Ore Processing

Laboratory Staff

Prof. Konstantinos Komnitsas
Director | (+30) 2821037686 | kkomnitsas<at>tuc.gr

Ass. Prof. Evaggelos Petrakis
Teaching and Research Staff | (+30) 2821037608 | evpetrakis<at>tuc.gr

Olga Pantelaki
Laboratory Teaching Staff | 2821037600 | opantelaki<at>tuc.gr
Mineral Resources Engineer, MSc.

Laboratory Objective

• Mechanical preparation of primary and secondary minerals for the application of beneficiation processes including, particle size reduction, classification, processes of solid-liquid separation and aggregation of ultra-fine particles
• Study of the beneficiation of primary and secondary minerals with the use of natural and hydrometallurgical methods such as, selective grinding, gravimetric, magnetic and electrostatic separation, flotation and leaching
• Beneficiation plants design and feasibility studies of the facilities
• Management and valorization of wastes generated by processes of the mining industry
• Design of sustainable systems to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impacts

Infrastructure

Size reduction machines

• Jaw crusher (Fritsch)
• Cone crusher (Sepor)
• Rod mill - Ball mill (Sepor)
• Disc/Plate Pulverizer (BICO)
• Rotary cup mill (BICO)
• Centrifugal crusher
• Planetary ball mill (Fritsch)

Size classification machines

• Vibratory sieve shaker (Retsch) and standard testing sieves
• Hydrocyclone (Mozley) 
• Aerocyclone
• Cyclosizer (Warman)

Ore processing machines

• Perm Roll belt magnetic separators (Aksa, Inprosys)
• Induced magnetic roll separator (Carpco)
• High intensity wet magnetic separator (Carpco)
• Electrostatic separator (Boxmag Rapid)
• Triboelectrostatic separator (TriboFlowSeparations)
• Spiral concentrator
• Wet gravity shaking table (Wilfley)
• Jig separator
• Centrifugal concentrator (FALCON)
• Laboratory flotation machines (Denver)

Equipment for measuring properties of minerals - electrical parameters

• Laser diffraction particle size analyzer (Mastersizer S - Malvern Instruments)
• Gas Sorption Analyzer (NOVA 2200 - Quantachrome)
• Analog-Digital multimeter (Metrahit SΙ 232)
• Model 6514 System Electrometer (Keithley)

General laboratory equipment

• Oven (Kötterman)
• High Temperature lab furnace (1200 οC)
• Digital electronic balances
• Hot Plates and Stirring Hot Plates
• Sample Splitters
• Stereo microscope
• pH and conductivity meters
• Dosing pumps
• Peristaltic pumps
• Vacuum pressure pumps

See the infrastructure here.

Research and Development Projects

• Jan. 23 – Dec. 25. Improving soil fertility by combining earthworms and biochars to produce high nutritional and agronomic value products. Implementation of technology at a pilot stage, funded by the Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food, M16SYN2-00101, TUC budget 50,000 € 
• Jan. 2023 – Dec. 2026. Cost-effective, sustainable and responsible extraction routes for recovering distinct critical metals and industrial minerals as by-products from key European hard-rock lithium projects[EXCEED], Horizon Europe project, funded by the EU, budget TUC 840,000 €, https://exceed-horizon.eu/
• June 2022 – May 2026. Sustainable processing of Europe’s low-grade sulphidic and lateritic nickel/cobalt ores and tailings into battery-grade metals [ENICON], Horizon Europe project, Grant Agreement No. 101058124, funded by the EU, budget TUC 700,000 €, https://enicon-horizon.eu/
• July 2018 – Dec. 2024. Innovative technologies for climate change mitigation by Mediterranean agricultural sector, LIFE17 CCM/GR/000087 (ClimaMed), TUC budget: 151.111 €, http://www.life-climamed.eu/
• Jan. 2018 – Dec. 2020. INVALOR: Research Infrastructure for the Valorization of Wastes and Sustainable Management of Resources, funded by the Greek Minister of Economy and Development, Budget TUC 700.000 €, http://www.invalor.org/el/home-gr/
• Nov. 2017 – Oct. 2019. ENGineering and Industry Innovative Training for Engineers,Erasmus+ programme, AGREEMENT NUMBER – 2017-1-CY01-KA202-026728, TUC budget 32,086 €
• Feb. 2016-Jan. 2020. Metal Recovery from Low Grade Ores and Wastes (Metgrow+), Research and Innovation Action (RIA), H2020 project, Grant Agreement n° 690088, funded by the European Commission, 19 participants, Budget TUC: 487,125 €
• Oct. 2012-Sep. 2015. Development of Mathematical Predictive Model coupled with Neural Network smoothing algorithms to Optimize Operating Conditions and Improve Energy Efficiency of Rotary Kiln and Electric Arc Furnaces in Ferronickel Production Plants (MANNFENI), Cooperation Project, TUC budget: 69.100 €
• Oct. 2012–Sep. 2015. Recycling of quarry dust and construction and demolition wastes for the production of novel ecological building elements, Cooperation Project, funded by the General Secretariat of Research and Technology, Project budget: 504.250 €, TUC budget: 102.500 €
• Oct. 2012 – Sep. 2017. Sustainable strategies for the improvement of seriously degraded agricultural areas:The example of Pistachia vera L. LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance 2011, LIFE11 ENV/GR/951, Total project budget 1.026.509 €, TUC budget: 175.233 €, http://www.agrostrat.gr/
• Jan. 2012–June 2016. Development of an integrated methodology for the management, treatment and valorisation of hazardous waste (WasteVal), Budget: 521.000€, funded by the Greek Ministry of Education
• Sep. '11 - Aug. '15. Best practices for agricultural WASTEs (AW) treatment and REUSE in the Mediterranean countries, LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance 2010, Participants: TUC, Centro de Edafologia y Biologia Aplicada del Segura, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CEBAS-CSIC) (Spain), Regional Center for Agricultural Experimentation and Assistance (CERSAA) (Italy), Chemical Laboratory of the Chamber of Commerce of Savona (Laboratorio Chimico CCIAA) (Italy), SIGNOSIS SPRL. (SIGNOSIS), (Belgium), funded by EC, Total project budget 1.384.799 €, TUC budget: 277.088 €, TUC coordinator, http://www.wastereuse.eu/. WasteReuse video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPLJs_lRVck