XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 2877
entrainment reduction. A side wash water flow occurred in
test 3 at the highest gas flux and joined the stream leaving the
concentrate, further reducing the entrainment.
CONCLUSION
This study identified that higher gangue entrainment
occurred in chalcopyrite flotation in the RFC, compared to
coal flotation, under the baseline operating condition opti-
mized for coal flotation. The higher gangue entrainment
was attributed to the increased air fraction in chalcopyrite
flotation as a result of the higher density of hydrophobic
particles, which transported a higher amount of entrained
liquid and gangue particles to the concentrate.
The flotation tests under different conditions identi-
fied that the wash water flux was still effective in reducing
gangue entrainment in chalcopyrite flotation, but it also
decreased chalcopyrite recovery as found in coal flotation.
The increase of gas flux in chalcopyrite flotation promoted
chalcopyrite recovery, also in line with the observation in
coal flotation. However, the increase of gas flux was found to
reduce gangue entrainment in chalcopyrite flotation, which
is different from the observation in coal flotation. CFD sim-
ulation revealed that, the increase of gas flux in chalcopyrite
flotation favored the formation of a large recirculation loop
in the reverse fluidized bed, which assisted the drainage of
entrained particles and the mixing between wash water and
the liquid containing entrained particles, lowing gangue
entrainment. A side wash water flow was also observed at
the highest gas flux, diluting the flow which just left the con-
centrate stream and further reducing the entrainment.
The study found a synergy between gas flux and wash
water flux in reducing gangue entrainment in chalcopyrite
flotation. When gas flux was increased by 20% and wash
water flux was increased by 10% from the baseline con-
dition, the effect of gas flux on flotation separation was
dominant, resulting in higher gangue entrainment but also
a higher chalcopyrite recovery. However, when gas flux was
increased by 20% and wash water flux was increased by
30% from the baseline condition, the benefits of increasing
gas flux and increasing wash water flux to flotation separa-
tion could be realized, resulting in lower gangue entrain-
ment but a higher valuable recovery. This combination
provided the best flotation performance with the highest
concentrate grade. This study recommends the operating
condition to maximize fine gangue entrainment in chalco-
pyrite flotation in the RFC.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to acknowledge the funding sup-
port by the Australian Research Council (ARC) through
the Centre of Excellence for Enabling Eco-Efficient
Beneficiation of Minerals, grant number CE200100009.
REFERENCES
Castellon, C., Toro, N., Galvez, E., Robles, P., Leiva, W.H.,
Jeldres, R., Froth Flotation of Chalcopyrite/Pyrite Ore:
A Critical Review. Materials, 2022, 15(19), 6536.
Chen, J., Chimonyo, W., Peng, Y., Flotation behaviour in
reflux flotation cell—A critical review. Miner. Eng.,
2022, 181, 107519.
Chen, J., Chimonyo, W., Peng, Y., Compare graphite flota-
tion and coal flotation in Reflux Flotation Cell. Powder
Technol., 2023, 428, 118846.
Cole, M.J., Dickinson, J.E., Galvin, K.P., Recovery and
cleaning of fine hydrophobic particles using the Reflux
(TM) Flotation Cell. Sep. Purif. Technol., 2020, 240,
10.
Cole, M.J., Galvin, K.P., Dickinson, J.E., Maximizing
recovery, grade and throughput in a single stage Reflux
Flotation Cell. Miner. Eng., 2021, 163, 106761.
Cutting, G.W., Barber, S.P., Newton, S., Effects of froth
structure and mobility on the performance and simu-
lation of continuously operated flotation cells. Int. J.
Miner. Process., 1986, 16(1), 43–61.
Dickinson, J.E., Galvin, K.P., Fluidized bed desliming in
fine particle flotation—Part I. Chem. Eng. Sci., 2014,
108, 283–298.
Dickinson, J.E., Jiang, K., Galvin, K.P., Fast flotation of
coal at low pulp density using the Reflux Flotation
Cell. Chem. Eng. Res. Des., 2015, 101, 74–81.
Jera, T.M., Bhondayi, C., A Review on Froth Washing in
Flotation. Minerals (Basel), 2022, 12(11), 1462.
Jiang, K., Dickinson, J.E., Galvin, K.P., The kinetics of Fast
Flotation using the Reflux Flotation Cell. Chem. Eng.
Sci., 2019, 196, 463–477.
Moys, M.H., Yianatos, J., Larenas, J., Measurement of par-
ticle loading on bubbles in the flotation process. Miner.
Eng., 2010, 23(2), 131–136.
Tan, J., Wang, J., Nguyen, A.V., Xie, G., Regimes of drain-
age instability caused by wash water. Miner. Eng.,
2020, 148, 106202.
Yan, X., Zheng, K., Su, W., Wang, L., Zhang, H., Cao, Y.,
Guo, C., Predictions of terminal rising velocity, shape
and drag coefficient for particle-laden bubbles. Miner.
Eng., 2021, 173, 107188.
Yianatos, J., Levy, A., 1989. Estimation of gas holdup,
diameter and apparent density of mineralized bub-
bles in industrial flotation columns, In International
Colloquium: Developments in Froth Flotation, Cape
Town, South Africa.
entrainment reduction. A side wash water flow occurred in
test 3 at the highest gas flux and joined the stream leaving the
concentrate, further reducing the entrainment.
CONCLUSION
This study identified that higher gangue entrainment
occurred in chalcopyrite flotation in the RFC, compared to
coal flotation, under the baseline operating condition opti-
mized for coal flotation. The higher gangue entrainment
was attributed to the increased air fraction in chalcopyrite
flotation as a result of the higher density of hydrophobic
particles, which transported a higher amount of entrained
liquid and gangue particles to the concentrate.
The flotation tests under different conditions identi-
fied that the wash water flux was still effective in reducing
gangue entrainment in chalcopyrite flotation, but it also
decreased chalcopyrite recovery as found in coal flotation.
The increase of gas flux in chalcopyrite flotation promoted
chalcopyrite recovery, also in line with the observation in
coal flotation. However, the increase of gas flux was found to
reduce gangue entrainment in chalcopyrite flotation, which
is different from the observation in coal flotation. CFD sim-
ulation revealed that, the increase of gas flux in chalcopyrite
flotation favored the formation of a large recirculation loop
in the reverse fluidized bed, which assisted the drainage of
entrained particles and the mixing between wash water and
the liquid containing entrained particles, lowing gangue
entrainment. A side wash water flow was also observed at
the highest gas flux, diluting the flow which just left the con-
centrate stream and further reducing the entrainment.
The study found a synergy between gas flux and wash
water flux in reducing gangue entrainment in chalcopyrite
flotation. When gas flux was increased by 20% and wash
water flux was increased by 10% from the baseline con-
dition, the effect of gas flux on flotation separation was
dominant, resulting in higher gangue entrainment but also
a higher chalcopyrite recovery. However, when gas flux was
increased by 20% and wash water flux was increased by
30% from the baseline condition, the benefits of increasing
gas flux and increasing wash water flux to flotation separa-
tion could be realized, resulting in lower gangue entrain-
ment but a higher valuable recovery. This combination
provided the best flotation performance with the highest
concentrate grade. This study recommends the operating
condition to maximize fine gangue entrainment in chalco-
pyrite flotation in the RFC.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to acknowledge the funding sup-
port by the Australian Research Council (ARC) through
the Centre of Excellence for Enabling Eco-Efficient
Beneficiation of Minerals, grant number CE200100009.
REFERENCES
Castellon, C., Toro, N., Galvez, E., Robles, P., Leiva, W.H.,
Jeldres, R., Froth Flotation of Chalcopyrite/Pyrite Ore:
A Critical Review. Materials, 2022, 15(19), 6536.
Chen, J., Chimonyo, W., Peng, Y., Flotation behaviour in
reflux flotation cell—A critical review. Miner. Eng.,
2022, 181, 107519.
Chen, J., Chimonyo, W., Peng, Y., Compare graphite flota-
tion and coal flotation in Reflux Flotation Cell. Powder
Technol., 2023, 428, 118846.
Cole, M.J., Dickinson, J.E., Galvin, K.P., Recovery and
cleaning of fine hydrophobic particles using the Reflux
(TM) Flotation Cell. Sep. Purif. Technol., 2020, 240,
10.
Cole, M.J., Galvin, K.P., Dickinson, J.E., Maximizing
recovery, grade and throughput in a single stage Reflux
Flotation Cell. Miner. Eng., 2021, 163, 106761.
Cutting, G.W., Barber, S.P., Newton, S., Effects of froth
structure and mobility on the performance and simu-
lation of continuously operated flotation cells. Int. J.
Miner. Process., 1986, 16(1), 43–61.
Dickinson, J.E., Galvin, K.P., Fluidized bed desliming in
fine particle flotation—Part I. Chem. Eng. Sci., 2014,
108, 283–298.
Dickinson, J.E., Jiang, K., Galvin, K.P., Fast flotation of
coal at low pulp density using the Reflux Flotation
Cell. Chem. Eng. Res. Des., 2015, 101, 74–81.
Jera, T.M., Bhondayi, C., A Review on Froth Washing in
Flotation. Minerals (Basel), 2022, 12(11), 1462.
Jiang, K., Dickinson, J.E., Galvin, K.P., The kinetics of Fast
Flotation using the Reflux Flotation Cell. Chem. Eng.
Sci., 2019, 196, 463–477.
Moys, M.H., Yianatos, J., Larenas, J., Measurement of par-
ticle loading on bubbles in the flotation process. Miner.
Eng., 2010, 23(2), 131–136.
Tan, J., Wang, J., Nguyen, A.V., Xie, G., Regimes of drain-
age instability caused by wash water. Miner. Eng.,
2020, 148, 106202.
Yan, X., Zheng, K., Su, W., Wang, L., Zhang, H., Cao, Y.,
Guo, C., Predictions of terminal rising velocity, shape
and drag coefficient for particle-laden bubbles. Miner.
Eng., 2021, 173, 107188.
Yianatos, J., Levy, A., 1989. Estimation of gas holdup,
diameter and apparent density of mineralized bub-
bles in industrial flotation columns, In International
Colloquium: Developments in Froth Flotation, Cape
Town, South Africa.