2570 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
concerning fine particle flotation by employing the former
approach. Rendering fine particles more hydrophobic using
SC should decrease E1 and Eh by increasing q.
Figure 2 shows the effects of using a Super Collector for
coarse particle flotation. Coarse particles are mostly com-
posite particles and are characterized by low surface libera-
tion. Under this condition, copper-bearing minerals will
have small surface exposure areas and hence small low work
of adhesion (Yoon and Mao, 1996),
cos W r 1
a LV
2 r c ih2 =-^[12]
in which r is the radius of the area of a copper-bearing min-
eral on the surface. According to Eq. [5], a large increase in
q using SC should decrease the probability of detachment
(Pd) and thereby maintain a relatively high flotation rate
constant (kp) in the pulp phase of a mechanically agitated
flotation cell. See Eq. [6].
It is generally known that hydrophobic particles with
q 90° destabilize froth by dewetting. It appears that the
composite particles treated by Super Collectors tend to
improve the stability of froths (Gupta and Yoon, 2024).
It is possible that composite particles with strongly hydro-
phobic islands may act as Janus particles, which can act as
solid surfactants. With this information, two sets of coarse
particle flotation tests were conducted on a –600+212 µm
size fraction using a laboratory flotation cell. The samples
were taken from a rougher bank of a large porphyry
copper flotation plant. In the first set, 0.2 lb/t of KAX
was used to obtain a 45.3% copper recovery. With Super
Collectors, recoveries were increased to 57.0%. In the sec-
ond set of flotation tests, the KAX dosage was increased to
1.1 lb/t to obtain a 73.4% copper recovery. Using SC-3,
the recovery was increased to 82.0%. Note here that the use
of Super Collectors increased not only the copper recovery
but also the concentrate grades, which may be attributed to
the froth-stabilizing actions of Janus particles.
The next set of flotation tests was conducted on a
sample of freshly mined copper ore after wet grinding it
in a rod mill to d80 =210 µm, with the results presented
Figure 3. The control test was conducted with 50 g/t KAX
in a Denver laboratory flotation cell, in which froth prod-
ucts were taken at 1, 3, and 5-min flotation times. Also
shown are the test results obtained with 30 g/t KAX plus
Figure 1. Effect of using a Super Collector for fine particle
flotation
Figure 3. Recovery vs. grade curves obtained using KAX and
Super Collector
Figure 2. Effect of using Super Collectors for Coarse Particle
Recovery
concerning fine particle flotation by employing the former
approach. Rendering fine particles more hydrophobic using
SC should decrease E1 and Eh by increasing q.
Figure 2 shows the effects of using a Super Collector for
coarse particle flotation. Coarse particles are mostly com-
posite particles and are characterized by low surface libera-
tion. Under this condition, copper-bearing minerals will
have small surface exposure areas and hence small low work
of adhesion (Yoon and Mao, 1996),
cos W r 1
a LV
2 r c ih2 =-^[12]
in which r is the radius of the area of a copper-bearing min-
eral on the surface. According to Eq. [5], a large increase in
q using SC should decrease the probability of detachment
(Pd) and thereby maintain a relatively high flotation rate
constant (kp) in the pulp phase of a mechanically agitated
flotation cell. See Eq. [6].
It is generally known that hydrophobic particles with
q 90° destabilize froth by dewetting. It appears that the
composite particles treated by Super Collectors tend to
improve the stability of froths (Gupta and Yoon, 2024).
It is possible that composite particles with strongly hydro-
phobic islands may act as Janus particles, which can act as
solid surfactants. With this information, two sets of coarse
particle flotation tests were conducted on a –600+212 µm
size fraction using a laboratory flotation cell. The samples
were taken from a rougher bank of a large porphyry
copper flotation plant. In the first set, 0.2 lb/t of KAX
was used to obtain a 45.3% copper recovery. With Super
Collectors, recoveries were increased to 57.0%. In the sec-
ond set of flotation tests, the KAX dosage was increased to
1.1 lb/t to obtain a 73.4% copper recovery. Using SC-3,
the recovery was increased to 82.0%. Note here that the use
of Super Collectors increased not only the copper recovery
but also the concentrate grades, which may be attributed to
the froth-stabilizing actions of Janus particles.
The next set of flotation tests was conducted on a
sample of freshly mined copper ore after wet grinding it
in a rod mill to d80 =210 µm, with the results presented
Figure 3. The control test was conducted with 50 g/t KAX
in a Denver laboratory flotation cell, in which froth prod-
ucts were taken at 1, 3, and 5-min flotation times. Also
shown are the test results obtained with 30 g/t KAX plus
Figure 1. Effect of using a Super Collector for fine particle
flotation
Figure 3. Recovery vs. grade curves obtained using KAX and
Super Collector
Figure 2. Effect of using Super Collectors for Coarse Particle
Recovery