XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 2833
• At a flotation feed grind size (P80) of 350 µm, the
feed throughput rate can be increased by 11%.
• The copper recovery loss in the cleaner circuit is simi-
lar to the the current circuit.
• Plant utilization is 94%.
• The copper price is $8,300 USD per tonne.
• The plant operating costs are unchanged.
The calculation indicated that with the addition of the
NovaCell ™, the potential revenue increase for the mine
could be ~$97 million USD/year. Jord has proposed an
onsite NovaCell ™ pilot plant trial to confirm labora-
tory results and provide additional information for the
NovaCell ™ plant-scale design. The project is currently
under consideration.
CASE STUDY 2—INCREASED METAL
RECOVERY
In the second case study, a plant tailings sample from an
operating mine in Chile was evaluated. The porphyry cop-
per deposit has a flotation feed grind size (P80) of ~256 µm.
The objective of the test work was to determine whether the
NovaCell ™ could recover additional copper from the final
plant tailings stream. If successful, the potential benefits
would be increased metal revenue and less metal sulfides
reporting to the TSF.
The material delivered for testing was received as dry
powder with a (P80) of ~200 µm. This was finer than the
typical plant flotation feed grind size. Sub-samples were
analysed, showing that the head grade was 0.16% Cu.
Case Study 2—Sample Characteristics and Flotation
Conditions
Table 4 shows the size-by-size copper assays of the flota-
tion feed (plant tailings), and the distributions of mass and
copper in the plant. The results show that the bulk of the
copper was in the finer size fractions, with ~63% of the cop-
per in the –212 µm size band. It was also observed that 37%
of the copper losses were in the intermediate –212+53 µm
size fractions. Typically, conventional flotation technologies
perform well in these size fractions, however the appearance
of these particles in the tails highlights that there is still
significant room for improvement.
The NovaCell ™ flotation test work was conducted in
the small-scale laboratory rig, following the standard test
procedure discussed previously. The Agitair cell test was
conducted to represent the conventional flotation equip-
ment performance.
The flotation conditions for both tests are presented
in Table 5. As in the previous case, the aim was to keep
the flotation parameters of particle size, solids density, and
chemistry, as consistent as possible.
Case Study 2—Results
The NovaCell ™ obtained a copper recovery of 74% from
the plant tailings stream. The recovery split between the
Table 5. Case study 2 summary of flotation conditions
Test Parameter Unit
Test Conditions
NovaCell™ Agitair Cell
System Volume l 26 5
Test time (min) 45 50
Sample Feed Mass kg 8.8 1.7
Grind Size (P
80 )µm 200 200
Feed Solids Density (%w/w) 28% 28%
Screen Aperture µm 212 n/a
Collector (PAX) g/t 95 65
Frother (MIBC) ppm (vol) 30 30
Frother (Polyfroth W22) ppm (vol) 8 8
pH (Lime) — 9.0 9.0
Eh (NaHS) mV(Ag/AgCl) –50 –64
Table 4. Case study 2 sample characteristics
Particle
Size,
µm
Copper
Feed
Grade, %
Feed Distributions
Mass Copper
–600 +500 0.44 1% 2%
–500 +425 0.46 1% 3%
–425 +300 0.39 5% 13%
–300 +212 0.27 11% 18%
–212 +106 0.16 26% 26%
–106 +53 0.10 17% 11%
–53 0.11 39% 26%
Total 0.16 100% 100%
• At a flotation feed grind size (P80) of 350 µm, the
feed throughput rate can be increased by 11%.
• The copper recovery loss in the cleaner circuit is simi-
lar to the the current circuit.
• Plant utilization is 94%.
• The copper price is $8,300 USD per tonne.
• The plant operating costs are unchanged.
The calculation indicated that with the addition of the
NovaCell ™, the potential revenue increase for the mine
could be ~$97 million USD/year. Jord has proposed an
onsite NovaCell ™ pilot plant trial to confirm labora-
tory results and provide additional information for the
NovaCell ™ plant-scale design. The project is currently
under consideration.
CASE STUDY 2—INCREASED METAL
RECOVERY
In the second case study, a plant tailings sample from an
operating mine in Chile was evaluated. The porphyry cop-
per deposit has a flotation feed grind size (P80) of ~256 µm.
The objective of the test work was to determine whether the
NovaCell ™ could recover additional copper from the final
plant tailings stream. If successful, the potential benefits
would be increased metal revenue and less metal sulfides
reporting to the TSF.
The material delivered for testing was received as dry
powder with a (P80) of ~200 µm. This was finer than the
typical plant flotation feed grind size. Sub-samples were
analysed, showing that the head grade was 0.16% Cu.
Case Study 2—Sample Characteristics and Flotation
Conditions
Table 4 shows the size-by-size copper assays of the flota-
tion feed (plant tailings), and the distributions of mass and
copper in the plant. The results show that the bulk of the
copper was in the finer size fractions, with ~63% of the cop-
per in the –212 µm size band. It was also observed that 37%
of the copper losses were in the intermediate –212+53 µm
size fractions. Typically, conventional flotation technologies
perform well in these size fractions, however the appearance
of these particles in the tails highlights that there is still
significant room for improvement.
The NovaCell ™ flotation test work was conducted in
the small-scale laboratory rig, following the standard test
procedure discussed previously. The Agitair cell test was
conducted to represent the conventional flotation equip-
ment performance.
The flotation conditions for both tests are presented
in Table 5. As in the previous case, the aim was to keep
the flotation parameters of particle size, solids density, and
chemistry, as consistent as possible.
Case Study 2—Results
The NovaCell ™ obtained a copper recovery of 74% from
the plant tailings stream. The recovery split between the
Table 5. Case study 2 summary of flotation conditions
Test Parameter Unit
Test Conditions
NovaCell™ Agitair Cell
System Volume l 26 5
Test time (min) 45 50
Sample Feed Mass kg 8.8 1.7
Grind Size (P
80 )µm 200 200
Feed Solids Density (%w/w) 28% 28%
Screen Aperture µm 212 n/a
Collector (PAX) g/t 95 65
Frother (MIBC) ppm (vol) 30 30
Frother (Polyfroth W22) ppm (vol) 8 8
pH (Lime) — 9.0 9.0
Eh (NaHS) mV(Ag/AgCl) –50 –64
Table 4. Case study 2 sample characteristics
Particle
Size,
µm
Copper
Feed
Grade, %
Feed Distributions
Mass Copper
–600 +500 0.44 1% 2%
–500 +425 0.46 1% 3%
–425 +300 0.39 5% 13%
–300 +212 0.27 11% 18%
–212 +106 0.16 26% 26%
–106 +53 0.10 17% 11%
–53 0.11 39% 26%
Total 0.16 100% 100%