MINERAL DRESSING

METALLURGY , SEM 3

MODULE 4

LECTURE 5
Ref:
Chapters 11-16 , “ Mineral processing”, S.K.JAIN, CBS PUBLISHERS &
DISTRIBUTORS P Ltd, N Delhi, 2012.
Chapters 14-21, “Principles of Mineral Dressing” , A. M. Gaudin, Tata
Mc Graw Hill, 1993 .
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FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
“THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT OPERATION USED FOR
THE RECOVERY AND UPGRADING OF SULFIDE ORES”
ADVANTAGES OF THE FROTH FLOTATION PROCESS: 

ALMOST ALL MINERALS CAN BE SEPARATED BY THIS PROCESS.

THE SURFACE PROPERTIES CAN BE CONTROLLED AND ALTERED BY THE
FLOTATION REAGENT.
THIS TECHNIQUE IS HIGHLY APPROPRIATE FOR THE SEPARATION
OF SULFIDE MINERALS.

DISADVANTAGES OF THE FROTH FLOTATION PROCESS: 

QUITE COMPLEX.
EXPENSIVE.
INFLUENCED BY THE SLIME.
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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
FACTORS AFFECTING FLOTATION-

1.Quality of the ore ( Texture, interlocking, composition).

2.Quality of process water used.
3.Reagents ( nature, reaction rate, amount ).
4.Flotation machine used.
5.Quality of the pulp ( solid/liquid ratio, size range of particles, slime content, pH).
6.Aeration rate.
7.Grades of the products wanted.
8.Amount of recirculation of middlings.
9.Sampling and testing accuracy and speed.

AUTOMATIC PROCESS CONTROL WITH NECESSARY INSTRUMENTATION AND COMPUTERS

FOR
CORRECTIVE ACTIONS IS ESSENTIAL
FOR
ECONOMIC, EFFICIENT FROTH FLOTATION OF MINERALS.

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
FLOTATION PROCESS-

FLOTATION IS AN ART RATHER THAN A SCIENCE

For this
1.Prepare the pulp,
2.Condition it and
3.Aerate to get the froth

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
FLOTATION PROCESS-
1. PULP PREPARATION.

The most important factor is CORRECT WET GRINDING.

Mineral particles of size upto 600 microns can be easily floated.

If particles are coarse- No proper liberation.

If particles are very fine – More losses.
Fine particles may get oxidised and flocculated before being conditioned-
Now conditioning is difficult.
Fine particles may overflow from the froth column along with the concentrate.

Coal is the easiest material to be floated.

It is very light.
Particles as coarse as 1.2 mm may be floated.

Thick pulp for a stable froth is needed for coarser particles and thin pulp for finer particles.
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Proper control of the grinding process is essential.
 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
FLOTATION PROCESS-
PULP PREPARATION.

The ores are processed economically-

coarse grinding with recovery of valuables
fine grinding
ORE

COARSE GRINDING

CONCENTRATE ROUGH FLOAT TAILINGS

FINE GRINDING REFUSE

REFLOAT TAILINGS

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
FLOTATION PROCESS-
2. CONDITIONING.

The pulp is treated with the reagents for a predetermined time.

Conditioning efficiency depends on

1. Uniform mixing and dispersing of all the chemicals in the pulp and
2. Optimum time of contact between the chemicals and the pulp.

During conditioning
1. Slime coating on mineral surfaces removed,
2. Compounds in the pulp that inhibit flotation of the desired mineral are made
ineffective,
3. Unwanted minerals depressed,
4. Desired minerals activated,
5. Porosity on mineral surfaces closed with collector,
6. Froth stabilised using frother.

After CONDITIONING, the pulp is ready for AERATION.

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
FLOTATION PROCESS-

3. AERATION.

The conditioned pulp is agitated in the flotation cell ( machine ) with air.
The air admitted into the pulp forms many bubbles.
They rise to through the flotation cell and collect the mineral particles.
Bubble Attachment
Mechanical Entrainment
Carrier or "piggy-back" flotation

The mineral particles are collected in the froth at the top of the cell.
The froth is discharged into a launder.

The efficiency of aeration depends on the

size - optimum - the bubble diameter must be comparable to
the particle diameter, to ensure a good contact between them.
( mechanical machines- 0.8-1.0 mm φ, Pneumatic – 2.5 -4.0 mm φ )
number and
distribution of the bubbles. 9
 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES

MINERAL PARTICLES CARRIED TO THE TOP OF THE CELL BY AIR BUBBLES.

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
FLOTATION PROCESS -
AERATION.
The amount of air bubbles in the pulp is

α volume of air entering the flotation cell,

α speed of air passing through the pulp.

A large volume of air is needed for efficient flotation.

The air must remain in the pulp for an optimum time.
Frothers are added for the formation of smaller bubbles.

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
AIR IN

AGITATOR MINERALISED
FROTH

CELL AIR
BUBBLE

PULP

MINERALS’ PARTICLES ATTACHED TO BUBBLE

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
THE INDUSTRIAL FLOTATION PRACTICE -
Requires several stages to produce market quality products.
These stages are combined in various methods .
They are called the FLOTATION CIRCUITS.
A preliminary LABORATORY TEST WORK is carried out before the built-up of a Circuit
for a specific ore.
This is to determine
the suitable reagent ,
the size of the plant for given output
and to finalise the flowsheet .
A PILOT PLANT is made to determine
the continuous operating data for the design (planned on the basis of
Lab test work) ,
the comparison in equipment cost and
the performance etc. 13
 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
E INDUSTRIAL FLOTATION PRACTICE -
COMMERCIAL FLOTATION - a continuous practice.
1. FLOTATION CELLS are arranged in series forming a BANK.
2. The pulp enters the first Cell and give some of its valuable minerals in the froth.
3. The tailings ( i.e, defrothed pulp ) from this cell passes to the second cell.
4. This continues.
5. The barren tailings overflow the last Cell of Bank.
The whole system of cells have three sections- Rougher, Scavenger and Cleaner.
The fresh feed enters the Rougher section.
The Scavenger cells treat products having little mineral content ( Middlings ) .

This s the process in a SIMPLE FLOTATION CIRCUIT.

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
The first set of cells or bank is called the 'ROUGHERS'.
This stage receives flotation feed from
the grinding circuit,
middling return products (such as scavenger concentrate and cleaner tailing) and
material from the floor sumps (mainly clean-up water and discharged sand from
pump-boxes).

The ROUGHERS
produce a rougher concentrate ,
it feeds the cleaner circuit and
a rougher tailing which flows to the scavenger stage.

The froth is normally removed at a maximum rate limited by the available cleaner capacity.

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES

The next stage of cells is called the 'SCAVENGERS'.

This circuit produces a scavenger concentrate .

It is too low grade to be sent to the cleaners .

It is recirculated back to the roughers.

This circuit is the last chance to recover values before the pulp leaves the concentrator.

It is therefore highly reagentized and so concentrate is removed much faster than in the
roughers.

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES

Some of these waste minerals from ROUGHERS are free.

Some are still attached or locked to valuable mineral ( may need further liberation ) .

In the 'CLEANER' CIRCUIT,

the rougher concentrate may be reground and
refloated until the grade is high enough to be sent for dewatering.

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES

ANOTHER SIMPLE FLOTATION CIRCUIT. 18

 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
PARTS OF A FLOTATION MACHINE.

Means for
1. receiving ( the conditioned ) and discharging ( the floated ) pulp,
2. gas introduction and gas dispersion,
3. settling the pulp away from the froth,
4. discharging the froth and conveying it to the next processing step,
5. regulation of rates of intake and discharge, of rate of gas introduction and
dispersion and of pulp level.

A BANK OF FLOTATION CELLS

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
CLASSIFICATION OF FLOTATION MACHINES- based on pulp flow and based on pulp aeration.
1. BASED ON PULP FLOW.

i) Trough type.
The pulp enters the lower part of the charging end.
It is aerated from below.
The tailings leave the chamber at the opposite end.
The froth flows over the trough sides into the collection
channels.
the pulp level remains same throughout the cell.

ii) Through –flow ( common level ) machines. Feed Cells Concentrate

The trough is divided into various compartments.
Air blow Tailings
The compartments are open to each other at top and
bottom.
The pulp level remains the same. Through out the
machine.
Aeration is given in each compartment by impellers /
blowers.
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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
CLASSIFICATION OF FLOTATION MACHINES- based on pulp flow and based on pulp aeration.
2. BASED ON PULP AERATION.

i) MECHANICAL –SELF AERATING AND MECHANICALLY AGITATING TYPE.

It has a chamber ( pulp is fed into it ) and a radial impeller mounted on

a shaft.
The rotating impeller keeps the solids in the pulp in suspension.
It also draws in the necessary air.
The aerated pulp is pushed out by the centrifugal action of the
impeller.
The mineralised pulp floats to the surface.
It is removed from the top.
Tailings are removed from bottom.

Eg:-
Denver,
Fagergren,
Humbolt,
Massco. 21
 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
DENVER CELL.

The feed ( from conditioner or the previous cell) enters the center of the chamber.
The impeller rotates at 400- 600 m/mt.
It agitates the pulp violently.
Air is sucked into the pulp when the impeller rotates.
The horizontal portion of the impeller near the bottom produces centrifugal force
The tailings will pass to the next cell.

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
DENVER CELL.

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
FAGERGREN CELL.

The cell has a rotor and stator assembly for aeration.

The rotor is suspended on a shaft( driven by an electric

motor ) .

It rotates within the stator – Circulates the pulp rapidly.

It causes a partial vacuum.

(Rotor)
Atmospheric air is drawn into the rotor.
STATOR
Rotor rotates on a shaft inside
The pulp- air mixture is ejected into the chamber.

Dispersion of air is very effective in this method.

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES

FAGERGREN CELL.

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
CLASSIFICATION OF FLOTATION MACHINES- based on pulp flow and based on pulp aeration.
2. BASED ON PULP AERATION.

ii) PNEUMATIC ( AIR IS BLOWN FOR AERATION AND AGITATION) TYPE.

It has a long trough.
The feed enters from one end.
Air is admitted from the bottom of the pulp.
Small air bubbles pass upward.
It induces the necessary agitation of the pulp.
The mineral particles get attached to the bubbles and flotation results.

SHALLOW PNEUMATIC TYPE AIR LIFT CELL-

It has a long, shallow, pyramid shaped tank.

Baffles form aeration chambers.
Air is blown down to the aeration chambers .
The air agitates the pulp.
The pulp enters at the lower part of the chamber.
Air rises through the pulp, forms bubbles and effects flotation.
Useful for cheap minerals-coal, native sulphur, talc etc. 26
 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
CLASSIFICATION OF FLOTATION MACHINES- based on pulp flow and based on pulp aeration.
2. BASED ON PULP AERATION.

DEEP PNEUMATIC TYPE AIR LIFT CELL-

Similar to the Shallow pneumatic type air lift cell.

The depth is 3-4 times that of the shallow type.

The pulp moves faster .

Greater pulp agitation and aeration occur.

Finer bubbles are formed.

More efficient.

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 FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES
CLASSIFICATION OF FLOTATION MACHINES- based on pulp flow and based on pulp aeration.
2. BASED ON PULP AERATION.

COLUMN FLOTATION CELL-

Has a tall cylindrical column ( Ht to Dia ratio ~10 ) .
The pulp enters at the middle of the column.
It is aerated by compressed air admitted into the
cell at its bottom.
Froth formed flows to the annular trough at the
top.
It is removed into a launder.
The tailings are removed from the bottom.
Wash water is introduced from the top.

Useful to float easily floatable minerals ( graphite,

sulphides) .

Gangue entrapment in froth is less.

Has improved selectivity.

The wash water prevents bubbles from coalescing and increases the drainage rate of mechanically 28
entrained particles.
FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES

COLUMN FLOTATION CELL.

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FLOTATION PRACTICE AND MACHINES

CLASSIFICATION OF FLOTATION MACHINES

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THANK YOU
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