In the mining industry, the plants where flotation is undertaken to concentrate ore are generally known as concentrators or mills. For froth flotation, the ground ore is mixed with water to form a slurry and the desired mineral is rendered hydrophobic by the addition of a surfactant or collector chemical although some mineral surfaces are naturally hydrophobic, 21 requiring little or no ...
a From Table 1, the Ratio of Concentration can be calculated as F/C = 100/10 = 10. If only assays are available, the ratio of concentration equals 20 – 0.1 / 2.09 – 0.1 = 10 So, for each 10 tons of feed, the plant would produce 1 ton of concentrate. b Using the example data from Table 1, the % Cu recovery calculated from weights and ...
The flotation process was developed on a commercial scale early in the 20th century to remove very fine mineral particles that formerly had gone to waste in gravity concentration plants. Flotation has now become the most widely used process for extracting many minerals from their ores. Schematic diagram of a flotation separation cell.
concentrate diluent. Hellyer ore contains finely disseminated chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, and tetrahedrite. The flotation plant design was based on extensive benchscale testwork including locked. cycle tests on drill core and many months of operation of a 30 tonne per hour “pilot plant”.
Modern flotation plants are equipped with sensors and automatic control systems Shang, Ryan, and Kennedy, 2009 . The principal objectives of the control are to maximize Cu recovery, concentrate grade % Cu , and ore throughput rate. The principal variables sensed are Table 4.5 : TABLE 4.5.
Description ROM = 100 mm Jaw crusher F80 = 75 mm Jaw crusher P80 = 12 mm Rod Mill F80 = 15 mm Rod Mill P80 = 800 µm Ball Mill P80 = 95 µm Spiral classifier overflow = 33% Rougher pulp density = 33% 1st Cleaner pulp density = 18% 2nd/3rd Cleaner density = 15% Rougher Retention = 23 minutes Flotation ...
The flotation process is now used very extensively on gold ores, not only for concentrating the values without other processes, but also in conjunction with amalgamation, gravity concentration, or cyanidation leaching, to improve recoveries and to give lower treatment costs. In many instances, it is most profitable to recover the gold in the form of a concentrate, and either ship this product to a smelter, or amalgamate or cyanide the concentrates at the mine.