How Sensor-Based Ore Sorting Generated $31.5 Million Annual Benefit at Jindi Molybdenum Mine
Abaga Banner Jindi Mining Co., Ltd., part of Beijing Jianlong Heavy Industry Group, operates the Jindi Molybdenum Mine in Inner Mongolia, China. After completing 1.4 km² of exploration and confirming reserves of 110 million tons, among the largest molybdenum deposits identified in the country, the group needed a way to pre-concentrate ore ahead of its 10,000 t/d mineral processing plant, rather than sending the full run-of-mine tonnage straight into grinding and flotation. John Finlay delivered this installation, fitting five Circle Series sensor-based ore sorters into the comminution circuit to achieve this.
Project Overview
| Operator | Abaga Banner Jindi Mining Co., Ltd. (Beijing Jianlong Heavy Industry Group) |
|---|---|
Site | Jindi Molybdenum Mine, Inner Mongolia, China |
Ore Type | Molybdenum |
Feed Material | +10–31.5mm, raw ore grade 0.042% Mo |
Processing Capacity | 10,000 t/d |
Challenge | Reducing the tonnage reaching grinding and flotation without losing molybdenum recovery, on a deposit large enough that small efficiency gains compound into significant savings |
Solution
Rather than treating all run-of-mine ore through the full grinding and flotation circuit, Jindi installed five Circle Series ring-shaped sorters directly in the comminution process. The Circle Series identifies and rejects uneconomic waste rock at the +10–31.5mm stage before it consumes grinding power or flotation reagents, so only pre-concentrated material moves further downstream.
Equipment and Performance
1. Sensor-Based Pre-Concentration
● Machines Used: Five Circle Series C1500 units
● Processing Capacity: 10,000 t/d combined, at the comminution stage
● Function: Rejects low-grade waste rock from +10–31.5mm feed ahead of grinding and flotation
Sorting Results
● Concentrate Grade: 0.072% Mo
● Waste Rock Grade: 0.019% Mo
● Rejection Rate: 40.7%
● Recovery Rate: 85%
Benefits and Outcomes
● Economic Efficiency: The five sorters generate an estimated $31.5 million in combined annual benefit: $4.6 million from reduced grinding and flotation costs, $4.02 million from construction aggregate sales on rejected material, and $27 million from 749.7 t/a of additional molybdenum recovered through higher ore grade.
● Environmental Impact: Rejecting 840,000 t/a of waste rock before it reaches the plant reduces tailings pond inflow, extending the facility's service life by several years.
● Operational Efficiency: Pre-concentrating ore at the comminution stage cuts the volume that grinding and flotation need to process, freeing capacity without adding plant infrastructure.
Conclusion
At Jindi, sensor-based sorting turns comminution into a filter rather than a bottleneck rejecting waste rock before it reaches grinding and flotation and turning that rejected material into a second revenue stream through construction aggregate sales. With an estimated $31.5 million in combined annual benefit, the installation shows how pre-concentration pays for itself on a large-tonnage molybdenum operation.
Are you considering pre-concentration for a molybdenum, copper, or polymetallic operation?
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