Effective parameters of tail processing gold-bearing ore hydrotransport for verninskaya processing factory

Purpose: The paper shows that in order to increase the efficiency of hydraulic transport systems in mining a transition to the transportation of slurries with a high concentration of solids in the slurry flow is necessary. Design/methodology/approach: The aim of the research is to determine the optimal concentrations to ensure effectiveness of thickened tailings hydrotransport using the example of the Verninskaya processing factory, taking into account the maximum possible concentration of the solid phase and the rheological properties of the pulp. Findings: Experimental studies have shown that slurry tailings of gold-containing ore with mass concentrations of more than 55% are viscoplastic fluids. Experiments on a rotational viscometer allowed us to establish the main rheological characteristics of the studied slurries — shear stress and the dynamic effective viscosity. It has been established that over the entire range of concentrations from 55 to 65%, the flow of slurries is described by the Bingham rheological equation. Experimental studies of hydraulic transport performed on a laboratory setup with a pipeline diameter of 50 mm confirmed the results obtained on a rotational viscometer. Curves of mixture stream are inclined straight lines that cut off on the axis of head of the sections, which determine the initial hydraulic slope corresponding to the yield shear stress on the rheological curves. Originality/value: According to the results of the experiments, a method has been developed for calculating the hydraulic transport of high concentrated slurries of tailings of gold-bearing ore. Calculations showed that in a given range of performance of hydrotransport system and the mass concentration of the solid phase pressure losses vary from 11 to 84 m water column/m. Head loss values grow with increasing concentration. A sharp increase in head loss occurs in the concentration range from 60 to 65% and above.