AMIT 130: Surface Mine Operations – Mining Mill Operator Training

This course covers safe operations of a surface mine and plant (placer gold, sand and gravel, coal, and open pit metal mines and processing plant). It provides an overview of mill operations safety, typical mill circuits and their operation, variables controlled, and mill efficiency & recovery.

Course Information

Credits: 3

Prerequisites: Placement in Mill Operations OE program

Instructional Goals

Explain the variables that affect performance of ore processing and preparation.
Review the principles, operation, and basic trouble-shooting of ore processing and preparation circuits in the mill.
Describe general responses to abnormal operations of mill circuits.
Demonstrate required safety and environmental regulatory compliance required of the mill operator.
Describe the safety concerns and safety systems applied to these mill circuits.
Describe normal and emergency operations of mill circuits
Explain mill circuit efficiency/recovery
Demonstrate procedures used by mill operators to monitor and maintain equipment.
Demonstrate proper sampling techniques and sample handling
Demonstrate troubleshooting of mill systems

Student Outcomes

Student Outcomes Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to do the following:	Assessment Procedures This outcome will be assessed by one or more of the following:
Students demonstrate an understanding of safety as applied to working in a mill facility	Performance answering identified mill safety test questions
Students demonstrate proper safety practices around rotating equipment	Observed performance demonstrating proper (general) safety practices required around rotating equipment
Students demonstrate knowledge of variables controlled/monitored in crushing and grinding circuits	Performance answering identified crushing and grinding circuit controls test questions Observed performance identifying variables of crushing and grinding circuits
Students demonstrate knowledge of the proper pumps and classifiers operation	Performance answering identified pump and classifier operation test questions Observed performance identifying normal and abnormal operation of pumps and classifiers
Students demonstrate knowledge of variables controlled in flotation circuits	Performance answering identified flotation controls test questions Observed performance identifying normal and abnormal operation of flotation circuits
Students demonstrate knowledge of variables controlled in various dewatering circuits	Performance answering identified dewatering circuit controls questions Observed performance identifying normal and abnormal operation of dewatering circuits
Students demonstrate knowledge of general mill operator duties and responsibilities	Performance answering identified mill operator task test questions Observed performance identifying mill operator duties and basic procedures
Students demonstrate knowledge of mill operator sampling duties and responsibilities	Performance answering identified mill operator sampling test questions Observed performance identifying mill operator sampling procedures
Students demonstrate knowledge of mill operator regulatory compliance duties and responsibilities	Performance answering identified mill operator regulatory compliance test questions Observed performance identifying mill operator duties to maintain regulatory compliance
Students demonstrate general knowledge of mill operations economics and recovery	Performance answering identified mill operations economics and recovery test questions Observed performance identifying mill operator duties as they apply to recovery and efficiency

Course Outline

Mill Operations Safety
1. Mill Operators role in safety
2. Rotating equipment safety
3. Mill environment safety concerns
4. Mill operations emergency actions
5. Electrical safety
Mill Safety Systems
1. Mill safety system terminology
2. LOTO safety standards
3. Work permits
4. Job hazard analysis
5. Hazcom
Mill Operations Variables – Principles
1. Crushing/Grinding Circuits
2. Screens/Hydrocyclones
3. Flotation circuits
4. Dewatering circuits
5. Water Treatment circuits
Mill Circuits — Performance & Efficiency
1. Crushing/Grinding Circuits
2. Screens/Hydrocyclones
3. Flotation circuits
4. Dewatering circuits
5. Water Treatment circuits
6. Comminution & Particle Size Analysis
Mill Circuits — Normal and Abnormal Operations
1. Crushing/Grinding Circuits
2. Screens/Hydrocyclones
3. Flotation circuits
4. Dewatering circuits
5. Water Treatment circuits
Mill Operator Duties — Sampling & Regulatory Compliance
1. Sampling Techniques and Sample handling
2. Environmental and Safety compliance (operations standards)
3. Monitoring and maintenance
4. Startup/Shutdown procedures
5. Emergency Procedures

Suggested Text

Wills’ Mineral Processing Technology, 8^th edition
B.A Wills, James Finch PhD, Butterworth-Heinemann publisher, 2015

Bibliography

DACUM Research Chart for Mill Operator
Produced for Teck Alaska Inc. Red Dog Mine – June 2015
Prepared by John P. Hakala
ApprenticeshipUSA United States Department of Labor