Froth Flotation (Sulphide & Oxide)

Froth Flotation (Sulphide & Oxide)

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flotation circuit selection (5 replies and 2 comments)

(unknown)
7 years ago
(unknown) 7 years ago

how to select flotation cell and size for a capacity upto 125 t/h of copper (chalcopyrite ore). the pilot plant flowsheet is given and also copper grade and recovery is given in attached picture.

J
Jorge
7 years ago
Jorge 7 years ago
2 likes by David and Paul Morrow

You have to use the data from the optimum lab flotation test. For example, in order to select the flotation cells of the copper rougher flotation circuit you need the following data, the flotation time, percent solids, ore specific gravity and plant capacity. It is necessary to scale up the laboratory flotation time, some designers consider a factor of 2.5. If the lab flotation time is 10 minutes, the flotation time at industrial scale would be 25 minutes. The number of cells depends on the slurry flowrate and cell size. As you should know, there are several vendors of flotation cells. Also there different types of flotation cells.

The economic aspect should be evaluated. For that reason it is important to get proposals from different vendors.   

(unknown)
7 years ago
(unknown) 7 years ago

optimum Flotation time is 12 mint, conditioning time is 12 mint, %solid by weight= 30 , ore specific gravity=2.82 and plant capacity is 125 t/h. how i select the size of conditioning tank, rougher and cleaner. the flowsheet should be the same as in the above picture, as there any document for these calculation.

thank you so much in advance

David
7 years ago
David 7 years ago

Hello sajid,

Jorge is correct. In your case, that 12 minutes appears excessive. Can you show me your timed recovery graph & %Mass pull over time? We can confirm for you.  What is your ore head grade? Can you post a complete material balance here please.

Than you use https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/flotation-time-scale-up-factors-laboratory-to-plant and https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/calculate-flotation-cell-capacities-volume-vs-retention-time

Here is an example calculation.

Calculate-Estimate-Flotation-Cell-Capacity-Volume

I also attached what your data would be for rougher flotation using 20 cubic meter cells.

Be sure to read https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/floatation

https://www.911metallurgist.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/flotation_circuit_selection.png

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(unknown)
7 years ago

thank you David for your reply, the information was quite useful.
the head grade of copper ore is 0.755 %.

S
ManUtd67
7 years ago
ManUtd67 7 years ago

Given you have conducted a pilot test the float retention time may well have already been scaled up.  Need to look at the batch or locked cycle results and scale those.

K
Khosana
7 years ago
Khosana 7 years ago

Hi,

Is there any specific reason why you didn't go for columns and opted for the mechanical cell?

Typically for this type of material and flowsheet simplicity I would go with columns.

Is this for a new mine coming up or just a study?

We could size columns for you if you want to?

(unknown)
7 years ago

Hi,
there is no reason not to go for flotation, this is new copper mine basically chalcopyrite, i would be glad if you can size columns. thanks in advance

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