206 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
(–200 US mesh) size fraction. HPSA provided an increase
in both the grade and recovery for the copper minerals.
Although the grade and recovery results were positive,
HPSA generated a significant number of fines to liberate
the copper from the host rock. For this ore body, the copper
was encapsulated within the host rock and post process flo-
tation required a specific particle size of –74 µm (–200 US
mesh). HPSA concentrated 63% of the total copper into
the minus –74 µm (–200 US mesh) fraction as compared
to the rod mill grinding, which had only 41% of the total
copper concentrated into the same fraction. However, the
HPSA process was not able to achieve particle size reduc-
tion for a product with a p80 of –74 µm (–200 US mesh),
only achieving a p80 of 250 µm (–60 US mesh). The
Figure 11. Size Classification of the Feed and Post HPSA Material
Figure 12. Automated Mineralogy particle maps for pre and feed and post HPSA samples for REE materials
(–200 US mesh) size fraction. HPSA provided an increase
in both the grade and recovery for the copper minerals.
Although the grade and recovery results were positive,
HPSA generated a significant number of fines to liberate
the copper from the host rock. For this ore body, the copper
was encapsulated within the host rock and post process flo-
tation required a specific particle size of –74 µm (–200 US
mesh). HPSA concentrated 63% of the total copper into
the minus –74 µm (–200 US mesh) fraction as compared
to the rod mill grinding, which had only 41% of the total
copper concentrated into the same fraction. However, the
HPSA process was not able to achieve particle size reduc-
tion for a product with a p80 of –74 µm (–200 US mesh),
only achieving a p80 of 250 µm (–60 US mesh). The
Figure 11. Size Classification of the Feed and Post HPSA Material
Figure 12. Automated Mineralogy particle maps for pre and feed and post HPSA samples for REE materials