2844 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
of particle size and density, using an AccuPyc II 1340 Gas
Pycnometer. The density values were used to estimate the
grade of the concentrate, based on a linear interpolation
between the density of glass beads (2.53 g/cm3) and pure
chalcopyrite particles (4.22 g/cm3). This technique allowed
for fast and economic concentrate grade assessment and
was ratified using a portable XRF with consistent results.
Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) Simulations
Imperial College SPH simulator, a parallel SPH simula-
tor capable of utilising hundreds or thousands of cores for
simulating large problems at high resolution, was used in
this work to assess the effect of funnels on flotation fluid
dynamics. The simulator makes use of a semi-Lagrangian
approach in which the SPH reference frame moves at a
momentum-averaged velocity. Further information about
the simulator can be found in Neethling &Barker (2016),
while recent improvements in the code are discussed in
Neethling et al. (2024).
Simulations were run at the same operating conditions
as described in Table 1 for the two-species system. In these
simulations, 3 different particle size classes are simulated,
with a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic class for each size.
The simulator can handle an arbitrary number of classes
based on size, density and hydrophobicity in terms of
induction time.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Air Recovery Measurements
Froth height and overflowing speed were measured for each
impeller design tested in order to calculate the air recov-
ery. The raw data were then filtered using a moving average
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0.5 5 50 500
Particle size (μm)
Chalcopyrite Fine gangue
Coarse gangue Total feed
Figure 4. Particle size distribution of the two-species system feed
Table 1. Summary of materials, reagents and operating conditions
Experimental
Condition Single-Species System Two-Species System
Impeller type Rotor-stator Rotor-stator
Solid content, %30 30
Solid particles Glass beads (fine and coarse) Chalcopyrite and glass beads
Particle size, µm Fine: 1–20 µm (50%w/w)
Coarse: 75–150 µm (50%w/w)
Chalcopyrite: P80 of ~90 µm (5%w/w)
Fine beads: 1–20 µm (28.5%
w/w )
Coarse beads: 75–150 µm (66.5%w/w)
Froth depth, cm 3.5 3.5
Impeller speed, rpm 1200 1200
Jg, cm/s 0.66–0.98–1.31 1.31
Frother (dosage) DF250 (4 ppm) DF250 (6 ppm +2 ppm/h)
Collector (dosage) TTAB (4 g/t +2 g/t-h) PAX (50 g/t)
Volume
densyit
(%)
of particle size and density, using an AccuPyc II 1340 Gas
Pycnometer. The density values were used to estimate the
grade of the concentrate, based on a linear interpolation
between the density of glass beads (2.53 g/cm3) and pure
chalcopyrite particles (4.22 g/cm3). This technique allowed
for fast and economic concentrate grade assessment and
was ratified using a portable XRF with consistent results.
Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) Simulations
Imperial College SPH simulator, a parallel SPH simula-
tor capable of utilising hundreds or thousands of cores for
simulating large problems at high resolution, was used in
this work to assess the effect of funnels on flotation fluid
dynamics. The simulator makes use of a semi-Lagrangian
approach in which the SPH reference frame moves at a
momentum-averaged velocity. Further information about
the simulator can be found in Neethling &Barker (2016),
while recent improvements in the code are discussed in
Neethling et al. (2024).
Simulations were run at the same operating conditions
as described in Table 1 for the two-species system. In these
simulations, 3 different particle size classes are simulated,
with a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic class for each size.
The simulator can handle an arbitrary number of classes
based on size, density and hydrophobicity in terms of
induction time.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Air Recovery Measurements
Froth height and overflowing speed were measured for each
impeller design tested in order to calculate the air recov-
ery. The raw data were then filtered using a moving average
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0.5 5 50 500
Particle size (μm)
Chalcopyrite Fine gangue
Coarse gangue Total feed
Figure 4. Particle size distribution of the two-species system feed
Table 1. Summary of materials, reagents and operating conditions
Experimental
Condition Single-Species System Two-Species System
Impeller type Rotor-stator Rotor-stator
Solid content, %30 30
Solid particles Glass beads (fine and coarse) Chalcopyrite and glass beads
Particle size, µm Fine: 1–20 µm (50%w/w)
Coarse: 75–150 µm (50%w/w)
Chalcopyrite: P80 of ~90 µm (5%w/w)
Fine beads: 1–20 µm (28.5%
w/w )
Coarse beads: 75–150 µm (66.5%w/w)
Froth depth, cm 3.5 3.5
Impeller speed, rpm 1200 1200
Jg, cm/s 0.66–0.98–1.31 1.31
Frother (dosage) DF250 (4 ppm) DF250 (6 ppm +2 ppm/h)
Collector (dosage) TTAB (4 g/t +2 g/t-h) PAX (50 g/t)
Volume
densyit
(%)