process reduces the viscosity of the ore pulp through water medium and reduces the phenomenon of "over-grinding". It is especially suitable for ores with high hardness and fine embedded particles (such as African chrome ore).

‌Case‌: A chrome ore concentrator in South Africa uses a Φ3.2×6m horizontal wet ball mill. The proportion of -0.074mm particles in the product reaches 98%, which reduces the energy consumption by 25% compared with dry grinding.

‌Equipment stability and maintenance convenience‌ ‌ ‌The horizontal structure has a low center of gravity, low operating vibration, and a 30%-40% extension of the bearing life.

The inspection door is opened on the side of the cylinder, and the liner replacement time is shortened from 72 hours to 24 hours (actual data from a copper mine in Zambia).

‌Enhanced environmental protection and safety‌

The wet process environment suppresses dust, and the PM2.5 concentration in the workplace is less than 5mg/m³, which meets the EU CE standard.

The closed design reduces noise leakage, and the sound pressure level in the operating area is controlled within 85dB.

‌2. Main limitations‌

‌Energy consumption and water resource consumption‌

The water content of the slurry is usually 30%-40%. Due to water shortage, the concentrators in the arid areas of South Africa are forced to install a seawater desalination system, which increases the cost by 15%.

The energy consumption of auxiliary equipment (such as water pumps and dewatering screens) accounts for 18%-22% of the total power consumption.

‌Wear and material costs‌

Acidic slurry accelerates liner corrosion. A certain ilmenite project in Mozambique uses high-chromium cast iron liners, but the service life is still less than 4,000 hours, and the cost of a single replacement exceeds US$80,000.

The consumption of grinding media (steel balls) reaches 0.8-1.2kg/ton of ore, which is 20% higher than the dry process.

‌Complexity of process connection‌

After wet grinding, dehydration and drying processes need to be added. A platinum mine in Zimbabwe lost 12% of its production capacity due to a failure of drying equipment.

The fluctuation of slurry concentration affects the classification efficiency, and an online concentration monitor (unit price of about US$12,000) is required for real-time control.