FLOTATION TECHNOLOGY
New forces in flotation
The mixedROW Flotation System is the first of
its kind, as it exploits the characteristics of two
separate technologies at the same time
BGRIMM offers the KYF forced-air cell and BF
self-aspirated cell as well as flotation columns.
Outside of its home Chinese market, BGRIMM
has successfully exported flotation solutions to
global operations like the Toromocho copper
project in Peru (28,320 m 3 cells), Yukon lead-
zinc project in Canada, Lynas rare earth project
in Australia, Newfoton apatite project in Russia
and many others. It has also been successful in
Africa by working with Roytec Global and its
flotation technology and equipment have been
delivered to South Africa, DRC, Mozambique
and Tunisia.
Besides the flotation of metallic minerals,
BGRIMM flotation equipment has also been
used to recover graphite, phosphate, fluorspar
and spodumene.
The KYF-680 machine, a new generation
forced-air flotation cell, has been developed by
From coarse particle flotation
to more use of column
solutions, the flotation
market continues to evolve
both in technology terms but
also in the approach taken by
key equipment providers,
reports Paul Moore
BGRIMM in recent years and with a capacity of
680 m 3 it is the largest flotation cell in the
world. The first unit has been installed, tested
and is currently operating at the DeXing copper
mine in China to reprocess tailings. The recovery
rate of the flotation plant has been increased by
1.48%.
Stepwise arrangement of flotation cells is the
most common layout for flotation circuits in
he flotation market in mining is not
standing still, with a number of interesting
developments in technology and OEM
terms. The big news of course is that two of the T offerings like its FloatForce mixing mechanism.
The e630 unit has a diameter of 11 m and a lip
height of approximately 7 m. Metso has been
catching up in the market, now offering its own mineral processing where slurry flows from
upstream to downstream by gravity and the
middling products are returned to previous
stages by pumps. BGRIMM told IM it provides
an alternative solution to clients and a type of
slurry-suction flotation cells are used so that all
“big three” – Outotec and the minerals
business of Metso – are set to merge in 2020
assuming all regulatory approvals go through, RCS mechanical cells up to 600 m 3 and above
but also having been successful in offering
solutions combining both mechanical and
column flotation cells; as well as continuing its the flotation cells can be placed on a same
horizontal platform and no pumps are needed
for middling product transferring. As a typical
application the Jinchuan Nickel mine cut the
market leadership in real time monitoring of
flotation froth using its remote camera
VisioFroth system.
Aside from the big ongoing
merger, other trends include a footprint of its flotation circuit by 24% and
reduced the building height by 3.2 m.
to form Metso Outotec Corp. The joint
statement back in July said the combination of
Metso Minerals and Outotec is highly
complementary and will create a unique
company in the industry. “Metso Outotec will
leverage the strengths of both companies,
including technology and R&D, product and
process excellence, scale and global service
offering footprint. The combination will deliver
significant benefits to all stakeholders,” they
said. Already in October, the move received
approval from the Finnish Financial Supervisory
Authority.
Until it goes through, however, the two
companies still have to be regarded as distinct
businesses, but in flotation, Outotec has a
focus on coarse particle flotation,
being particularly advanced by
Anglo American (more on that
later), the use of seawater in
flotation plants (such as at Sierra
Gorda in Chile), and of course the
mentioned moves to offering ever
bigger cells – namely the Outotec
TankCell e630, FLSmidth’s
SuperCell 660 and Metso’s RCS
particularly strong market share and installed
base of mechanical cells right up to its TankCell
e630 (630 m 3 ) described as suitable for rougher 600, as well as large cells coming
out of China via Beijing General
Research Institute for Mining &
and scavenger duties in gold and base metal
applications and advanced flotation control Metallurgy (BGRIMM) Technology
Group.
26 International Mining | NOVEMBER 2019
The record 680 m 3 BGRIMM machine installed
at DeXing copper mine in China