Bear Lodge: advancements in ore body knowledge create a more efficient concept flowsheet

Top: RE ore minerals appear to be locked, or unliberated in their magmatic host. RE mineral particle size ranges from 0.2µm-50µm  Bottom: The current PUG Concept flowsheet.
Top: RE ore minerals appear to be locked, or unliberated in their magmatic host. RE mineral particle size ranges from 0.2µm-50µm. Bottom: The current PUG Concept flowsheet.

CMI researchers from Colorado School of Mines conducted the activity for this highlight

Innovation 
Reduced energy & water usage in the physical upgrading plant (PUG).

Achievement 

  • SEM & EDS revealed that the deposit’s RE minerals are unliberated & fine-ultrafine in particle size.
  • For the present, removed ultrafine grinding & flotation from the process concept flowsheet.

Significance and Impact

  • Exclusion of ultrafine grinding required for flotation.
  • Removal of ultrafine grinding & flotation reduces the PUG plant’s CAPEX, OPEX, including energy usage.

Hub Target Addressed 

  • Energy and material efficient pyro- or hydrometallurgical processing.
  • Developing processes to recover and separate REEs from traditional or unconventional sources.