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Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2008.

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Magister Technologiae: Engineering: Metallurgical / Kumba Iron Ore’s Sishen mine is located in South Africa’s Northern Cape Province and produces about 40 million tons (Mt) of iron ore per annum. The ore body consists mainly of laminated and massive type hematite ore of which 30 Mt is being beneficiated by Dense Medium Separation (DMS), while the remaining 10 Mt is processed by the jig plant that was added as an expansion to the DMS processing route. The jigs at the jig plant are employed to treat coarse, medium and fine Run of Mine Ore (ROM). Due to the presence of finer particles on the screened ROM, hydrocyclones are employed on the secondary screen that feed the finer jig to produce fines on the overflow that is fed to the thickeners for dewatering by sedimentation, and the formation of clear liquid that can be recycled to the Jig plant. However, it was suspected that a substantial amount of the iron gets lost to the hydrocylone overflow with slimes. These slimes consist of very fine particles (about 90%-45μm) which make treatment with gravity concentration methods difficult. Sishen mine attempts to beneficiate the slimes using Pulsating High Gradient Magnetic Separators (PHGMS). However, PHGMS produce a concentrate consisting of 64.0% iron and 5.0% silica which render the slimes not suitable for pelletizing. Normally the slimes are considered as waste and are rejected to the slimes ponds. Rejecting slimes is not only a loss of resources, but it also poses severe long-term environmental problems. Recovery of iron minerals from the tailings produced in a large iron ore operation is of importance as it will result in environmental and economic benefits which indicate the importance of utilising those accumulated fines. / n/a

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PhD, Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / The dynamic analysis of catenary vibration of mine hoist ropes on South African mines is examined. This research has been preceded by studies in the mining industry, which have laid the foundation fot the definition of design guidelines of hoist systems to avoid catenary vibrations or rope whip. These guidelines are based on a classical linear analysis of a taut string, and in essence rely on ensuring that the frequency of excitation at the winder drum due to the coilingmechanism, does not coincide with the linear transverse natural frequency of the taut catenary. Such an approach neglects the nonlinear coupling between the lateral catenary motion and the longitudinal systern response. Although previous research sug gested the possibility of autoparametric coupling between the catenary and vertical rope, this was not developed further on a theoretical level.. The possibility of such behaviour is defined by considering the equations of motion of the coupled system. A design methodology is developed for determining the parameters of a mine hoist systern so as to avoid rope whip. The methodology accounts for the nonlinear coupling between the catenary and longitudinal system. In order to implement the proposed methodology, two phases of the analysis are developed. In the first phase the stability of the linear steady state motion is examined in the context of the nonlinear equations of motion, by applying a harmonic balance method. The stability analysis defines regions of secondary resonance, where it is shown that such regions may arise at sum and difference combinations of the linear lateral and longitudinal natural frequencies due to autoparametric excitation. Prior to this research, this phenomenon had not been appreciated in the context of the mine hoist system. A laboratory experiment was conducted to confirm the existence of these regions experimentally. In reality, the system is non-stationary since the dynamic characteristics of the system change during the winding cycle, and hence the steady state stability analysis can only describe potential regions of nonlinear interaction on a qualitative basis. The second phase of the analysis deals with a non-linear numerical simulation of the hoist system, which accounts for the non-stationary nature of the systems dynamic characteristics, and includes transient excitations induced during the wind. The methodology developed is assessed by considering the Kloof mine rope system, where rope whip was observed. This study demonstrates that although an appreciation of the steady state system characteristics is useful, the stability analysis alone is not sufficient. It is necessary to account for the non-stationary aspects of the winding cycle if a realistic interpretation of the observed behavlcur is to be achieved. To compliment this study, a motion analysis system was developed to record catenary response on an existing mine hoist installation. Such data has not been recorded before. This data provides direct evidence of the autoparametric nature of the coupled catenary/vertical rope system. / AC2017