Grinding balls and their manufacturing method

1. Grinding balls made of fritted ceramic comprising the following components (in % by weight):

18 to 50% mullite (3Al 2 O 3 .2SiO 2 )

9 to 25% zirconia (ZrO 2 +HfO 2 ) stabilised by 0.5 to 3% of rare earth oxides

25 to 72% alumina (Al 2 O 3 ).

2. Grinding balls made of fritted ceramic as in claim 1 , wherein said components are mainly obtained from raw materials comprising zircon (ZrSiO 4 ) and alumina (Al 2 O 3 ).

3. Grinding balls made of fritted ceramic as in claim 1 , wherein said ceramic further comprises 1 to 5% by weight of oxides selected from the group of Na 2 O, MgO, CaO and BaO.

4. Grinding balls made of fritted ceramic as in claim 1 , wherein said zirconia is stabilised by 0.5 to 3% by weight of Y 2 O 3 .

5. Grinding balls made of fritted ceramic as in claim 1 , wherein the chemical analysis (X fluorescence, ICP plasma spectrometer) of said balls shows the presence of the following oxides (in % by weight):

9 to 25% ZrO 2 +HfO 2 ,

0.5 to 3% rare earth oxides,

5 to 12% SiO 2 ,

60 to 85% Al 2 O 3

with a ZrO 2 /SiO 2 ratio greater than or equal to 2.

6. Grinding balls made of fritted ceramics as in claim 1 , wherein their diameter is between 0.1 and 100 mm.

7. Grinding balls made of fritted ceramic as in claim 1 , wherein their diameter is between 0.5 and 50 mm.

8. Grinding balls made of fritted ceramic as in claim 1 , wherein their diameter is between 0.5 and 10 mm.

9. Method for manufacturing grinding balls comprising the following steps:

at least one of mixing and grinding raw materials by dry a wet processes in order to form a slurry;

passing said slurry through a granulation means or process;

selecting by sieving the balls obtained with the return back to the mixer of the balls of inadequate grain size;

drying the balls of correct grain size;

fritting the balls of correct grain size between 1400° C. and 1600° C. followed by a packaging step; and thereby

Producing grinding balls made of fritted ceramic comprising the following components (in % by weight):

18 to 50% mullite (3Al 2 O 3 .2SiO 2 )

9 to 25% zirconia (ZrO 2 +HfO 2 ) stabilised by 0.5 to 3% of rare earth oxides

25 to 72% alumina (Al 2 O 3 ).

10. Method for manufacturing grinding balls made of fritted ceramic as in claim 9 , wherein, during the selection step, the granulation means or process comprise fluidised-bed granulators and granulation discs.

11. Method for manufacturing grinding balls made of fritted ceramic as in claim 10 , wherein, during the selection step, on the granulator, water fogging on the grinding balls is adjusted so that the balls coming out of the granulation disc comprise between 18 and 22% of water.

12. Method for manufacturing grinding balls made of fritted ceramic as in claim 9 , wherein the granulation means or process comprise gelation methods or injection moulding methods.

13. Method for manufacturing grinding balls made of fritted ceramics as in claim 9 , further comprising adding at least one of the components selected from the group of binding agents and organic surfactants.

14. Method for manufacturing grinding balls made of fritted ceramic as in claim 13 , wherein binding agents are used said binding agents are selected from the group of polysaccharides, thermoplastic polymers, thermosetting polymers or polymers based on aqueous or organic solvents.

15. Method for manufacturing grinding balls made of fritted ceramics as in claim 13 , wherein organic surfactants are used said organic surfactants are chosen from the group of carboxylic acids such as stearic acid or oleic acid and/or polyelectrolytes such as ammonium polymethylacrylate.