2816 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
Scavenging aims to recover any remaining valuable
particles not recovered during the initial roughing stages.
This might be achieved in several ways, including chang-
ing the flotation conditions (i.e., reagent addition, more
vigorous hydrodynamic conditions, using froth crowders)
or with secondary grinding to liberate valuable minerals
further. Both scavenger recovery and concentrate grade are
usually low relative to that achieved in the roughing stage
(Wills &Napier-Munn 2006).
Scavenging is arguably a more challenging application
for the Jameson cell. Typically, it excels at rapidly recovering
fast-floating particles into a high-grade concentrate, such as
in rougher-scalping and cleaning. In scavenging, however,
recovery of both the ultrafine, liberated particles that float
slowly and the coarse, composite particles that are weakly
hydrophobic need to be maximized. Scavenger feed also
contains a significant proportion of non-valuable or gangue
particles, meaning fewer hydrophobic particles are avail-
able to aid in froth stabilization, resulting in lower froth
recoveries than other duties (Runge et al. 2012). The large
proportion of hydrophilic, non-valuable particles or gangue
can also lead to high entrainment, resulting in very low con-
centrate grades. Therefore, the Jameson cell operation must
likely be varied to meet the requirements of scavenging.
The adoption of Jameson cells in base metal scavenging
is gaining traction in the industry. Two examples include
Philex Mining Corporation’s Concentrator in 1996 and,
more recently, the “Jameson Concentrator” at Hudbay’s
New Brittania Mill in 2021. In both cases, little informa-
tion was provided on optimizing the Jameson cell opera-
tion in the scavenging stage (Harbort, Murphy &Budod
1997 Taylor, Stieper &Gurnett 2022). Other installations
of the Jameson cell in base metal scavenging are Maricalum
Mining in the Philippines, Glencore’s Yauliyacu opera-
tion in Peru and Compania Min. del Sur in Bolivia and
Ozernoye in Russia (Glencore Technology 2023) however,
limited information is publicly available on their operation.
An improved understanding of how to operate the
Jameson cell in a base metal scavenging duty would assist
in the continued uptake of Jameson cells in this duty. This
paper summarizes a study performed to investigate the
effect of operating variables on Jameson cell performance
in a base metal scavenging application and, in doing so,
determine the ability of the Jameson cell to operate in a
vastly different duty than is traditionally accepted.
Incorporating Jameson cells into the flotation circuit
as base metal scavengers paves the way for the “Jameson
Concentrator,” which has been shown to provide substan-
tial reductions in footprint, reductions of up to 35% in
power consumption, 78% in steel and 19% in concrete
used during construction and up to 61% reduction in car-
bon emissions compared to conventional flotation circuits
(Anderson et al. 2023).
BACKGROUND
Jameson Cell Basic Principles of Operation
The Jameson cell is an established, robust, efficient, high-
intensity pneumatic flotation device. The principles of
Jameson cell operation have been extensively described
by Jameson (1988), Jameson &Manlapig (1991), Evans,
Atkinson &Jameson (1995) and many others. A schematic
of the Jameson cell is shown in Figure 1.
In brief, feed slurry is pumped through a restriction,
also known as the slurry lens or orifice, to create a high-
pressure jet that enters a downcomer. This slurry jet shears
and entrains air from the atmosphere, generating fine bub-
bles in the downcomer. The high-intensity zone within the
downcomer is ideal for particle-bubble collision and attach-
ment, ensuring fast flotation rates. The bubbly mixture then
discharges into a cell where the particle-laden bubbles sepa-
rate from the pulp and rise to the surface to enter the froth
zone at the top of the cell to be recovered to concentrate.
Some advantages of the Jameson cell include a smaller
footprint than conventional cells and columns, faster flota-
tion kinetics in the high-intensity zone within the down-
comer, steady operation and ease of control through the
internal tailings recycle and lower operating cost.
The Jameson cell also employs froth washing, which
effectively reduces recovery by entrainment to concen-
trate. Coupled with the Jameson cell’s capability to rapidly
recover liberated, valuable particles, it is particularly suited
to roughing and cleaning stages in the flotation process.
Jameson Cell Operating Variables
The key Jameson cell operating variables investigated in this
work are briefly discussed.
Fresh Feed Flow Rate
The size of the Jameson cell is determined by the fresh feed
flow rate and the tailings %recycle required for the spe-
cific duty. A portion of the tailings exiting the bottom of
the cell is recycled and mixed with the fresh feed to main-
tain a constant downcomer feed flow rate and pressure,
which is essential for the downcomer’s stable operation
(Carr, Harbort &Lawson 2003). As the fresh feed flow
rate increases, the tailings recycle decreases to maintain a
constant volumetric flow rate to the downcomer. It was
therefore postulated that variations in the fresh feed flow
rate could be used as a proxy to investigate the effect of the
tailings recycle on performance.
Scavenging aims to recover any remaining valuable
particles not recovered during the initial roughing stages.
This might be achieved in several ways, including chang-
ing the flotation conditions (i.e., reagent addition, more
vigorous hydrodynamic conditions, using froth crowders)
or with secondary grinding to liberate valuable minerals
further. Both scavenger recovery and concentrate grade are
usually low relative to that achieved in the roughing stage
(Wills &Napier-Munn 2006).
Scavenging is arguably a more challenging application
for the Jameson cell. Typically, it excels at rapidly recovering
fast-floating particles into a high-grade concentrate, such as
in rougher-scalping and cleaning. In scavenging, however,
recovery of both the ultrafine, liberated particles that float
slowly and the coarse, composite particles that are weakly
hydrophobic need to be maximized. Scavenger feed also
contains a significant proportion of non-valuable or gangue
particles, meaning fewer hydrophobic particles are avail-
able to aid in froth stabilization, resulting in lower froth
recoveries than other duties (Runge et al. 2012). The large
proportion of hydrophilic, non-valuable particles or gangue
can also lead to high entrainment, resulting in very low con-
centrate grades. Therefore, the Jameson cell operation must
likely be varied to meet the requirements of scavenging.
The adoption of Jameson cells in base metal scavenging
is gaining traction in the industry. Two examples include
Philex Mining Corporation’s Concentrator in 1996 and,
more recently, the “Jameson Concentrator” at Hudbay’s
New Brittania Mill in 2021. In both cases, little informa-
tion was provided on optimizing the Jameson cell opera-
tion in the scavenging stage (Harbort, Murphy &Budod
1997 Taylor, Stieper &Gurnett 2022). Other installations
of the Jameson cell in base metal scavenging are Maricalum
Mining in the Philippines, Glencore’s Yauliyacu opera-
tion in Peru and Compania Min. del Sur in Bolivia and
Ozernoye in Russia (Glencore Technology 2023) however,
limited information is publicly available on their operation.
An improved understanding of how to operate the
Jameson cell in a base metal scavenging duty would assist
in the continued uptake of Jameson cells in this duty. This
paper summarizes a study performed to investigate the
effect of operating variables on Jameson cell performance
in a base metal scavenging application and, in doing so,
determine the ability of the Jameson cell to operate in a
vastly different duty than is traditionally accepted.
Incorporating Jameson cells into the flotation circuit
as base metal scavengers paves the way for the “Jameson
Concentrator,” which has been shown to provide substan-
tial reductions in footprint, reductions of up to 35% in
power consumption, 78% in steel and 19% in concrete
used during construction and up to 61% reduction in car-
bon emissions compared to conventional flotation circuits
(Anderson et al. 2023).
BACKGROUND
Jameson Cell Basic Principles of Operation
The Jameson cell is an established, robust, efficient, high-
intensity pneumatic flotation device. The principles of
Jameson cell operation have been extensively described
by Jameson (1988), Jameson &Manlapig (1991), Evans,
Atkinson &Jameson (1995) and many others. A schematic
of the Jameson cell is shown in Figure 1.
In brief, feed slurry is pumped through a restriction,
also known as the slurry lens or orifice, to create a high-
pressure jet that enters a downcomer. This slurry jet shears
and entrains air from the atmosphere, generating fine bub-
bles in the downcomer. The high-intensity zone within the
downcomer is ideal for particle-bubble collision and attach-
ment, ensuring fast flotation rates. The bubbly mixture then
discharges into a cell where the particle-laden bubbles sepa-
rate from the pulp and rise to the surface to enter the froth
zone at the top of the cell to be recovered to concentrate.
Some advantages of the Jameson cell include a smaller
footprint than conventional cells and columns, faster flota-
tion kinetics in the high-intensity zone within the down-
comer, steady operation and ease of control through the
internal tailings recycle and lower operating cost.
The Jameson cell also employs froth washing, which
effectively reduces recovery by entrainment to concen-
trate. Coupled with the Jameson cell’s capability to rapidly
recover liberated, valuable particles, it is particularly suited
to roughing and cleaning stages in the flotation process.
Jameson Cell Operating Variables
The key Jameson cell operating variables investigated in this
work are briefly discussed.
Fresh Feed Flow Rate
The size of the Jameson cell is determined by the fresh feed
flow rate and the tailings %recycle required for the spe-
cific duty. A portion of the tailings exiting the bottom of
the cell is recycled and mixed with the fresh feed to main-
tain a constant downcomer feed flow rate and pressure,
which is essential for the downcomer’s stable operation
(Carr, Harbort &Lawson 2003). As the fresh feed flow
rate increases, the tailings recycle decreases to maintain a
constant volumetric flow rate to the downcomer. It was
therefore postulated that variations in the fresh feed flow
rate could be used as a proxy to investigate the effect of the
tailings recycle on performance.