In-situ Fourier transform infrared/internal reflection spectroscopy (FT-IR/IRS) has been extended to study oleate adsorption at a calcite surface. The birefringent and transmission limitations of calcite were overcome by using an appropriately designed optical setup and a near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer. An adsorption isotherm was determined at pH 9.2 and room temperature. Comparison with the fluorite/oleate adsorption … Read more
Steady-state simulation is now an operational tool used to assist mineral processing engineers in the design, adaptation and improvement of mineral processing plants. Since 1988, the computer applications team of the Mineral Technology Department of BRGM has been developing and distributing a simulation software, now in use in more than twenty countries, by universities, research … Read more
Process Selection Trends A general trend in precious metals extraction technology has been the treatment of ores with progressively lower grades. The lowest cost treatment, dump leaching of material at run-of-mine size, has been increasingly applied. For example, Zortman-Landusky (Montana) is successfully leaching material above a cutoff grade of 0.2 g/t (0.006 oz/ton) at an … Read more
The use of tank cells over the years has provided a means for low cost, space efficient, extra capacity in existing flotation circuits. In some cases, new plants have selected tank cells as the machine of choice. Typical tank cells use high efficiency impellers for mixing, which results in low power draw. Unfortunately, these mixers … Read more
The sample was dried at a low temperature for two days. Then it was crushed in stages using a jaw crusher and simultaneously screened with a 50 mesh sieve. The resulting coarse fraction was further ground in a roller mill to a minus 50 mesh size. Thereafter, the mono-dispersed feed sizes required were prepared from … Read more
Grinding with steel balls often adversely affects the flotation separation of sulfide minerals. This is due mainly to the galvanic interactions among different sulfide minerals and steel grinding media. Since rest potentials of sulfide minerals are much higher than those of steel balls, they are always cathodic to grinding media materials. ½O2 + H2O + … Read more
Exploration and staking in the area commenced as early as 1929. The original Snip showing was located by Cominco geologists in 1965. The property changed hands in the 1970’s but was reacquired by Cominco in 1980 only to be optioned to Delaware Resources cum Prime Resources in 1986. Exploration drilling and underground sampling from 1986 … Read more
The in-situ leaching project at San Manuel was initially designed to utilize gravity flow leaching to recover oxidised copper from partially rubblized and supergene mineralized rock that was spatially situated adjacent to an abandoned portion of the block cave underground mine. During the construction of this in-situ leaching system, an underground drainage gallery collection facility … Read more
The nature of the gas distribution system as well as the hydrodynamics of rising swarms of bubbles can create various profiles. Three radial gas holdup profiles have been identified: parabolic, saddle-shaped and W-shaped. Radial gas holdup profiles have been measured in a large-scale laboratory flotation column using the same multi-cell conductivity probe. Results on three … Read more
Conventional froth flotation is one of the most widely used mineral beneficiation processes. Unfortunately, long residence times are often required to achieve complete flotation. These slow flotation kinetics have been associated with the hydrodynamics within the flotation cell. While flotation cell manufacturers have optimized the mixing hydrodynamics, little effort has been made to improve the … Read more