2474 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
are relatively good floaters whereas the PGE arsenides are
more difficult to float and it has been shown that sperry-
lite (PtAs2) is a slow floater (Shackleton 2007 Shackleton
et al., 2007a and b Vermaak et al., 2007 Carelse et al.,
2022). Liberation and size class of the mineral species are
other parameters that will also affect the grade and recov-
ery, where any locked particles will not be available for col-
lector adsorption and will be lost to tailings and any fine
grained sizes classes will also be difficult to float due to their
small mass, higher specific surface, bubble-particle collision
and attachment difficulties, etc. (Pease et al., 2006a and
b). For the PGE and BMS minerals, however, the collec-
tor make-up composition looks to be the overriding factor
with respect to the increased grade and recovery observed
(Figure 2A). It has previously been reported that the dif-
ferent mineral species require different types and ratios of
DTP and DTC in combination with SIBX (Shackleton et
al. 2023 – paper in print).
CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
The data presented above comparing AECI Mining
Chemicals collectors during primary and secondary grind
flotation conditions using various ratios of SIBX, DTP and
DTC as well as varying types of DTP and DTC to the
standard conditions has shown significant increases in both
grade and recovery for the 6E PGM, Cu and Ni, particu-
larly during the early stages of flotation.
• PGRF 4 and SGRF 4 collector conditions gave the
best flotation response compared to all other condi-
tions evaluated with an overall 6E PGE increase of
6% for both grade and recovery, while copper gave
a 7% increase in overall recovery and nickel gave a
similar recovery to that obtained for the standard
condition. Both the Cu and Ni grades were lower (4
and 9%), respectively, compared to that obtained for
the standard condition.
• The overriding factor for the enhanced grade and
recovery observed was mainly attributed to the col-
lector make-up composition.
• It is recommended that further optimization be con-
ducted on other ore types to assess whether the same
improvements in recoveries and initial concentrate
grades are observed.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to thank AECI Mining Chemicals
management for support during the study and for permis-
sion to publish this paper.
REFERENCES
Carelse, C., Manuel, M., Chetty, D., Taguta, J., Safari, M.
and Youlton, K., 2022. The flotation behaviour of lib-
erated Platinum Group minerals in Platreef ore under
reduced reagent conditions, Minerals Engineering, 190.
Graham, D.J., and Midgeley, N.G., 2000. Graphical rep-
resentation of particle shape using triangular diagrams:
an Excel spreadsheet method. Earth Surface Processes
and Landforms 25(13), 1473 – 1477.
Pease, J.D., Curry, D.C. and Young, M.F., 2006a.
Designing flotation circuits for high fines recovery.
Minerals Engineering, 19, 831–840.
Pease, J.D., Curry, D.C., Barnes, K.E. and Young, M.F.
Rule, C., 2006b. Transforming flow sheet design with
inert grinding media—The IsaMill. In Proceedings
of the 38th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Mineral
Processors, Ottawa, ON, Canada, 17–19, pp. 231–249.
Schouwstra, R.P. and Kinloch, E.D. (2000). A Short
Geological Review of the Bushveld Complex, Platinum
Metals Reviews, 44, (1). 33–39.
Figure 11. Ternary diagrams depicting the relationship between, A) PGM mineral surface exposure vs. 6E PGM grade vs. 6E
PGM recovery, B) Chalcopyrite mineral surface exposure vs. Cu grade vs. Cu recovery and C) Pentlandite mineral surface
exposure vs. Ni grade vs. Ni recovery for the various collectors evaluated
are relatively good floaters whereas the PGE arsenides are
more difficult to float and it has been shown that sperry-
lite (PtAs2) is a slow floater (Shackleton 2007 Shackleton
et al., 2007a and b Vermaak et al., 2007 Carelse et al.,
2022). Liberation and size class of the mineral species are
other parameters that will also affect the grade and recov-
ery, where any locked particles will not be available for col-
lector adsorption and will be lost to tailings and any fine
grained sizes classes will also be difficult to float due to their
small mass, higher specific surface, bubble-particle collision
and attachment difficulties, etc. (Pease et al., 2006a and
b). For the PGE and BMS minerals, however, the collec-
tor make-up composition looks to be the overriding factor
with respect to the increased grade and recovery observed
(Figure 2A). It has previously been reported that the dif-
ferent mineral species require different types and ratios of
DTP and DTC in combination with SIBX (Shackleton et
al. 2023 – paper in print).
CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
The data presented above comparing AECI Mining
Chemicals collectors during primary and secondary grind
flotation conditions using various ratios of SIBX, DTP and
DTC as well as varying types of DTP and DTC to the
standard conditions has shown significant increases in both
grade and recovery for the 6E PGM, Cu and Ni, particu-
larly during the early stages of flotation.
• PGRF 4 and SGRF 4 collector conditions gave the
best flotation response compared to all other condi-
tions evaluated with an overall 6E PGE increase of
6% for both grade and recovery, while copper gave
a 7% increase in overall recovery and nickel gave a
similar recovery to that obtained for the standard
condition. Both the Cu and Ni grades were lower (4
and 9%), respectively, compared to that obtained for
the standard condition.
• The overriding factor for the enhanced grade and
recovery observed was mainly attributed to the col-
lector make-up composition.
• It is recommended that further optimization be con-
ducted on other ore types to assess whether the same
improvements in recoveries and initial concentrate
grades are observed.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to thank AECI Mining Chemicals
management for support during the study and for permis-
sion to publish this paper.
REFERENCES
Carelse, C., Manuel, M., Chetty, D., Taguta, J., Safari, M.
and Youlton, K., 2022. The flotation behaviour of lib-
erated Platinum Group minerals in Platreef ore under
reduced reagent conditions, Minerals Engineering, 190.
Graham, D.J., and Midgeley, N.G., 2000. Graphical rep-
resentation of particle shape using triangular diagrams:
an Excel spreadsheet method. Earth Surface Processes
and Landforms 25(13), 1473 – 1477.
Pease, J.D., Curry, D.C. and Young, M.F., 2006a.
Designing flotation circuits for high fines recovery.
Minerals Engineering, 19, 831–840.
Pease, J.D., Curry, D.C., Barnes, K.E. and Young, M.F.
Rule, C., 2006b. Transforming flow sheet design with
inert grinding media—The IsaMill. In Proceedings
of the 38th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Mineral
Processors, Ottawa, ON, Canada, 17–19, pp. 231–249.
Schouwstra, R.P. and Kinloch, E.D. (2000). A Short
Geological Review of the Bushveld Complex, Platinum
Metals Reviews, 44, (1). 33–39.
Figure 11. Ternary diagrams depicting the relationship between, A) PGM mineral surface exposure vs. 6E PGM grade vs. 6E
PGM recovery, B) Chalcopyrite mineral surface exposure vs. Cu grade vs. Cu recovery and C) Pentlandite mineral surface
exposure vs. Ni grade vs. Ni recovery for the various collectors evaluated