2911
Test-Work for Assessing Coarse Particle Flotation (CPF) in a
Polymetallic Application
N. Deza, K. Montes, D. Estrella, H. Valdivia
Antamina
J. Concha, F. Ruiz, E. Wasmund
Eriez Flotation
ABSTRACT: Under the 1.5 accelerated energy transition (AET-1.5) scenario, it is expected that demand for
metals will continue to increase significantly for the foreseeable future. However, the future supply growth of
some of these metals is in question since it is becoming more complex and time-consuming to develop new
mining projects, and there are also technical challenges to overcome in the current operations. For example, it is
known that as the years go by, reserve grades become lower, which means that to produce the same amount of
metal today it is necessary to process more than twice as much ore as was needed 20 years ago. This brings with
it other realities such as higher energy consumption, higher water consumption, and higher waste generation
(tailings). On the geological side, it is widely known that as the exploitation of the deposit deepens, the ore tends
to become harder with more complex mineralogies, which usually end up negatively impacting the processing
capacity and recovery, which decreases the production of valuable elements. To be able to satisfy the demand
of critical minerals, new policies, practices and technologies need to be implemented in the development and
optimization of mining projects.
In this context, Antamina, a polymetallic mine located in the Peruvian Andes has implemented a program to
evaluate novel technologies to improve its processes. One of the technologies evaluated was the HydroFloat ®
Coarse Particle Flotation (CPF). The main objective in the study of the HydroFloat was to increase net metal
production through the recovery of valuable elements lost in the coarse fraction of the rougher tailings of the
conventional plant. To develop that evaluation, a desktop CPF study was performed in 2021, followed by a
comprehensive CPF lab test-work campaign, and an on-site CPF pilot campaign. This paper will present results
of the CPF test-work, including CPF concentrate cleaning results. This is the first time that this type of study
has been conducted for evaluating the CPF process in a polymetallic (Cu/Zn) mine and concentrator flowsheet.
ANTAMINA
Antamina is located in the Ancash Region, 200 km from
the city of Huaraz, in Peru, at an average altitude of
4,300 meters above sea level. Antamina’s shareholders are
BHP Billiton (33.75%), Glencore (33.75%), Teck (22.5%)
and Mitsubishi (10%).
Antamina is a skarn deposit, with Cu (chalcopyrite
and/or bornite) and Mo (molybdenite) mineralization pri-
marily in the intrusive and endoskarn zones and Cu (chal-
copyrite and/or bornite)-Zn (sphalerite) mineralization in
the marginal zones.
Test-Work for Assessing Coarse Particle Flotation (CPF) in a
Polymetallic Application
N. Deza, K. Montes, D. Estrella, H. Valdivia
Antamina
J. Concha, F. Ruiz, E. Wasmund
Eriez Flotation
ABSTRACT: Under the 1.5 accelerated energy transition (AET-1.5) scenario, it is expected that demand for
metals will continue to increase significantly for the foreseeable future. However, the future supply growth of
some of these metals is in question since it is becoming more complex and time-consuming to develop new
mining projects, and there are also technical challenges to overcome in the current operations. For example, it is
known that as the years go by, reserve grades become lower, which means that to produce the same amount of
metal today it is necessary to process more than twice as much ore as was needed 20 years ago. This brings with
it other realities such as higher energy consumption, higher water consumption, and higher waste generation
(tailings). On the geological side, it is widely known that as the exploitation of the deposit deepens, the ore tends
to become harder with more complex mineralogies, which usually end up negatively impacting the processing
capacity and recovery, which decreases the production of valuable elements. To be able to satisfy the demand
of critical minerals, new policies, practices and technologies need to be implemented in the development and
optimization of mining projects.
In this context, Antamina, a polymetallic mine located in the Peruvian Andes has implemented a program to
evaluate novel technologies to improve its processes. One of the technologies evaluated was the HydroFloat ®
Coarse Particle Flotation (CPF). The main objective in the study of the HydroFloat was to increase net metal
production through the recovery of valuable elements lost in the coarse fraction of the rougher tailings of the
conventional plant. To develop that evaluation, a desktop CPF study was performed in 2021, followed by a
comprehensive CPF lab test-work campaign, and an on-site CPF pilot campaign. This paper will present results
of the CPF test-work, including CPF concentrate cleaning results. This is the first time that this type of study
has been conducted for evaluating the CPF process in a polymetallic (Cu/Zn) mine and concentrator flowsheet.
ANTAMINA
Antamina is located in the Ancash Region, 200 km from
the city of Huaraz, in Peru, at an average altitude of
4,300 meters above sea level. Antamina’s shareholders are
BHP Billiton (33.75%), Glencore (33.75%), Teck (22.5%)
and Mitsubishi (10%).
Antamina is a skarn deposit, with Cu (chalcopyrite
and/or bornite) and Mo (molybdenite) mineralization pri-
marily in the intrusive and endoskarn zones and Cu (chal-
copyrite and/or bornite)-Zn (sphalerite) mineralization in
the marginal zones.