2812 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
conditions with 0.3 L/min wash water flowrate compared
with 3 L/min. These observations could be as a result of
entrainment by water transfer which is prevalent in ultra-
fine particle flotation.
Optimum Conditions and Flotation Kinetics
Given the present work’s emphasis on ultrafine particle
sizes, which are often known for their slow flotation kinet-
ics, and considering the impact of flow systems on flotation
kinetics, the recovery data were fitted with the Kelsall flota-
tion model (Equation 1) to determine how the changes in
flowrate affected the flotation kinetics of the mineral par-
ticles, where R is the flotation recovery after time and φ
is the fraction of flotation components with the slow rate
constant (Stanojlovic and Sokolovic, 2014)
R =(1 – φ)(1 – e–Ks t) +φ(1 – e–Ks t) (1)
The Kelsall model was selected due to its incorporation of
kinetic parameters designed to differentiate between fast
(Kf) and slow (Ks) flotation processes. Table 2 summarises
the kinetics parameters generated by the Kelsall values for
Kf and Ks flotation. It can be observed that the test condi-
tion labelled 10 (II), where 10 L/min feed rate, 8 L/min air
flowrate, and 3 L/min wash water were used, had the fastest
flotation kinetics with a Kf of 1.5. Subsequent works will be
conducted based on this optimisation study to obtain the
optimal Kf using the RFC on ultrafine particle sizes.
CONCLUSIONS
Current research was focused on determining the opti-
mal conditions for the flotation of ultrafine (–20 µm)
pentlandite using the RFC, where quartz was used as an
entrainment monitor. To achieve this, the influence of key
operating parameters such as feed flowrate, wash water rate,
air flowrate, and pulp density on the flotation performance
were investigated.
Keeping all parameters constant, increasing pulp den-
sity led to an increase in the enrichment ratio due to the
Figure 6. Cumulative nickel recovery, cumulative silica recovery and enrichmemt ratio under
varying feed flowrate conditions. N.B: 3 L/min wash water flowrate was used in 10(I) and 0.3 L/
min in 10(II)
Table 2. Kinectics paramter generated using the Kelsall model
Feed Flowrate
(L/min) R φ Kf (min–1) Ks (min–1)
6 0.99979 0.93633 0.5 0.06934
7 0.99911 0.97348 0.5 0.02579
10 (I) 0.99843 0.55238 0.5 0.06087
10 (II) 0.99933 0.70326 1.5 0.06731
conditions with 0.3 L/min wash water flowrate compared
with 3 L/min. These observations could be as a result of
entrainment by water transfer which is prevalent in ultra-
fine particle flotation.
Optimum Conditions and Flotation Kinetics
Given the present work’s emphasis on ultrafine particle
sizes, which are often known for their slow flotation kinet-
ics, and considering the impact of flow systems on flotation
kinetics, the recovery data were fitted with the Kelsall flota-
tion model (Equation 1) to determine how the changes in
flowrate affected the flotation kinetics of the mineral par-
ticles, where R is the flotation recovery after time and φ
is the fraction of flotation components with the slow rate
constant (Stanojlovic and Sokolovic, 2014)
R =(1 – φ)(1 – e–Ks t) +φ(1 – e–Ks t) (1)
The Kelsall model was selected due to its incorporation of
kinetic parameters designed to differentiate between fast
(Kf) and slow (Ks) flotation processes. Table 2 summarises
the kinetics parameters generated by the Kelsall values for
Kf and Ks flotation. It can be observed that the test condi-
tion labelled 10 (II), where 10 L/min feed rate, 8 L/min air
flowrate, and 3 L/min wash water were used, had the fastest
flotation kinetics with a Kf of 1.5. Subsequent works will be
conducted based on this optimisation study to obtain the
optimal Kf using the RFC on ultrafine particle sizes.
CONCLUSIONS
Current research was focused on determining the opti-
mal conditions for the flotation of ultrafine (–20 µm)
pentlandite using the RFC, where quartz was used as an
entrainment monitor. To achieve this, the influence of key
operating parameters such as feed flowrate, wash water rate,
air flowrate, and pulp density on the flotation performance
were investigated.
Keeping all parameters constant, increasing pulp den-
sity led to an increase in the enrichment ratio due to the
Figure 6. Cumulative nickel recovery, cumulative silica recovery and enrichmemt ratio under
varying feed flowrate conditions. N.B: 3 L/min wash water flowrate was used in 10(I) and 0.3 L/
min in 10(II)
Table 2. Kinectics paramter generated using the Kelsall model
Feed Flowrate
(L/min) R φ Kf (min–1) Ks (min–1)
6 0.99979 0.93633 0.5 0.06934
7 0.99911 0.97348 0.5 0.02579
10 (I) 0.99843 0.55238 0.5 0.06087
10 (II) 0.99933 0.70326 1.5 0.06731