Polysius in Australia Grinding rolls for gold

In southwestern Australia the country’s biggest gold mine is being readied for operation. Polysius is on board with four units for grinding gold ore.

Boddington Gold Mine lies 130 kilometers southeast of Perth. The old mine produced gold and copper for many years before it had to be closed in 2001 due to the uneconomic operating cost of old equipment and inadequate production capacity. Now it is being reopened on a much larger scale than before. Mining will recommence by the beginning of next year. 850,000 ounces of gold and 30,000 tons of copper will be produced each year in two open-cut mines predicted to have a lifetime of at least twenty years. It will make Boddington Gold Mine the biggest in Australia. And Polysius is part of it.
Precious | - Gold remains popular with jewelry lovers and investors.

Biggest machines of their kind

The ThyssenKrupp Technologies subsidiary has supplied four POLYCOM® high-pressure grinding rolls to Australia to process the gold and copper ore. The machines can grind 2,100 tons of material per hour – making them the biggest of their kind in the world. They are based on a long-established Polysius technology for size-reducing mineral raw materials and form the centerpiece of the new processing plant. Energy consumption and wear part costs are significantly lower compared with other systems. The machines will make a major contribution to environmental protection by reducing CO2 emissions by over 200,000 tons per year compared with conventional systems.
Boddington Gold Mine | Four Polysius mills in operation.

POLYCOM® high-pressure grinding rolls are extremely efficient and reliable, and their size allows high throughput rates. Both of these factors are key to the economic operation of Boddington Mine with its comparatively low-grade gold ore. Conventional technologies do not fulfill these requirements. The gold ore is very hard and wear-intensive, and subjects the grinding machines to high loads. Polysius therefore uses rolls which are fitted with carbide pins to protect the surfaces from wear. The machines are also user-friendly and flexible, allowing effective process control and rapid adjustment to fluctuations in the condition of the ore.

Supply of complete packages

As with many raw materials, demand in the minerals industry has increased sharply in recent years. Polysius is benefiting from this as its machines can be used to process various ores as well as coal, blast furnace slag, limestone, cement clinker and other mineral raw materials. Polysius offers complete packages of upstream crushers and downstream ball mills.

Besides improved equipment, rising metal prices are another reason why Boddington Mine can now be operated profitably again. The project is being implemented at a cost of over 2.4 billion Australian dollars by a joint venture between Newmont and AngloGold Ashanti, two of the world’s biggest companies in their sector.

But Polysius is not just relying on its key technology in this growth market, it is also further expanding its service offering in Australia. A new service center is currently being built in Perth, with additional engineers available to ensure smooth operation of the machinery on site. Polysius is therefore able to offer a complete “care-free” service package, which is particularly attractive for mine operators keen to see their equipment operating at all times. Polysius can put their mind at rest.
Stefan Grönke
Gold ore particle | Demand and metal prices are rising