Comminution

Comminution is the reduction of solid materials from one average particle size to a smaller average particle size, by crushing, grinding, cutting, vibrating, or other processes.[1][2] In geology, it occurs naturally during faulting in the upper part of the Earth's crust.[3] In industry, it is an important unit operation in mineral processing, ceramics, electronics, and other fields, accomplished with many types of mill. In dentistry, it is the result of mastication of food. In general medicine, it is one of the most traumatic forms of bone fracture.

Within industrial uses, the purpose of comminution is to reduce the size and to increase the surface area of solids. It is also used to free useful materials from matrix materials in which they are embedded, and to concentrate minerals.[2]

  1. ^ Gupty, Chiranjib Kumar (2003). Chemical Metallurgy. Wiley-VCH Verlag. p. 130. ISBN 9783527605255. Retrieved August 22, 2010.
  2. ^ a b Kanda, Yoshiteru; Kotake, Naoya (2007). "Chapter 12: Comminution Energy and Evaluation in Fine Grinding". In Salman, Agba D.; Hounslow, Michael J. (eds.). Handbook of Powder Technology, Volume 12: Particle breakage. Elsevier. pp. 529–551. ISBN 9780080553467. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  3. ^ Sibson, R.H. (1986). "Earthquakes and rock deformation in crustal fault zones" (PDF). Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences. 14: 156. Bibcode:1986AREPS..14..149S. doi:10.1146/annurev.ea.14.050186.001053. Retrieved 2 July 2011.