Wear performance and cost effectiveness––a criterion for the selection of grinding media for wet milling in mineral processing operations

Experiments to evaluate the milling performance, hence the relative cost effectiveness index of selected grinding media were conducted in a laboratory scale ball mill. The five types of grinding mill balls studied were eutectoid steel, low alloy steel, medium chromium cast iron, cast semi-steel and unalloyed white cast iron. The results obtained show that the heat-treated medium chromium cast iron ball possess a superior combination microstructure, wear resistance, and despite its high price per tonne, cost effectiveness.