From our Ore to Your Door - Episode 14: Screening, Crushing and Blending
From our ore to your door, Episode 14: SCREENING, CRUSHING AND BLENDING
As the magnesite decrepitates during calcination, the resulting magnesia breaks down into different size fractions. These can range from 20mm down to fine powders less than 30 microns in size. The first step in processing calcined magnesia is the Caustic Calcine Upgrade - screening, crushing, and blending.
SCREENING
Each of our three MHFs have separate calcination outputs, with individual dry screening processes that separate the magnesia into four size distributions per output. We continuously collect samples from each of the twelve particle streams and test them twice daily for chemical and particle sizing.
CRUSHING AND BLENDING
An advantageous characteristic of our magnesia is that differing percentages of impurities, such as silica and calcium oxide, align to each of the magnesia size fractions. This means we can select each product stream individually and blend them together to get exactly the correct chemical composition for the products being manufactured. Some of the calcined magnesia fractions are lower in calcium and silica than the magnesite fed into the multiple hearth furnace, hence the term Caustic Calcine Upgrade.
At this point, we make adjustments in line with our sales requirements, and crush the magnesia (reducing the size of larger particles) with impact hammer mills and additional screening.
BLENDING
With the magnesia analysed and separated into twelve silos, we use high accuracy weighfeeders to blend the product and discharge from the silos at exact chemical specifications, depending on what we need for downstream processing.
Pictured: Aaron Olsson, site manager Parkhurst
From our Ore to Your Door - Episode 8 - In Pit Screening
QMAG currently mines 4 million tonnes of ore per year, from six to eight different pits.
We choose pits based on their magnesite content and contaminant concentrations. There are always at least two pits mined simultaneously to provide the Parkhurst plant with enough material at suitable quality to support our full suite of products.
Sustainable Thinkers and Actors
Being a company powered by people who value sustainability in thought and action gives us the expertise and brainpower to deliver solutions that make a sustainable difference.
Falcon Update
The peregrine falcons at QMAG’s Parkhurst processing facility are breeding again after an unfortunate setback in September.
From our Ore to Your Door - Episode 7 - Mining Operations
QMAG currently mines 4 million tonnes of ore per year, from six to eight different pits.
We choose pits based on their magnesite content and contaminant concentrations. There are always at least two pits mined simultaneously to provide the Parkhurst plant with enough material at suitable quality to support our full suite of products.
From our Ore to Your Door - Episode 6 - Mining Pit Development
With exploration, drilling and planning complete, it’s time to start mining. First, surveyors stake out the boundary of the area to be mined. A clearing permit verifies that the area to be mined is within the active lease, has
been cleared by the local Land Council, and has the correct government permit to be mined. Now the pit development can begin.
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