Course Description
Comminution — the crushing and grinding that reduces ore to a size where valuable minerals can be liberated — is the most energy-intensive step in mineral processing, often consuming the majority of a concentrator's energy. This specialised course develops a deep understanding of comminution theory, equipment, and circuit design.
Participants learn the fundamentals of particle breakage and energy, the full range of crushing and grinding equipment, circuit configuration, and the optimisation of comminution for both efficiency and downstream performance. The course equips metallurgists and process engineers to design, operate, and optimise comminution circuits — a key lever for both cost and recovery.
What you will achieve
By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:
- Explain the principles of comminution and particle breakage
- Understand comminution energy and efficiency
- Describe crushing equipment (jaw, cone, gyratory)
- Describe grinding equipment (ball, rod, SAG, HPGR)
- Understand grinding circuits and classification
- Apply comminution circuit design principles
- Optimise comminution for efficiency and liberation
- Understand grinding circuit models and control
How the course is delivered
The course combines comminution theory with practical equipment selection, circuit design, and optimisation exercises. Participants work through crushing and grinding circuit scenarios, energy analysis, and optimisation using realistic examples.
The programme balances breakage fundamentals with the practical design and optimisation of comminution circuits, the largest energy consumer in processing.
Designed for
This training course is ideal for:
- Metallurgists and process engineers
- Comminution and grinding specialists
- Plant operators and supervisors
- Energy and optimisation professionals
- Anyone operating comminution circuits
Daily programme
- Principles of comminution
- Particle breakage mechanisms
- Comminution energy and laws
- Liberation and size reduction
- Jaw crushers
- Cone and gyratory crushers
- Crushing circuits
- Crusher selection and operation
- Ball and rod mills
- SAG and AG milling
- High pressure grinding rolls (HPGR)
- Fine grinding
- Grinding circuits and classification
- Grinding circuit models
- Comminution optimisation
- Workshop and review
Certification & accreditation
BII Certificate of Completion
BII Certificate of Completion Upon successful completion, participants receive a BII Development Institute Certificate of Completion with a unique reference code that is independently verifiable. Our certificates are recognised internationally and reflect successful completion of your chosen programme.
