A mineral liberation machine comprising vertical wet grinding mill (10) for grinding coarse material comprising a cylindrical housing (14) containing a rotatable shaft (15) creating an annular channel (17) with an input feed (16) for supplying coarse material and an output feed (18) for withdrawing ground product, in which the rotatable shaft (15) is equipped with a plurality of rotor discs (20) and the cylindrical housing (14) is equipped with one or more stators or stator discs (22), the discs (20, 22) on the rotatable shaft (15) and cylindrical housing (14) are interleaved such that the ratio of the height of the housing (14) to the diameter of the housing (14) is low with the diameter to height ratio being between 0.6-1.2.

A mineral liberation machine comprising vertical wet grinding mill (10) for grinding coarse material comprising a cylindrical housing (14) containing a rotatable shaft (15) creating an annular channel (17) with an input feed (16) for supplying coarse material and an output feed (18) for withdrawing ground product, in which the rotatable shaft (15) is equipped with a plurality of rotor discs (20) and the cylindrical housing (14) is equipped with one or more stators or stator discs (22), the discs (20, 22) on the rotatable shaft (15) and cylindrical housing (14) are interleaved such that the ratio of the height of the housing (14) to the diameter of the housing (14) is low with the diameter to height ratio being between 0.6-1.2.

Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for producing nanometer scale particles utilizing an electrosterically stabilized slurry in a media mill. A method for producing nanometer scale particles includes adding to a media mill a feed substrate suspension. The feed substrate suspension includes a liquid carrier medium and feed substrate particles. The method further includes adding to the feed substrate suspension in the media mill an electrosteric dispersant. The electrosteric dispersant includes a polyelectrolyte. Still further, the method includes operating the media mill for a period of time to comminute the feed substrate particles, thereby forming nanometer scale particles having a (D.sub.90) particle size of less than about one micron, and recirculating for further grinding the nanometer scale particles from the media mill.

Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for producing nanometer scale particles utilizing an electrosterically stabilized slurry in a media mill. A method for producing nanometer scale particles includes adding to a media mill a feed substrate suspension. The feed substrate suspension includes a liquid carrier medium and feed substrate particles. The method further includes adding to the feed substrate suspension in the media mill an electrosteric dispersant. The electrosteric dispersant includes a polyelectrolyte. Still further, the method includes operating the media mill for a period of time to comminute the feed substrate particles, thereby forming nanometer scale particles having a (D.sub.90) particle size of less than about one micron, and recirculating for further grinding the nanometer scale particles from the media mill.

A stirred ball mill may include a milling jar, at least three agitator shafts, and a drive. The milling jar may be arranged in a main direction and may have a milling chamber that is adapted to receive milling material and milling aid elements. Each of the at least three agitator shafts has a center axis that is arranged parallel to the main direction of the milling jar and is configured as a screw that is mounted fixedly to a frame in the milling jar such that each agitator shaft is rotatable about its center axis. The drive is configured to rotate the agitator shafts about their respective center axes without any contact between the agitator shafts. The center axes of the agitator shafts may be arranged as side edges of a prism.

A stirred ball mill may include a milling jar, at least three agitator shafts, and a drive. The milling jar may be arranged in a main direction and may have a milling chamber that is adapted to receive milling material and milling aid elements. Each of the at least three agitator shafts has a center axis that is arranged parallel to the main direction of the milling jar and is configured as a screw that is mounted fixedly to a frame in the milling jar such that each agitator shaft is rotatable about its center axis. The drive is configured to rotate the agitator shafts about their respective center axes without any contact between the agitator shafts. The center axes of the agitator shafts may be arranged as side edges of a prism.

A method can include milling a plurality of silicon particles to form a plurality of milled silicon particles. The milled silicon particles can optionally include collecting the milled silicon particles, powdering the milled silicon particles, and milling the milled silicon particles a second time.

A stirrer mill for processing flowable material to be ground including a mill container, a milling chamber that is delimited by a container wall, a stirrer that can rotate about the center longitudinal axis and has a rotor, and an inner stator arranged within the rotor. A ground material discharge channel is formed between the rotor and an outer wall of the inner stator, via which the ground material is guided to the separation unit and then to an outlet line. The milling chamber is at least partially filled with milling elements. A separation unit is arranged above the inner stator. A ground material discharge chamber is formed after the milling element separation unit, in the flow direction of the ground material. A unit for reducing the volume is attached in the ground material discharge chamber.

A stirrer mill for processing flowable material to be ground including a mill container, a milling chamber that is delimited by a container wall, a stirrer that can rotate about the center longitudinal axis and has a rotor, and an inner stator arranged within the rotor. A ground material discharge channel is formed between the rotor and an outer wall of the inner stator, via which the ground material is guided to the separation unit and then to an outlet line. The milling chamber is at least partially filled with milling elements. A separation unit is arranged above the inner stator. A ground material discharge chamber is formed after the milling element separation unit, in the flow direction of the ground material. A unit for reducing the volume is attached in the ground material discharge chamber.

A silicon material can include a silicon aggregate comprising a plurality of porous silicon nanoparticles welded together. The silicon aggregate can optionally have a polyhedral morphology. A method can include: receiving a plurality of porous silicon nanoparticles and cold welding the plurality of porous silicon nanoparticles into an aggregated silicon particle.