IM 2017 August 17 | Page 7

Coarse Particle Recovery Changes Everything! EFD’s HydroFloat ™ Separator radically improves the traditional sulfide processing circuit through Coarse Particle Flotation. Unlike conventional flotation, the HydroFloat Separator recovers particles as large as 800 microns with as little as 1% mineral surface expression. By rejecting the balance as “coarse” tailings, much of the recirculating load is eliminated, thus greatly increasing mill capacity… with NO loss in mineral recovery! Particles approximately 850 microns HydroFloat Separator Coarse Particle Recovery using EFD’s HydroFloat Separator can: Overflow Coarse Mineral Recovers virtually all particles which exhibit greater than 1% hydrophobic surface expression • Increase mill throughput by as much as 15-20% • Reduce energy & media consumption • Produce a coarse tailing stream Air RECOVERY OF VALUES FROM A PORPHORY COPPER TAILINGS STREAM Michael J. Mankosa, Jaisen N. Kohmuench, Lance Christodou lou Eriez Flotation Division, 2200 Asbury Road, Erie, PA 16506 USA Phone: [phone] Email: [email protected] Underflow Coarse Tails Jaisen Hilsen and Gerald H. Luttrell Mining & Minerals Engineering, 100 Holden Hall, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA Phone: [phone] Email: [email protected] ABSTRACT The efficiency of the froth flotation process has long been known to be strongly dependent on particle size. For sulfide minerals, good recoveries are typically achieved in industrial flotation circuits for particles in the 10 to 200 micron size range. Particles outside this critical size are typically lost in the tailings streams rejected by industrial operations due to inherent constraints associated with the physical interactions that occur in the pulp and froth phases of conventional flotation equipment. In response to these limitations, a series of experimental studies were conducted to determine whether particles LE previously lost as tailings could be economically recovered using E PARTIC a suite of novel flotation technologies developed for the upgrading SPLIT of ultracoarse and ultrafine particles IN COARS TECHNOLOGY in the industrial minerals industry. For -FEED CE AREA FLOAT the case of ultracoarse particles, a fluidized-bed flotation system called SURFA CIRCU HYDRO the HydroFloat separator was tested. IT DESIG ED GRAIN WITH THE The data obtained using this novel flotation device in both laboratory N FOR and pilot-scale trials showed that good R ORE E OF EXPOS PRIM lost sulfide values up to 0.7 mm in recoveries of previously COPPE ICANC Michae ARY SULFI diameter could be achieved. A sample Wang Eriez Flotati l J. Manko Earth Sciences THE SIGNIF OF LOW-GRADE photograph of coarse middling and Yan particles and recovered Lin by this technology is shown in Figure DE RECO on Divisio sa and C.L. TION of Mines 1.Similarly, for ultrafine particles, Jaisen Phone: intensity flotation system known as FLOTA VERY n, 2200 a new high- Jan D. Miller, ring, College UT 84112 USA N. Kohmu (814) 835-60 the StackCell was tested. This technology, Asbury .edu which utilizes high-shear high-energy contacting of slurry and gical Enginee Lake City, 00 Email: Road, Erie, ench er@utah gas, was capable of recovering valuable Mining ent of Metallur ty of Utah, Salt Email: Jan.Mill PA ultrafine sulfide slimes that & Minera were previously lost as waste due mmank Departm to low capture Universi osa@e 16506 USA efficiencies. The objectives of this ls Engine -5160 describe the unique operating principles nch reiz.co article are (i) to 801-581 ering, 100 Gerald H. m of these two advanced flotation technologies N. Kohmue 16506 USA Phone: Luttrel ancillary classification equipment, Phone: Holden and associated l a and Jaisen Erie, PA (ii) to present experimental test data (540) 230-71 Hall, Virgin showing the metallurgical benefits z.com J. Mankos Asbury Road, of this approach for upgrading coarse sa@erei Michael 12 Email: ia Tech, and fine sulfide minerals, and (iii) , 2200 mmanko to provide analysis a Division generic of the proposed system for upgrading cost-benefit Luttrel Blacksburg, 0 Email: tailing streams historically rejected [email protected] Mining VA 24061 Eriez Flotation (814) 835-600 concentrators. by sulfide mineral John du Engine USA Phone: ering, 365A A. Herbst West Hall Luttrell Gerald H. ring, 100 Holden Minera Phone: Virginia Univer (304) 293-76 Enginee VA 24061 USA sity, Morga l Resources Buildin & Minerals Blacksburg, vt.edu 80 Email: ntown, g Mining Luttrell@ Tech, jaherbs WV 26506 A new Virginia 230-7112 Email: t@mai l.wvu.e deploy generation of ABST du ed during Phone: (540) due to advanc RACT microns unique ACT - ABSTR fluidiz in the industr ed flotation of 150-200 a novel fluidized ed-bed techno succes topsize of ns, logies sfully flotatio ial minerals industr has recentl to a particle e these limitatio for the purpose last n system scale equipm treated by lly limited y. To overcom ent indicat froth flotatio has dramat One such techno y been develo . Over the d specifica be recove s are typically ically develope n. Recent e red by logy is ped obic minerals full-scale units machine pulp and froth phases. metal r has been conven that this techno hydroph the HydroF and comme studies increased the concen by the Separato ional flotation tional flotatio conduc logy can upper of exposed minerals with several -based test work is trator indicat loat separat rcially contain Convent ts created the HydroFloat particle l ing as n machin also be used ted using laborat constrain , sulphide or. This size that minute amounts to industria size limit e that little as metals recently inherent a grind ng only system called that can industr 5% hydrop this techno es. Data collect to float coarse ory, bench- ography ully applied diameter. More rous values at y the logy bed flotation particles containi be has the microtom successf scale and ed from use of sulfide y to g 3 mm coarse potenti hobic minera can float compo middli pilot-sc necessar study, X-ray pilot- gy has been and exceedin of recovering metallife involve split-feed circuitr floating al to l. As such, ngs ale tests s segreg the current surface exposure both particle site this technolo particles up to y. The offer many conduc that cannot using separat ators. In ation of the crossov middlings also capable decade, obic that advant ted at a as large l concentr to recover device is the feed split-feed ages of hydroph The data indicate from a low grade er ors/rea base flowsh installed that this novel used in industria gents specifi into more concept, which for recove of this techno as 700 micron the degree gy. eet provided flotation ry, selectiv than one this case, for sulfide logy into is oat technolo has shown s cally optimi of than currently entally quantify was achieved size class often used coarse particle HydroFl ity and a coarser flotation to experim use of for capacit the base much coarser using the critical factors in as 850 microns detailed 3D analysis Figure 1 – Photograph of coarse middling follow the coarse grind size that includes zed for that ed by upgrading industr y throug par ticles recovered as froth 1) was used different sizes as large particu provides feature area exposure coarse and (Figure of grains are particle lar size separate upgrad discarded tailing stream using the HydroFloat concentrate from s a of previously ial minera h particles exposed multiphase particles grains. This article extent of surface issues of bubble flotatio corresponding and fine proces class. technology. data showin the split-fe ls, recover surface area of the for ly higher ental ed circuitr n equipm sulfide sing circuits An examp ing of each class defines g the ent. split-fe r. Fundam ns. of locked mass and Excellent recovery , which is provid le of a split-fe ed circuitr metallurgical y incorporating The objecti mill throughput exposure KEYWORDS ography HydroFloat Separato ed in Figure t surface ed copper ore. y illustra benefit can the HydroF ves of this d plant operatio microtom to the sufficien s of ting the article be accommodate 1. In using X-ray size class fed strategies for improve there was Coarse Particle Flotation, Fine Particle increas this processing loat techno products each Flotation, HydroFloat, StackCell logy, (ii) are (i) to introdu d via the ed milling scheme as process flotation for recovery of to capacit ce , d as well y Split-Fe y that may and (iii) to present experim the key necessar are also discusse ed Sulfide nt be attaine provide simula ental test Flotatio attachme n d by this tions of Conventio approa the nal ch. Rougher Primary Classifiers Rejects only those particles that have no hydrophobic surface expression Conventio Scavenge nal r Secondar Classifiers y Regrind Classifiers HydroFloa t Primary Grinding Figure 1 Coarse Particle Flotation – Analysis , X-Ray of locked Comput particles by X-ray KEYWO ed Tomogr compute d tomogra RDS aphy, Liberatio n/Expos phy. ure, HydroFl Circuit Feed oat Separato Circuit Design , Circuit Column Cleaner Regrind Mill Figure r Simula 1 – Flowsh tion , Split-F eet for a split-fe KEYW eed Flotati ed sulfide ORDS on, Coarse flotatio Particl Final Concentra n circuit. e Flotati on te Tails For more details download these White Papers at www.EriezFlotation.com 1.604.952.2300