Variability in mining activities delivers an inconsistent feed to the plant, alternating between too much and too little material. Equipment must be oversized to handle this wider operating range, which compromises both performance and throughput.
mtLyonsUnit
Turning unstable feeds into predictable performance with a feed control surge unit.
A surge bin that de-slimes, densifies and feeds on demand.
Unparalleled control
mtLyonsUnit is a surge and feed- control unit that stabilises slurry density with within +/- 1 %. In addition it de-slimes and densifies your feed.
Developed by John Lyons from decades of mineral-processing experience, the concept is grounded in a simple principle: a surge bin should do more than store slurry. It should improve the feed before it reaches the next stage. The mtLyonsUnit has perfected this principle by upgrading and controlling.
- Feed enters: Variable slurry enters the vessel.
- Solids settle: A dense, active bed forms.
- Slimes overflow: Excess water and lighter fines rise.
- Water re-fluidises: Base injection keeps the lower bed mobile.
- Stable feed leaves: Dense underflow moves to the next stage.
The challenges it solves
Slurry bins have long been sized by volume alone, with little understanding of how fine solids actually behave inside one. Most run in funnel flow, draining through a narrow channel while the rest sits stagnant, ratholing and flushing.
The mtLyonsUnit started from a different insight. Consolidated slurry behaves like a bulk solid, so proven bulk solids design principles put the whole bin in mass flow. Everything moves whenever anything is drawn off, and the bin empties completely, every time.
- Underflow density controlled to ± 1 % variation
- Reduction of slimes reporting to process
- Controlled slurry fluidisation
- Fully usable surge capacity
- Up to 70 % underflow solids enable high-density pumping & water recycling
- Start up seamlessly after plant shut down
Unpredictable Feed, Predictable Results.
The graph shows a real-life example of a mtLyonsUnit performance where, despite a greatly fluctuating feed, and with great variations in the mass of solids being stored in the bin, it manages to produce a consistent output tonnage.
- Controlled and buffered feed rate A controlled underflow helps downstream equipment remain closer to its preferred operating window for longer.
- Less slimes loading Autogenous classification removes a proportion of lighter fines before they consume valuable separation capacity.
- Controlled density A controlled underflow that consistently delivers material at the optimum parameters, be it for downstream separation or minimising water to a high density tailings system.
- Improved feed availability and recovery Stop and start feed under fully loaded conditions without worrying about blockages. Significant improvement in feed availability due to controlled slurry fluidisation.
±1%
Underflow density variation. Downstream process get a rock steady feed.
up to
65%
(w/w) at pump discharge. High-density underflow means efficient pumping and water recovery.
up to
85%
(w/w) in consolidation zone. Solids pack tightly. squeezing water and slimes upward.
up to
70°
Wall angles to promote mass flow. Flatter walls than a normal cone stil give mass flow.
2-24m
Bin diameter range. Larger units can be evaluated on a project basis.
up to
3 hrs.
Existing installations with up to 3 hours of downstream throughput (case by case basis). Absorbs big surges without upsetting the plant.
Configurations
| Parameter |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical Application | Desliming feed | Desliming feed | Tails densification | - |
| Diameter | 9.5m | 13.5m | 13.5m | 16m |
| Capacity | 350 t | 1.000 t | - | |
| Typical Throughput | - | - | 3,156 t/h | 8,000 t/h |
| Storage Capacity | - | - | 1,000 t | 1,500 t |
| Cut Size | 53 µm | 53 µm | - | - |
Right Size For You?
Mineral Technologies offers mtLyonsUnit across a wide range of capacities and applications. Reach out and inquire in cases where you're application specs are different.
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Made for modern mineral processing plants.
