Rotary classifier

A novel way of separating granular material during mineral processing could help solve one of the industry's most frustrating and costly problems – blinding.

Blinding occurs when the giant screens used by the world's mining industries to separate minerals for processing become blocked.

A new type of sorting machine, christened the Rotary Classifier, has been developed by a team of scientists at CSIRO Manufacturing and Infrastructure Technology.

The Rotary Classifier separates granular material by tumbling material in a tilted vessel at various speeds, causing avalanches in the surface. This moves particles of a smaller size or higher density towards the centre and particles of larger size or lower density radially outward, allowing different materials to be extracted at selected locations.

The Rotary Classifier is currently being investigated by mineral processor RCR Tomlinson which plans to have a pilot tumbler in operation by early 2007, before scaling up a full system.