Yes would be answer on fines flotation, e.g., look at processing of kaolin where particle size is on the order of micron-size.

Your question is in a vacuum!

Can you provide some details around your question - what's the ore, what trying to float, grade-recovery goals, mineralogy / liberation, etc.?

I'm working with a Cu-Zn-As low grade ore, with WO3, Sn, Qz. I'm trying to do something with the cyclone overflow (Classification before froth flotation). Main objective is to float Cu and Zn, preferentially in differential flotation. The liberation grade is high.

I've no experience in flotation of fine ore, so I need to know the best conditions to start with (dilution, impeller speed, reagents dosage)

I would suggest you start with a low pulp density and a slow impeller speed, just enough to keep the pulp from salting out. Additionally use a low dosage frother that is fragile. Start with a pH that will effect an environment favourable to your most valuable component. Your goal should be to pull a first concentrate that is blendable back to your main final conc. Avoid pulling a large volume of concentrate. From this adjust conditions to optimize grade/recovery.

Thanks for your advice. I had troubles in the first test because I had pulled a large volume of concentrate, maybe due to a higher pulp density. After your advice I performed a test with low pulp density (250 gram of ore in a 1.2L cell) and 850 rpm for impeller speed. I got a reasonable volume for concentrate. I'm waiting for the chemical analysis.

In this phase I just need proof that I can obtain Cu concentrate by floating fine particles (cyclone overflow). After that, I'll look for the kinetics and selectivity of the process, and I'll follow your advice.

I agree with the above comments that are definitely the correct path to follow. Don't stress too much about scale up at this time just try and achieve your process objectives in the laboratory. If you cannot do it at lab scale the chances are very high it’s not going to happen on plant scale. Timed samples are should be standard practice unless you going for a bulk float for further lab processing. And watch that pH.

These fine particles have charge and also coating with unwanted material. To make such particles aerophilic is a difficult task. Congratulations and good luck to make such attempt.

I agree with you, I need to focus in lab tests, for now. I only want to treat fines particles isolated. The material that I'm testing is the cyclone overflow. Like I don't have the coarse material the probability of coating is reduced. It's a difficult attempt, but when the fines are treated separately the chances are higher.

This is my first experience in copper extraction from chalcopyrite ore and I’m trying to find the most suitable conditions to be used in froth flotation cell where can i find the suitable quantity of water added to grinded copper ore to form slurry and what are the optimum doses of reagents [PAX, MIBC, LIME, and PH].

The optimum doses of reagents are dependent of the ore characteristics (grade, size, liberation) first; you need to develop a mineralogical study to obtain information about the ore. We need to know the presence of other elements, like zinc, arsenic, lead.