Recently, the "Second International Symposium on Advanced Comminution Technology and Equipment," co-hosted by China Minmetals Corporation and ME Elecmetal (Changzhou) Machinery Co., Ltd., was held in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province. At the symposium, BGRIMM Group released a series of latest R&D achievements, including grinding process optimization control technology, a multi-modal intelligent fusion decision platform for grinding, complete fine and ultra-fine grinding technology and equipment, and innovative vibration crushing processes. These localized and intelligent technical solutions precisely address the pain points and challenges in mine site production, marking the official entry of China's comminution technology and equipment into a new phase of "Data-Driven Intelligence and Low-Carbon Leadership."
Comminution is the most energy-intensive and capital-intensive stage in the mineral processing flow, and its technical level directly impacts subsequent separation performance and the overall economic efficiency of the plant. For a long time, the grinding process has faced challenges such as fragmented multi-source data, decision-making reliant on experience, and weak adaptability to operating conditions, hindering the intelligent upgrade of concentrators. The series of achievements released by BGRIMM Group this time represent a systematic solution to these industry "bottleneck" problems.
From "Single-Machine Intelligence" to "Multi-Modal Fusion Decision-Making"
Multi-Modal Intelligent Fusion Decision Platform for Grinding: Equipping the Grinding Process with a "Smart Brain"
The grinding process involves dozens of heterogeneous data sources, including ore fragment size, mill load, slurry particle size, slurry density, mill current, and acoustic signals. Traditionally, these data are scattered across different systems, making it difficult to form a unified basis for decision-making. Leveraging its "BGRIMM Master" large model platform, BGRIMM Group has developed and planned 10 types of high-value application scenarios for the industry, covering functions such as knowledge Q&A, intelligent data querying, report generation, and intelligent programming for the mining and metallurgy large model.
The core innovations of the multi-modal intelligent fusion decision platform for grinding include:
Multi-source heterogeneous data fusion: Integrating specialized detection equipment for the mineral processing process, such as mill load monitoring systems, ore fragment size analyzers, and online slurry particle size analyzers, and applying advanced process control technologies like expert control to grinding production through production data analysis, mining, and simulation model establishment.
Multi-modal data fusion and simulation: Based on the "BGRIMM Master" platform, integrating multi-modal data such as vision, vibration, sound, and process parameters to achieve intelligent identification of production status and intelligent control of the grinding process.
Full-process collaborative optimization: The platform can be linked with subsequent processes like flotation and thickening to build a collaborative optimization intelligent management and control system for the entire grinding, flotation, and thickening process, effectively improving the comprehensive recovery rate of valuable minerals and reducing energy consumption and costs in mineral processing operations.
This platform has been industrially applied in several large-scale concentrators, including Dexing Copper Mine and Chengmenshan Copper Mine of Jiangxi Copper Corporation, with excellent operational results.
Grinding Process Optimization Control Technology: Stabilizing Processes, Improving Quality and Efficiency
The grinding process optimization control technology developed by BGRIMM Group, centered on digital simulation technology, integrates mathematical models of key equipment such as SAG mills, ball mills, and hydrocyclones, enabling functions like data acquisition, real-time calculation, simulated operation monitoring, steady-state optimization, and process balance calculation. This technology adopts a modular design concept, providing decision support for grinding process optimization through digital simulation of mineral processing equipment operating status and real-time monitoring of production parameters.
Technical breakthroughs are reflected in three aspects:
Intelligent identification of production status: Real-time perception of changes in key indicators such as mill load, ore fragment size, and slurry particle size;
Intelligent control of the grinding process: Combining calculation techniques for key parameters with advanced control strategies to achieve precise control of slurry density and fineness during grinding production;
Increased comprehensive throughput: After the implementation of the automatic grinding control system, it not only stabilizes the grinding process flow but also ensures that the grinding product meets separation requirements while increasing the hourly processing capacity of the grinding circuit.
Complete Fine and Ultra-Fine Grinding Technology and Equipment: Overcoming the Liberation Challenge of "Low-Grade, Fine-Grained, Complex" Ores
With the gradual depletion of high-quality mineral resources, the development and utilization of low-grade, fine-grained, and complex ores have become a focal point for the industry. Such ores require fine or ultra-fine grinding to achieve sufficient mineral liberation. BGRIMM Group's subsidiary, BGRIMM Machinery and Automation Technology Co., Ltd., has established the BGRIMM fine grinding and scrubbing equipment system, featuring a "vertical + horizontal" multi-type equipment matrix to precisely match the grinding requirements of different minerals and particle sizes.
Among these, the stirred mill, with its innovative "fixed shell + rotating shaft" structure, demonstrates significant energy efficiency advantages over traditional ball mills in the field of fine and ultra-fine grinding—"the finer the particle size, the more pronounced the advantage." This complete equipment set provides key equipment support for the efficient utilization of low-grade associated and co-produced minerals.
Innovative Vibration Crushing Process: Solving the Pebble Crushing Challenge in SABC Circuits
Addressing the common industry challenge of pebble crushing in SABC (SAG mill + Ball mill + Crusher) comminution circuits, BGRIMM Group's Katec company has innovatively transformed traditional compression crushing into vibration crushing, utilizing inertial cone crushers to provide an effective solution for pebble crushing. This innovative process significantly improves pebble crushing efficiency and reduces system energy consumption.
Empowering Green and Intelligent Transformation of Mines
Enhancing the Comprehensive Utilization Level of Strategic Mineral Resources
A large proportion of China's iron ore, copper ore, lead-zinc ore, etc., are complex mineral resources characterized by low grade, associated/co-produced nature, and fine dissemination particle size. The series of achievements released by BGRIMM Group this time form a complete technical closed loop from four dimensions—intelligent decision-making, process optimization, fine grinding equipment, and crushing processes—which can significantly enhance the comprehensive utilization level of these mineral resources, providing technical support for ensuring the stable supply of national key strategic mineral resources.
Advancing Concentrators Towards "Lights-Out Factories"
The promotion and application of the multi-modal intelligent fusion decision platform for grinding and the grinding process optimization control technology are driving the transformation of concentrators from "manual experience-based operation" to "data-driven intelligent decision-making." The industrial application of intelligent operation software for the mineral processing process has already reduced the number of operators by over 30%. In the future, with the continuous iteration of the multi-modal fusion decision platform, concentrators are expected to achieve a leap from "reduced-manning" to "unmanned" operation.
Supporting the Mining Industry's "Dual Carbon" Goals
The energy efficiency advantages of the complete fine and ultra-fine grinding technology and equipment, the efficiency improvement of the innovative vibration crushing process, and the stable production increase brought by the grinding process optimization control technology collectively form a technical combination for energy conservation, emission reduction, cost reduction, and efficiency improvement in the comminution stage. According to industry estimates, the energy consumption of the grinding stage accounts for over 50% of the total energy consumption of a concentrator. The promotion and application of related technologies will significantly reduce the carbon emission intensity of the mineral processing stage.
Building a Localized and Intelligent Ecosystem for Comminution Technology
In the next step, BGRIMM Group will rely on national-level research platforms, focusing on core directions such as intelligent simulation, digital twins, and low-carbon high-efficiency comminution equipment to deepen technological R&D and industry-university-research collaborative innovation, accelerating the industrial implementation and large-scale promotion of core technologies and complete intelligent equipment. National-level platforms under BGRIMM Group, such as the State Key Laboratory of Mineral Processing Science and Technology and the State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Optimization Manufacturing for Mining and Metallurgy Processes, will provide a continuous source of innovation for comminution technology.
Comminution is the "first gateway" of the mineral processing flow, and its technical level directly determines subsequent separation performance and the overall economic efficiency of the plant. The series of achievements released by BGRIMM Group this time represent a key leap for China's comminution technology and equipment from "following" to "running alongside" and, in some areas, to "leading." From the multi-modal intelligent fusion decision platform to the complete fine and ultra-fine grinding equipment, from grinding process optimization control to the innovative vibration crushing process—these core technologies and equipment, comparable to "national heavy equipment," are redefining the global coordinates of China's comminution technology and injecting strong momentum into the green and intelligent transformation of the mining industry.