This study attempts to find optimal conditions of the friction coefficient using a discrete element method (DEM) simulation with various friction coefficient conditions and three different grinding media with various ball sizes in a traditional ball mill (TBM). Using ball motion of the DEM simulation are obtained using the optimal friction coefficient compared with actual motion; photographs are taken by the digital camera and the snapshot images are analyzed. In the simulation, the rotation speed of the mill, the materials and velocity of the grinding media, and the friction coefficient between the balls and the wall of the pot are fixed as the actual experimental conditions. We observe the velocity according to the friction coefficient from the DEM simulation. The friction coefficient is found to increase with the velocity. Milling experiments using a traditional ball mill with the same experimental conditions as those of the DEM simulation are conducted to verify the simulated results. In addition, particle morphology change of copper powder is investigated and analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for the milling experiment.