XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 2919
where it can be seen that the recovery of Cu and Zn in
the concentrator plant (conventional flotation) begins to
drastically drop from sizes 200µm, which is a usual behav-
ior in the conventional cells. However, the HydroFloat did
obtain recoveries higher than 85% of Cu and Zn in frac-
tions ranging from 150 µm to 600µm, which represents an
opportunity to improve the metallurgical efficiency of the
concentrator, which is aligned with the main objective of
Antamina´s innovation program.
Liberation and mineralogy studies using TESCAN’s
TIMA (SEM/EDS analysis) were conducted with the prod-
ucts of the pilot test work to understand how liberation
influences the recovery achieved in the CPF pilot plant.
The TIMA analysis showed that the CPF feed of chalcopy-
rite and sphalerite consisted of particles 83% and 54% with
less than 30% liberation, respectively. As a comparison, a
study conducted by Vallejos et al. (2023) describes rougher
circuit feed streams which have 86% Cu sulfides liberated
(at 80% liberation) and this is a typical value in Cu con-
centrators. In spite of that, in this study, it was possible to
achieve significant additive recovery in the HydroFloat as
shown in Figure 10 and Figure 11. Particles reported in
the HydroFloat concentrate presented complex associations
and low liberation as shown in Figure 14. In Tailings it was
Figure 12. Cu recovery by size in HydroFloat pilot tests at Antamina M4B ore
Figure 13. Zn recovery by size in HydroFloat pilot tests at Antamina M4B ore
where it can be seen that the recovery of Cu and Zn in
the concentrator plant (conventional flotation) begins to
drastically drop from sizes 200µm, which is a usual behav-
ior in the conventional cells. However, the HydroFloat did
obtain recoveries higher than 85% of Cu and Zn in frac-
tions ranging from 150 µm to 600µm, which represents an
opportunity to improve the metallurgical efficiency of the
concentrator, which is aligned with the main objective of
Antamina´s innovation program.
Liberation and mineralogy studies using TESCAN’s
TIMA (SEM/EDS analysis) were conducted with the prod-
ucts of the pilot test work to understand how liberation
influences the recovery achieved in the CPF pilot plant.
The TIMA analysis showed that the CPF feed of chalcopy-
rite and sphalerite consisted of particles 83% and 54% with
less than 30% liberation, respectively. As a comparison, a
study conducted by Vallejos et al. (2023) describes rougher
circuit feed streams which have 86% Cu sulfides liberated
(at 80% liberation) and this is a typical value in Cu con-
centrators. In spite of that, in this study, it was possible to
achieve significant additive recovery in the HydroFloat as
shown in Figure 10 and Figure 11. Particles reported in
the HydroFloat concentrate presented complex associations
and low liberation as shown in Figure 14. In Tailings it was
Figure 12. Cu recovery by size in HydroFloat pilot tests at Antamina M4B ore
Figure 13. Zn recovery by size in HydroFloat pilot tests at Antamina M4B ore