2920 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
possible to identify highly disseminated sphalerite and chal-
copyrite with very low liberation.
Although the open-cycle cleaning test work of the
HydroFloat concentrate conducted in the CPF labora-
tory testing showed the possibility of achieving adequate
separation Cu -Zn products, it was still unknown how
this material would behave when mixed with fresh feed
and recirculated to the concentrator. There was concern
that the CPF concentrate may affect the grade of the final
concentrates. As an attempt to clarify this concern, locked-
cycle tests (LCT) were executed, Figure 16 shows the flow-
sheet used in the LCT. Seven cycles were floated in each
LCT. Two LCT types were evaluated. The first type aims
to simulate the current conventional flotation process in
order to have a baseline for comparison. Once the baseline
was established, the second type of LCT was carried out
to study the effect of CPF concentrate recirculation on the
recovery and grades of the final concentrates. The results
of the LCTs shown that the HydroFloat concentrate recir-
culation does not have any negative impact on either the
recovery or the grade of the Cu and Zn final concentrates.
However, as an additional stream of feed material (CPF
concentrate) is recirculating to the conventional circuit,
then the net metal production (NMP) or global recovery
increases.
CONCLUSIONS
This studied confirmed that the HydroFloat ® CPF tech-
nology can recover complex polymetallic minerals with
low liberation. HydroFloat technology makes it possible to
recover particles that cannot be recovered in conventional
cells. While in conventional cells a sharp drop in recovery
was observed for particles coarser than 200µm, HydroFloat
Figure 14. TIMA micrograph of the HydroFloat concentrate produced in CPF pilot plant
Figure 15. TIMA micrograph of the HydroFloat tailings produced in CPF pilot plant
possible to identify highly disseminated sphalerite and chal-
copyrite with very low liberation.
Although the open-cycle cleaning test work of the
HydroFloat concentrate conducted in the CPF labora-
tory testing showed the possibility of achieving adequate
separation Cu -Zn products, it was still unknown how
this material would behave when mixed with fresh feed
and recirculated to the concentrator. There was concern
that the CPF concentrate may affect the grade of the final
concentrates. As an attempt to clarify this concern, locked-
cycle tests (LCT) were executed, Figure 16 shows the flow-
sheet used in the LCT. Seven cycles were floated in each
LCT. Two LCT types were evaluated. The first type aims
to simulate the current conventional flotation process in
order to have a baseline for comparison. Once the baseline
was established, the second type of LCT was carried out
to study the effect of CPF concentrate recirculation on the
recovery and grades of the final concentrates. The results
of the LCTs shown that the HydroFloat concentrate recir-
culation does not have any negative impact on either the
recovery or the grade of the Cu and Zn final concentrates.
However, as an additional stream of feed material (CPF
concentrate) is recirculating to the conventional circuit,
then the net metal production (NMP) or global recovery
increases.
CONCLUSIONS
This studied confirmed that the HydroFloat ® CPF tech-
nology can recover complex polymetallic minerals with
low liberation. HydroFloat technology makes it possible to
recover particles that cannot be recovered in conventional
cells. While in conventional cells a sharp drop in recovery
was observed for particles coarser than 200µm, HydroFloat
Figure 14. TIMA micrograph of the HydroFloat concentrate produced in CPF pilot plant
Figure 15. TIMA micrograph of the HydroFloat tailings produced in CPF pilot plant