FLOTATION
WEMCO ® nextGEN™ flotation cell testing at KGHM ’ s Robinson mine in Nevada
for the entire course of the research and the other unit receiving different designs , thus making a direct comparison possible with the standard design to the new proposed design . For each test feed , concentrate , and tails were collected for assay and PSD analysis . Also , for each pilot test an additional feed sample was collected and lab tests were performed for direct comparison and scale up purposes . The WEMCO ® nextGEN™ will be officially launched at the forthcoming Flotation ‘ 21 conference on 8-11 November ( see mei . eventsair . com ).
This is also the forum where the team headed by Professor Galvin at the University of Newcastle is set to present information on the first full‐scale trial of the REFLUX™ Flotation Cell ( RFC™ ) which is being jointly developed with FLSmidth who are also commercialising the new cell design . Previous laboratory studies demonstrated significant hydrodynamic advantages , including extreme levels of cleaning at elevated processing rates . A new facility consisting of a 2 m diameter RFC™ was installed at a coal preparation plant to process cyclone overflow with an ash of ~ 60.9 wt .% ash , nominally finer than 0.1 mm , containing coal and mineral matter with Sauter mean sizes of 0.013 and 0.003 mm respectively . The volumetric feed rate of ~ 210 m 3 / h corresponded to an elevated flux of 1.9 cm / s . The air , wash water and underflow rates were 180 m 3 / h , 65 m 3 / h and 235 m 3 / h respectively , giving a positive bias of 0.2 cm / s . Average product and reject ashes were 12.7 and 81.8 wt .% respectively , corresponding to yield values better than the tree‐curve and coal grain analysis . The separations confirmed the up‐scaling of the novel hydrodynamics .
Jameson Concentrator – more concentrate , less equipment & energy
A significant evolution in concentrators has been introduced this year through Glencore Technology ’ s Jameson Concentrator . By evolving its Jameson Cell and blending configurations in a full-circuit layout , the company can deliver more
concentrate from less footprint , less capital and operating cost , and using less energy . Glencore Technology told IM that while their concentrator has already existed , less formally , through installations such as the Philex operation installed in 1996 and Hudbay ’ s New Britannia installed this year - that it ’ s the current Ozernoye project that has illustrated perhaps the largest gains and brought the technology into the mainstream .
Hudbay ’ s New Britannia operation is currently completing an installation that sees four Jameson Cells replace the planned 11 conventional cells . And for Philex , 10 Jameson Cells replaced 50 conventional cells to treat 900 t / h of copper and gold and it delivered a 4 % increase in recovery . But the Ozernoye zinc mine is larger again . Alexandr Kanarskiy , Chief Metallurgist for Ozernoye , says : “ The Jameson Concentrator will reduce the flotation machines in Ozernoye from 63 to just 19 , or by about two thirds . But it ’ ll process the same 875 t / h . This combination of performance and efficiency is important to us and to the mining future , considering the depletion of the mineral resource base .”
Glencore Technology comments : “ The Jameson Concentrator helps solve the elephant in the room : the conflict between higher performance expectations and progressively lower quality ore bodies . The Jameson Concentrator can process the same or greater throughputs with less equipment and less energy .”
Specifically , the company cites a lower profile , smaller footprint plant ; up to 60 % footprint reduction for significant CAPEX saving ; from 30- 60 % of the energy of a conventional flotation circuit ; a significant reduction in moving parts and subsequent operating costs plus faster , easier and cheaper maintenance with more availability . It also has a cell by-pass ability meaning high circuit
The Jameson Concentrator can process the same or greater throughputs with less equipment and less energy . Specifically , the company cites it uses 30-60 % of the energy of a conventional flotation circuit
availability . It uses no agitators , rotors or blowers in flotation and highly efficient grinding results in significantly lower power consumption which translates into significantly greater and faster returns for treating lower grade ores and higher throughputs . It offers circuit and equipment operational simplicity for consistently high performance .
Some of the key enablers of the introduction of the Jameson Concentrator are recent product range developments , chiefly smaller-footprint IsaMill™ designs equating them to vertical mill footprints but with much less height plus higher throughput Jameson Cell downcomers .
Glencore Technology ’ s Technology Manager for Mineral Processing , Glenn Stieper , has been introducing the new concentrator in a series of educational webinars and conference participation . He says : “ For any type of feed , but especially complex or lower grade feeds , the Jameson Concentrator can make a big difference in an operation .”
Global applications of BGRIMM technology
BGRIMM remains the largest and most global of China ’ s flotation equipment suppliers . It has recently supplied a batch of self-designed and self-produced flotation cells to large-scale copper concentrators in Serbia . These include 19 KYF-130 and seven XCF / KYF-30 flotation cells in an air-forced flat layout for the Timok coppergold mine of RAKITA ; six KYF-320 and 10 KYF-100 cells for the 20,000 t / d MS copper mine of Serbia Zijin Copper ; and 14 KYF-320 plus 10 KYF- 100 for the 30,000 t / d VK copper mine , also part of Serbia Zijin Copper . These projects represent a significant breakthrough for BGRIMM flotation machines in the European mining market .
On the other side of the world , its cells have been adopted by Norton Gold Fields in Australia , including KYF-200 and KYF-70 cells . In Colombia , BGRIMM XCF / KYF-40 forced air flat layout flotation cells have been applied at Zijin Mining ' s Buriticá gold mine , and in Russia its XCF / KYF-40 cells have also been delivered to the Solnechny Mining and Processing Plant in Khabarovsk region , which is now part of PJSC Ruslovo . The plant has been upgraded and is now focussed on tin production .
BGRIMM ' s largest and one of the world ' s largest cells is a 680 m 3 flotation machine which employs the innovative ‘ short-distance transportation technology ’ and continues to operate at the Dexing copper mine in China recycling coarse chalcopyrite in locked particles from the tailings . It has been running for nearly three years since 2019 with energy consumption
OCTOBER 2021 | International Mining 37