2363
Investigation of Flotation Kinetics of Agglomerated Fine Copper
Minerals in Continuous Column Flotation Tests
H. Matsuoka, J. V. Satur, H. Matsumoto, K. Mitsuhashi
Nittetsu Mining Co. Ltd.
K. Aikawa
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
I. Park, M. Ito, N. Hiroyoshi
Hokkaido Univ.
ABSTRACT: Mineral processing of copper ores using flotation are becoming more difficult because of large
content of fine copper mineral grains and complexity due to presence of different copper minerals and high
concentration of impurities. Processing of these kinds of ores in the cleaner flotation, e.g., column flotation,
requires grinding to much finer grain size in order to improve the liberation of minerals. In addition, the
flotation kinetics and recovery at the column cleaner flotation process decrease because of decline of the
collision probability between air bubbles and copper minerals in the flotation cell with finer grinding size. In
this study we focused on agglomeration methods for increasing the apparent particle size of the copper mineral
in order to increase the collision probability and improve the flotation kinetics and recovery. Agglomeration
tests, batch flotation tests using a mechanical cell, and continuous column flotation tests were conducted. In
the agglomeration tests, effects of some parameters (e.g., collector dosage) on agglomerated particle size were
investigated. Using the first order kinetic model, flotation results were analyzed and the effects of agglomeration
on the flotation were discussed.
Keywords: agglomeration, fine copper mineral, column flotation, flotation kinetics
INTRODUCTION
Generally, copper sulfide ore is separated from other gangue
by flotation (Nakamura 2013). Recently, copper ore to be
mined has become increasingly difficult to process in flota-
tion plant because of presence of impurity elements, mul-
tiple types of copper minerals, and large content of fine
copper minerals. In the flotation of copper ore containing
a large amount of fine copper minerals, it is necessary to
reduce the particle size in the primary and secondary grind-
ing processes to ensure the liberation of copper minerals. In
particular, in the cleaner process after secondary grinding
process, a column cell without a stirring mechanism is often
selected instead of a mechanical cell with stirring using an
impeller. But fine copper minerals result to significantly low
collision probability (Yoon 1993) in the flotation (Nguyen
and Schulze 2004), and the recovery in the column cell also
decreases. The collision probability between an air bubble
and a copper mineral particle can be indicated as according
to Yoon and Luttrel:
CP D
D
c b
p
2
d n
Investigation of Flotation Kinetics of Agglomerated Fine Copper
Minerals in Continuous Column Flotation Tests
H. Matsuoka, J. V. Satur, H. Matsumoto, K. Mitsuhashi
Nittetsu Mining Co. Ltd.
K. Aikawa
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
I. Park, M. Ito, N. Hiroyoshi
Hokkaido Univ.
ABSTRACT: Mineral processing of copper ores using flotation are becoming more difficult because of large
content of fine copper mineral grains and complexity due to presence of different copper minerals and high
concentration of impurities. Processing of these kinds of ores in the cleaner flotation, e.g., column flotation,
requires grinding to much finer grain size in order to improve the liberation of minerals. In addition, the
flotation kinetics and recovery at the column cleaner flotation process decrease because of decline of the
collision probability between air bubbles and copper minerals in the flotation cell with finer grinding size. In
this study we focused on agglomeration methods for increasing the apparent particle size of the copper mineral
in order to increase the collision probability and improve the flotation kinetics and recovery. Agglomeration
tests, batch flotation tests using a mechanical cell, and continuous column flotation tests were conducted. In
the agglomeration tests, effects of some parameters (e.g., collector dosage) on agglomerated particle size were
investigated. Using the first order kinetic model, flotation results were analyzed and the effects of agglomeration
on the flotation were discussed.
Keywords: agglomeration, fine copper mineral, column flotation, flotation kinetics
INTRODUCTION
Generally, copper sulfide ore is separated from other gangue
by flotation (Nakamura 2013). Recently, copper ore to be
mined has become increasingly difficult to process in flota-
tion plant because of presence of impurity elements, mul-
tiple types of copper minerals, and large content of fine
copper minerals. In the flotation of copper ore containing
a large amount of fine copper minerals, it is necessary to
reduce the particle size in the primary and secondary grind-
ing processes to ensure the liberation of copper minerals. In
particular, in the cleaner process after secondary grinding
process, a column cell without a stirring mechanism is often
selected instead of a mechanical cell with stirring using an
impeller. But fine copper minerals result to significantly low
collision probability (Yoon 1993) in the flotation (Nguyen
and Schulze 2004), and the recovery in the column cell also
decreases. The collision probability between an air bubble
and a copper mineral particle can be indicated as according
to Yoon and Luttrel:
CP D
D
c b
p
2
d n