FLOTATION high levels of agitation seen in conventional cells. This helps to prevent bubble-particle detachment seen with coarse particles in traditional systems. At the same time, the fluidised bed acts as a semi-permeable layer, avoiding the loss of bubble-attached coarse particles to the underflow.
Christodoulou:“ The coarseAIR is a more recent introduction than the RFC, but we have already run some test campaigns in feldspar, where we’ ve shown that we can recover coarse particles very efficiently. We have improved the circuit performance for that specific operation, and we are talking with them about how to implement the technology at full scale in the circuit.”
He adds:“ We’ ve also got another application in potash that we’ re going to trial in the coming months where we’ re targeting coarse particles, and doing a kind of split float where we’ ve got conventional cells going after the-300 to-400 micron material and the coarseAIR going for the + 400 micron material. We are currently waiting for those pilot results which should be forthcoming in the next couple of months.”
Looking at coarseAIR and sulphides, including copper, Christodoulou said that a number of tests have also been carried out.“ This included a tailings stream, where we took the feed of about 0.065 % copper and were able to recover between 60 and 80 % of the copper on that stream, taking it down to 0.028 % copper in the tails with the coarseAIR. Looking at a tailings treatment module, which includes a regrind mill plus coarseAIR pumps and sumps, depending on how we run it, the payback period for that module would be as little as six to eight months. So, the economics are pretty strong.”
Eriez and HydroFloat coarse particle flotation
Mining companies are under increasing pressure to produce more metal while reducing energy consumption, water use and operating costs. As a result, there is growing interest in technologies that can
A HydroFloat CPF-300 installation- HydroFloat is an aerated fluidised-bed separator which combines the benefits of density separation with the selectivity of flotation International Mining | OCTOBER 2026 45