2774 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
may be a doable option in the short term with further
technological advancements. The work conducted in the
present work showed that the difficulty in coarse particle
flotation arises from the gravitational force interacting with
the surface forces controlling flotation. Methods of mitigat-
ing the gravitational force have been explored by adsorbing
air bubbles to a hydrophobized target mineral to reduce its
effective SG and by pulsating the fluid in a flotation cell to
allow particles to move according to SGs independent of
particle size. Both of these provisions helped increase the
upper particle size limit of flotation. During the pulsion
cycle, bubble-particle aggregates formed in the pulp phase
can cross the pulp/froth interface, forming a froth phase to
help increase product grades.
The team at Virginia Tech is developing a process devel-
opment unit (PDU) to collect scaleup information from a
series of continuous tests. As is well known, Jig is a high
throughput device that can take advantage of hindered set-
tling without losing separation efficiencies.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
A new coarse particle flotation cell named the jig flota-
tion cell has been developed to mitigate the effects of the
gravitational force. The new flotation cell has been designed
to control the hydrodynamic forces such that particles move
according to their SGs independent of particle size, which
is conducive to increasing the top size of flotation.
In the jig flotation, bubble-particle aggregates can
penetrate the pulp-froth interface during the pulsion cycle
without losing particles and form a froth phase, which acts
as a built-in cleaning step to obtain higher-grade products.
A series of laboratory-scale flotation tests have been
conducted on a 212–600 µm size fraction assaying 0.09–
0.15%Cu from a low-grade porphyry copper ore. A single-
stage jig flotation test produced a 1.22%Cu concentrate at
a 73.6% recovery.
REFERENCES
Clark, M. E., Brake, I., Huls, B. J., Smith, B. E., &Yu,
M. (2005). Creating value through application of flo-
tation science and technology. Centenary of Flotation
Symposium, 6–9 June, Brisbane, QLD.
Crompton, L. J., Islam, M. T., &Galvin, K. P. (2023).
Assessment of the partitioning of coarse hydrophobic
particles in the product concentrate of the CoarseAIR ™
flotation system using a novel mechanical cell reference
method. Minerals Engineering, 198, 108088.
Elshkaki, A., Graedel, T. E., Ciacci, L., &Reck, B. K.
(2016). Copper demand, supply, and associated
energy use to 2050. Global environmental change, 39,
305–315.
Gupta, M., &Yoon, R. H. (2024). Maximizing the recov-
ery and throughput of a rougher flotation bank by
improving the recovery of composite particles. Minerals
Engineering, 207, 108545.
Ito, M., Saito, A., Murase, N., Phengsaart, T., Kimura, S.,
Tabelin, C. B., &Hiroyoshi, N. (2019). Development
of suitable product recovery systems of continu-
ous hybrid jig for plastic-plastic separation. Minerals
Engineering, 141, 105839.
Jameson, G. J. (2010). Advances in fine and coarse particle
flotation. Canadian Metallurgical Quarterly, 49(4),
325–330.
Jameson, G. J. (2018). U.S. Patent No. 10,040,075.
Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Mankosa, M. J., &Luttrell, G. H. (2002). U.S. Patent
No. 6,425,485. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office.
Norgate, T., &Jahanshahi, S. (2006, November). Energy
and greenhouse gas implications of deteriorating qual-
ity ore reserves. In 5th Australian conference on life
cycle assessment: achieving business benefits from
managing life cycle impacts.
O’ Connor, C. (2019). Global Challenges Facing the
Minerals Processing Industry. In 2019 IMPC Eurasia
Conference Proceedings, 1–10.
Sulman, H.L., &Kirkpatrick-Picard (1905). U.S. Patent
No. 793,808.
Wills, B. A., &Finch, J. A. (2016). Will’s Mineral Processing
Technology: An introduction to the Practical Aspects of
Ore Treatment and Minerals Recovery Eight Edition.
Figure 4. Grade vs. recovery curve obtained with Jig flotation
Cell using coarse copper ore feed samples
may be a doable option in the short term with further
technological advancements. The work conducted in the
present work showed that the difficulty in coarse particle
flotation arises from the gravitational force interacting with
the surface forces controlling flotation. Methods of mitigat-
ing the gravitational force have been explored by adsorbing
air bubbles to a hydrophobized target mineral to reduce its
effective SG and by pulsating the fluid in a flotation cell to
allow particles to move according to SGs independent of
particle size. Both of these provisions helped increase the
upper particle size limit of flotation. During the pulsion
cycle, bubble-particle aggregates formed in the pulp phase
can cross the pulp/froth interface, forming a froth phase to
help increase product grades.
The team at Virginia Tech is developing a process devel-
opment unit (PDU) to collect scaleup information from a
series of continuous tests. As is well known, Jig is a high
throughput device that can take advantage of hindered set-
tling without losing separation efficiencies.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
A new coarse particle flotation cell named the jig flota-
tion cell has been developed to mitigate the effects of the
gravitational force. The new flotation cell has been designed
to control the hydrodynamic forces such that particles move
according to their SGs independent of particle size, which
is conducive to increasing the top size of flotation.
In the jig flotation, bubble-particle aggregates can
penetrate the pulp-froth interface during the pulsion cycle
without losing particles and form a froth phase, which acts
as a built-in cleaning step to obtain higher-grade products.
A series of laboratory-scale flotation tests have been
conducted on a 212–600 µm size fraction assaying 0.09–
0.15%Cu from a low-grade porphyry copper ore. A single-
stage jig flotation test produced a 1.22%Cu concentrate at
a 73.6% recovery.
REFERENCES
Clark, M. E., Brake, I., Huls, B. J., Smith, B. E., &Yu,
M. (2005). Creating value through application of flo-
tation science and technology. Centenary of Flotation
Symposium, 6–9 June, Brisbane, QLD.
Crompton, L. J., Islam, M. T., &Galvin, K. P. (2023).
Assessment of the partitioning of coarse hydrophobic
particles in the product concentrate of the CoarseAIR ™
flotation system using a novel mechanical cell reference
method. Minerals Engineering, 198, 108088.
Elshkaki, A., Graedel, T. E., Ciacci, L., &Reck, B. K.
(2016). Copper demand, supply, and associated
energy use to 2050. Global environmental change, 39,
305–315.
Gupta, M., &Yoon, R. H. (2024). Maximizing the recov-
ery and throughput of a rougher flotation bank by
improving the recovery of composite particles. Minerals
Engineering, 207, 108545.
Ito, M., Saito, A., Murase, N., Phengsaart, T., Kimura, S.,
Tabelin, C. B., &Hiroyoshi, N. (2019). Development
of suitable product recovery systems of continu-
ous hybrid jig for plastic-plastic separation. Minerals
Engineering, 141, 105839.
Jameson, G. J. (2010). Advances in fine and coarse particle
flotation. Canadian Metallurgical Quarterly, 49(4),
325–330.
Jameson, G. J. (2018). U.S. Patent No. 10,040,075.
Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Mankosa, M. J., &Luttrell, G. H. (2002). U.S. Patent
No. 6,425,485. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office.
Norgate, T., &Jahanshahi, S. (2006, November). Energy
and greenhouse gas implications of deteriorating qual-
ity ore reserves. In 5th Australian conference on life
cycle assessment: achieving business benefits from
managing life cycle impacts.
O’ Connor, C. (2019). Global Challenges Facing the
Minerals Processing Industry. In 2019 IMPC Eurasia
Conference Proceedings, 1–10.
Sulman, H.L., &Kirkpatrick-Picard (1905). U.S. Patent
No. 793,808.
Wills, B. A., &Finch, J. A. (2016). Will’s Mineral Processing
Technology: An introduction to the Practical Aspects of
Ore Treatment and Minerals Recovery Eight Edition.
Figure 4. Grade vs. recovery curve obtained with Jig flotation
Cell using coarse copper ore feed samples