In general lines, the composition of the grinding circuit consists of a powdering or pulverizing process and a classification process. In most sites a ball mill is commonly used for grinding, to produce fine particles, and a (hydro) cyclone for classification, to separate the fine particles from larger particles. The main goals when controlling the grinding circuit are to maximize the throughput and to decrease the variability of product size and % solids. Materials are removed when they meet the product size requirements from the circuit and oversized material are recycled back to the grinding mill for further comminution. To achieve these objectives the slurry needs to be continuously monitored and controlled, allowing process stabilization and ensuring optimal grinding conditions.

Measuring technologies, such as density meters, helps operators to monitor and control the grinding circuit. It also optimizes it and prevents process failures. When used together with an advanced control system, density readings allow automatic control valves, pumps and have an efficient water addition. This results in the improvement of the process that can lead to higher recovery.

In the grinding circuit, possible installation points are in the ball mill discharge and feed (recirculation), (hydro) cyclone feed, overflow and underflow.

The grinding circuit is mostly considered as the first step of a processing plant. Therefore, operators need to have good control over it. One way to follow changes in the circuit is by measuring slurry density, which is manually done in many sites. The manually taken density sample is usable as a parameter to indicate if the grinding process is operating steadily.

However, manual sampling does not allow to have a trend for real-time control. The recommended is to use an in-line measuring device. This allows detecting changes online (real-time) as it happens. As an example, a recommended application to efficiently dose grinding media (balls) and water into the ball mill is measuring density changes in the ball mill discharge.