Grinding Productivity Comes from Experimentation

Grinding the ore extracted from a mine is an essential step prior to the flotation and beneficiation processes. Although grinding is a straightforward process based on the impact of grinding media in a rotating mill, there is a science behind the production of grinding products. The composition of the commonly used steel balls, for example, can substantially influence the productivity and cost-effectiveness of the process. Moreover, when operating in demanding environments, grinding media suppliers need to not only guarantee quality and service, but also provide a consistent supply of innovative products that increase the efficiency of the supply chain. Miguel Guerrero, CEO of grinding media supplier PROESMMA, shares his insight into the company’s strategy for servicing the mining industry in Mexico: “At PROESMMA, we understand that the name of the game has changed, and right now it is all about savings and competitiveness. It is not the industry that it used to be.”

To survive and thrive within the industry, suppliers need to pay careful attention to the chemical composition of their steel balls, since the chemical and physical properties required change according to the needs of a mine. “We try to find a chemical composition to fit every kind of grinding process,” Guerrero says. “We can play with the levels of chromium and carbon in order to supply a built-to-suit product. Two different kinds of steel balls are used in Mexico, the forged steel ball and the cast ball. The cast ball can have a wide variety of chromium levels in its composition, which in turn increases its resistance to oxidation, corrosion, hardenability, and strength. Yet cast balls tend to be more expensive and do not necessarily provide a better performance.” PROESMMA is focused on the production of forged steel balls, which Guerrero deems as more efficient and cost-effective. This manufacturing technique offers uniformity of composition and structure, which in turn makes it impact-resistant and increases its shear strength. Through the ability to alter the chemical composition of the grinding media and a deep understanding of its clients’ specific needs, PROESMMA is able to produce tailored products for the range of mining operations in the country. As mining companies struggle to increase efficiency, close communication is essential for providing milling plants with the necessary products. PROESMMA is aware of the importance of service and so complements its products with technical support during the mining and milling operations, while also training plant personnel to make the best use of the grinding media. “Sometimes, mill operators do not know what they are dealing with, and since we provide expensive pieces of equipment, we train them to know how and when to use certain grinding media,” Guerrero adds.

To further complement its business relationship with clients, PROESMMA takes care of tracking inventory and grinding levels at the grinding plants. The company visits its clients to assess the use of their mill, of the grinding media, and to replenish stocks of steel balls. The company is also able to suggest a mixture of different kinds of balls to increase performance and productivity. However, mining companies do not always easily accept changes to the milling processes, or to any process for that matter. “The shareholders are asking for a certain production rate and making a change can affect that,” Guerrero explains. Nonetheless, after working for four years to establish itself, PROESMMA has a list of guaranteed customers willing to take its advice on board. “Our clients give us good feedback and we can see that our work in the Mexican mining industry has been very positive, especially considering the industry is going through a downturn. We understand that companies are focusing on saving money and lowering costs,” says Guerrero.

PROESMMA is part of the mining cluster in Chihuahua, CLUMIN. While the cluster’s board of directors initially started by only including mining companies, key suppliers are being invited to form a part of this promising group, opening up the opportunity to suppliers looking to prove their worth in the industry. “We have been having supplier meetings, which enables us to present our products to all the mines across the state. CLUMIN is detonating wealth and employment in the region,” states Guerrero. He further explains that the cluster is creating synergies with the government of Chihuahua to develop the industry, which many bemoan has not been favored by the federal government’s tax reform. “We are creating synergy with the government so that we can be part of their economic development plans and make sure the industry is taken into account when developing policies,” he exclaims. With a solid business strategy, and a growing customer base, PROESMMA is looking towards diversifying its products. “PROESMMA specializes in grinding media but since these are basically made out of steel, we could supply other steel products as well. We started to develop new products in 2014 but we still have to carry out a lot of research and trials before offering those products to the market,” clarifies Guerrero.