FLOTATION
80 Mt of ore per autumn copper concentrator in Russia . Today , five concentrator plants are operating with TankCell 630s with almost 100 of this unit sold to date . Large flotation cells have proved to efficiently use Earth ' s resources keeping metal recoveries consistently high and running at over 95 % availability . Trade-off studies conducted against a 300 m 3 cell size reported over 30 % footprint savings and over 10 % power savings . The right flotation technologies will play very significant roles in supporting achievement of current and future ESG targets . A positive change in the flotation circuit can significantly decrease energy and water consumption across the whole concentrator . New innovations such Concorde Cell™ technologies for fine and ultrafine particle recovery and coarse particle flotation allows to directly reduce energy and water per metal production .
How is the digital side of flotation evolving in terms of real time tweaking of flotation plants to respond to slight variations in ore feeds as an example ? PS : Being able to react fast to even small changes in ore feed is highly important in operating flotation flowsheets . Combining high valuable mineral recoveries , optimal concentrate grade , minimised tailings grades , optimal reagent consumptions and minimised disturbances to downstream processes can be a major challenge . High performing on-stream analyser systems typically set the foundation for efficient plant operations to monitor and act in real time to the changes in recoveries and in elemental contents of the flotation feed , and other important streams . Often changes in elemental content alone or when combined with other measurements can also reflect the changes in ore feed mineralogy but these options are always depending on the ore types processed and how they are processed . Particle size information from on-line particle size analyser systems at the flotation feed is also an asset to be able to manage and understand the changes in flotation feed as early as possible . Proper particle size distribution after the grinding is
water requirement in the plant .
Ramesh Mahadevan , Regional Managing Director – DELKOR , had this to say upon commissioning : “ The commitment and time our process team invested in demonstrating the advantages of the MAXGen mechanism in terms of grade , recovery and power consumption , were without doubt a deciding factor in winning this important contract . This is an environmentally friendly and important project for us and a key reference for DELKOR and our BQR flotation cell with MAXGen mechanism for the future . This critical for high valuable mineral recoveries but may not be utilised at full potential in flotation control in many operations although the information was readily available at cyclone overflow . In addition to on-line analysers , realtime froth imaging systems have become important and powerful elements of flotation process management providing a step change to flotation plant stability and being able react efficiently to feed changes that would otherwise typically convert to changes in mass pull , bubble size , stability & other texture features of the froth . These systems enable plant operators to focus on other process management tasks rather than looking at individual flotation cell control loops . Together with on-stream analysers , the system ’ s powerful & robust advanced control and optimising strategies can be implemented to react at early stages to feed changes & other disturbances . Metallurgical Digital Twin plant & flotation simulations enable predictions of shortand long-term process operating scenarios with alternative operating actions and varying ore characteristics . It integrates mining data , feed ore characteristics , and plant on-line sensor data with a detailed mineral particle-based processing model of the plant . Results of a Metallurgical Digital Twin ‘ what-if ’ predictions are readily available for selecting the best control targets in daily operation . These flotation circuit grade & recovery targets are fed into mass-pull and reagent optimizing advanced process controls of flotation , which is on top of stabilising controls and on-line analyser information .
Has your flotation portfolio review following the merger now completed and are there any outcomes from that you would like to highlight ? PS : We completed our comprehensive portfolio review last year , took decisions and are encouraged by the results we are starting to see . The outcomes pertain to technology choices , R & D focus and various technology improvement initiatives . They all allow us to focus on increasing the value and utility our technologies offer to mines and plants , their operators , leadership and owners .
project only serves to show that , It pays to talk to a specialist .”
Solvay Cube digital solution and flotation ; plus AEROPHINE ® 3418A
Taking flotation performance to the next level with support from a new generation of digital technologies is central to Solvay ’ s digital mining solutions roadmap . Solvay chose the name Smart Mining Chemistry to embody its new wave of digitally enabled innovations . The solutions under the Smart Mining Chemistry umbrella
combine near-real-time customer data , along with Solvay ’ s reagents , formulation capabilities and equipment , to optimise metal recovery and process outcomes , all while reducing the use of chemicals , water and energy .
Solvay ’ s digitally connected offer currently includes SolvExtract ® , a digital platform that promotes smarter copper solvent extraction , and the Solvay Cube , state-of-the-art dosing equipment that facilitates more precise blending and dosing control of frother building-block chemicals during trials .
The Solvay Cube plays an important role in increasing recovery of value metals and minerals , including Cu , Mo , Ag , Au , Pb and Zn . It enables data transfers between the dosing unit and the plant control room , which supports near-real-time frother chemistry adjustments in response to current operating conditions , going much further than dosage control . The technology enhances process efficiency and effectiveness thanks to the development of custom-tailored blends based on different raw materials available on-site . At a process level , the Solvay Cube contributes to improved froth mobility , reduced mobility of water and insolubles in rougher concentrates ( which improves cleaner circuit operations ), and better concentrate grades . The Solvay Cube also offers significant promise for coarse particle recovery , helping to lower comminution costs and promote higher throughput . Additionally , compared with incumbent frothers , reagents formulated via the Solvay Cube have been shown to be cost competitive .
Also at Flotation ‘ 21 , a joint presentation from Solvay and OZ Minerals will discuss the application of AEROPHINE ® 3418A promoter as a secondary collector to boost precious metal flotation recovery at OZ Minerals ’ Carrapateena mine . Carrapateena , a copper-gold mine owned and operated by OZ Minerals , is located on the eastern margin of the Gawler Craton in South Australia . Copper , gold and silver are recovered by flotation ; a high grade Cu-Au-Ag concentrate is produced . The copper mineralogy is predominately chalcopyrite and bornite with varying quantities of associated precious metal minerals . Solvay ’ s AEROPHINE ® 3418A promoter is a unique , phosphine-based collector which is well-known for its selectivity against iron sulphides . In Cu-Au flotation , AEROPHINE ® 3418A is widely used to improve gold recovery , particularly when gold is present as electrum . AEROPHINE ® 3418A laboratory testing , followed by a plant trial , was conducted at Carrapateena in 2020 . The trial results demonstrated that adding low doses of AEROPHINE ® 3418A to the existing chemistry regime increased copper , gold and silver recovery .
IM
OCTOBER 2021 | International Mining 45