XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 2915
HydroFloat could be good, it was unknown whether this
CPF bulk concentrate (Cu/Zn) could then be efficiently
cleaned to produce commercial grade products.
To address this concern, the HydroFloat concentrate
obtained in sample P06 was selected to conduct grindability
studies and then rougher flotation on the reground prod-
uct in a lab conventional flotation cell. HydroFloat con-
centrate was ground to a P80 of 100µm, and this ground
material was subject to differential rougher flotation test
work. For each flotation stage, 5 min of flotation time was
used. Rougher conventional flotation test work demon-
strated that the reground HydroFloat concentrate can be
adequately cleaned as shown in Figure 7. Cu rougher flota-
tion obtained a recovery of 84% Cu, and relatively low dis-
placement of Zn was observed in the Cu concentrate. These
results are similar to those usually obtained in the industrial
concentrator plant
In conclusion, it was possible to perform a selective flo-
tation of reground HydroFloat concentrate. It is believed
this was possible because during the grinding process of
the CPF concentrate, new surfaces would be generated,
and potentially part of the collector would be degraded
due to the temperatures occurring in the grinding process
(Behnamfard and Veglio, 2019).
PILOT TEST WORKS
CPF Pilot Plant and Procedure
After the encouraging results achieved in laboratory test
work, Antamina decided to advance to the next stage of the
project, which included the execution of pilot tests on the
mine site. The main purpose of the pilot tests was to verify
the metallurgical scalability of the technology. For this pur-
pose, a modular CPF pilot plant was installed, as shown in
Figure 8. An extensive pilot testing program was conducted
from March to May 2023.
Table 1. Results of the classification process
Test N°
Coarse Fraction Distribution (%)
Cu Fe Zn
P01 63 31 50
P02 63 32 51
P03 63 31 49
P04 63 31 50
P05 63 31 49
P06 63 32 49
P07 63 30 55
Table 2. Results of CPF test works in HydroFloat® lab cell
Test
N°
Mass
Pull
(%w/w)
Upgrade Ratio (%)Recovery (%)
Cu Fe Zn Cu Fe Zn
P01 31.9 2.9 1.4 2.9 92.9 43.1 93.7
P02 31.8 2.9 1.4 2.9 91.3 44.8 90.7
P03 31.5 2.9 1.4 2.9 89.7 43.3 92.3
P04 26.5 3.3 1.6 3.4 87.3 41.7 89.4
P05 29.8 3.0 1.4 3.1 89.5 42.1 91.6
P06 28.0 3.2 1.4 3.2 91.1 40.6 90.6
P07 26.5 3.3 1.4 3.2 87.3 38.1 83.6
Figure 6. Recovery by size of the M4B P06 sample in the HydroFloat cell
HydroFloat could be good, it was unknown whether this
CPF bulk concentrate (Cu/Zn) could then be efficiently
cleaned to produce commercial grade products.
To address this concern, the HydroFloat concentrate
obtained in sample P06 was selected to conduct grindability
studies and then rougher flotation on the reground prod-
uct in a lab conventional flotation cell. HydroFloat con-
centrate was ground to a P80 of 100µm, and this ground
material was subject to differential rougher flotation test
work. For each flotation stage, 5 min of flotation time was
used. Rougher conventional flotation test work demon-
strated that the reground HydroFloat concentrate can be
adequately cleaned as shown in Figure 7. Cu rougher flota-
tion obtained a recovery of 84% Cu, and relatively low dis-
placement of Zn was observed in the Cu concentrate. These
results are similar to those usually obtained in the industrial
concentrator plant
In conclusion, it was possible to perform a selective flo-
tation of reground HydroFloat concentrate. It is believed
this was possible because during the grinding process of
the CPF concentrate, new surfaces would be generated,
and potentially part of the collector would be degraded
due to the temperatures occurring in the grinding process
(Behnamfard and Veglio, 2019).
PILOT TEST WORKS
CPF Pilot Plant and Procedure
After the encouraging results achieved in laboratory test
work, Antamina decided to advance to the next stage of the
project, which included the execution of pilot tests on the
mine site. The main purpose of the pilot tests was to verify
the metallurgical scalability of the technology. For this pur-
pose, a modular CPF pilot plant was installed, as shown in
Figure 8. An extensive pilot testing program was conducted
from March to May 2023.
Table 1. Results of the classification process
Test N°
Coarse Fraction Distribution (%)
Cu Fe Zn
P01 63 31 50
P02 63 32 51
P03 63 31 49
P04 63 31 50
P05 63 31 49
P06 63 32 49
P07 63 30 55
Table 2. Results of CPF test works in HydroFloat® lab cell
Test
N°
Mass
Pull
(%w/w)
Upgrade Ratio (%)Recovery (%)
Cu Fe Zn Cu Fe Zn
P01 31.9 2.9 1.4 2.9 92.9 43.1 93.7
P02 31.8 2.9 1.4 2.9 91.3 44.8 90.7
P03 31.5 2.9 1.4 2.9 89.7 43.3 92.3
P04 26.5 3.3 1.6 3.4 87.3 41.7 89.4
P05 29.8 3.0 1.4 3.1 89.5 42.1 91.6
P06 28.0 3.2 1.4 3.2 91.1 40.6 90.6
P07 26.5 3.3 1.4 3.2 87.3 38.1 83.6
Figure 6. Recovery by size of the M4B P06 sample in the HydroFloat cell