Engineering of Complex Structure Apatite Deposits and Excavating-Sorting Equipment for Its Implementation

Abstract

Development of Oshurkovskoye apatite deposit with conventional methods, using drilling, blasting and then processing of extracted ore by means of flotation and construction of hydraulic structures to store wet tailings, turns out to be impossible, as the reservoir is located in a special ecological zone of Transbaikal; moreover, the deposit has a complex geological structure and a low grade of valuable component in the orebody. Refinement of the mineral product occurs primarily during its processing; however, ore grade can already be controlled in the process of its extraction. Advancement of technical facilities opens up new opportunities of selective mining for complex structure deposits. The purpose of this research is to create a technology, which will upgrade the quality of mineral substance, fed to the processing plant, directly at the extraction stage. The paper proposes a technological development scheme for Oshurkovskoye deposit using an excavating-sorting complex containing a transport-sorting facility and a measuring unit for estimation of the grade in a milled rock mass; it allows to separate a rich fine fraction of substandard ore, which under conventional mining practices would have been sent to the stockpile of temporarily substandard ore. Separation of fine fractions of apatite ore in the transport-sorting facility allows to reduce dusting during production and cuts the losses of valuable component, associated with aeration of fine fractions during loading and transportation of the rock mass. Positioning of oversize material in the open trench with its subsequent selective extraction by the loading machine facilitates non-stop operation of the mining-sorting equipment, which provides an increase in the productivity of mining operations.