Grinding media, system and method for optimising comminution circuit

A system configured for optimizing performance of a comminution circuit comprising a comminution apparatus in response to one or more physical characteristics of the comminution apparatus or a charge contained therein measured during operation of the comminution apparatus, the system comprising:

• a plurality of measuring grinding media each having a grinding body with a bore disposed in an outer portion of said body and a sensor body received in the bore in a friction fit, wherein the sensor body comprises a rigid sleeve, a resilient core and a sensor array embedded in the resilient core, the measuring grinding media placed freely movable within the comminution apparatus wherein during operation of the comminution apparatus they will be mixed with an ore in need of comminution and a plurality of non-measuring grinding media and charged to the comminution apparatus, whereby, during operation of the comminution apparatus, the plurality of measuring grinding media collect data corresponding to one or more physical characteristics of the comminution apparatus or the charge contained therein during operation of the comminution apparatus;
• a processing module arranged to receive collected data from the plurality of measuring grinding media to conduct a real time analysis of the operation of the comminution apparatus in the comminution circuit;
• and an optimization system arranged to monitor and report on one or more performance characteristics of the comminution circuit while the comminution circuit is operating in accordance with a process model, the optimization system being further arranged to vary one or more process parameters in accordance with the real time analysis provided by the processing module to improve the performance of the comminution circuit and thereby update the process model.