Mill liner removal system

1. A method of removing a liner from a mill, the liner fastened to a mill shell by at least one liner bolt, the method including:

a) coupling a retaining element onto the at least one liner bolt;

b) driving the at least one liner bolt through the mill shell until the retaining element becomes jammed in a liner bolt hole of the liner to thereby retain the liner bolt in the liner, whereby in a retained position, a head of the at least one liner bolt is exposed so as to project proud of the liner towards an interior of the mill;

c) engaging a tool onto the at least one liner bolt; and,

d) lifting the liner away from the mill shell using the tool to thereby enable the liner to be removed from the mill.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the tool is engaged onto at least a portion of the exposed head of the at least one liner bolt.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

a) the at least one liner bolt is retained proximate a rear face of the liner; and,

b) the retaining element is a collar that is threadedly engaged onto the at least one liner bolt.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein

a) the collar is tapered;

b) the collar is positioned on a shaft portion of the at least one liner bolt; and,

c) a diameter of the liner bolt hole in the liner is smaller than a diameter of a liner bolt hole in the mill shell.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein during liner installation, a split reducing sleeve is inserted into the liner bolt hole of the liner proximate the rear face thereof so as to reduce the effective diameter of the liner bolt hole.

6. The method according to claim 3 , wherein:

a) the collar is threaded onto the end of the at least one liner bolt so as to extend the effective length of the at least one liner bolt; and,

b) a length of the liner bolt hole in the liner is greater than a length of the at least one liner bolt.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one liner bolt has an extended head portion configured so as to extend the effective length of the liner bolt.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein at least one of:

a) the extended head portion is one of:

i) attached to the head of the at least one liner bolt; and,

ii) integrally formed as part of the head of the at least one liner bolt; and,

b) the extended head portion provides one or more engagement portions to which the tool can be engaged to lift the liner away from the shell.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the extended head portion is one of:

a) welded to the head of the at least one liner bolt; and,

b) cast or forged as part of the at least one liner bolt.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the liner is supported on the inside of the mill by a mill reline machine whilst the at least one liner bolt is driven through the mill shell.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of:

a) the tool is securely attached to the mill reline machine; and,

b) the tool is an adaptor plate having a plurality of spaced apart teeth defining slots therebetween for receiving at least a portion of the head of the at least one liner bolt, the method further including aligning respective slots of the adaptor plate with the at least one liner bolt head and selectively gripping the at least one liner bolt by guiding the aligned slots onto the head of the at least one liner bolt.