XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 2965
and low middlings (12.4%) were also present. In the 300–
425 µm fraction, 39.1% displayed as liberated, with 28.0%
high middlings and 12.3% low middlings. Moreover,
20.6% of Cu-sulfides were locked within gangue miner-
als. In the finest fraction, 51.5% of Cu-Sulfides occurred
as liberated, with 21.7% high middlings and 12.3% low
middlings. 14.5% were locked within gangue minerals. As
particle size decreased, liberation increased, while the pro-
portion of high middlings and enclosed Cu-sulfide grains
decreased.
The sample used in this study was the beneficiation
mill feed ore. Grindability tests were performed in the
laboratory targeting to produce a ground product with
P80=180µm (conventional psd), simulating the customer
plant ground product and P80=360µm (coarse psd), as a
target F80 for the flotation tests in Metso’s new coarse par-
ticles flotation technology. Figure 3 shows the full particle
size distribution for both conventional and coarse psd’s:
Two flotation equipment were used for this study:
Metso’s standard mechanical laboratory cell (GTK Labcell)
for conventional flotation and the laboratory cell for Metso’s
new CPF technology.
Methods
In total 2 bench tests were performed with the GTK
Labcell. Both tests followed the same procedure. The ore
was ground until the P80=180µm was achieved, during
grinding, 12g/t of PAX (collector) was added in the mill
and just after grinding it was fed into a 2L bench scale cell
for final conditioning. The conditioning included an addi-
tional 12 g/t of PAX and was performed at pH10 for 1 min-
ute. After conditioning, 19g/t of MIBC+DF250(frother
ratio 6:1) was added and the air was started at 2L/min. The
cell had an automatic scraper system with scraper rate set to
4 seconds. After 7 minutes of flotation, an additional 8 g/t
of PAX was added and conditioned for another 1 minute,
followed by 13g/t of MIBC+DF250. After conditioning,
an additional 10 minutes of flotation was performed. One
concentrate and one tailings were produced for each test.
In total 11 tests were completed with the new CPF lab
cell, from which 8 tests were part of a half factorial DoE
planned with Minitab, 1 test was repetition of one test con-
dition from the half factorial tests and 2 tests were with
fixed and optimized conditions targeting for maximum Cu
recovery and maximum rejected mass to tailings. Before
Figure 3. Particle size distribution tested with conventional flotation and with the new technology
and low middlings (12.4%) were also present. In the 300–
425 µm fraction, 39.1% displayed as liberated, with 28.0%
high middlings and 12.3% low middlings. Moreover,
20.6% of Cu-sulfides were locked within gangue miner-
als. In the finest fraction, 51.5% of Cu-Sulfides occurred
as liberated, with 21.7% high middlings and 12.3% low
middlings. 14.5% were locked within gangue minerals. As
particle size decreased, liberation increased, while the pro-
portion of high middlings and enclosed Cu-sulfide grains
decreased.
The sample used in this study was the beneficiation
mill feed ore. Grindability tests were performed in the
laboratory targeting to produce a ground product with
P80=180µm (conventional psd), simulating the customer
plant ground product and P80=360µm (coarse psd), as a
target F80 for the flotation tests in Metso’s new coarse par-
ticles flotation technology. Figure 3 shows the full particle
size distribution for both conventional and coarse psd’s:
Two flotation equipment were used for this study:
Metso’s standard mechanical laboratory cell (GTK Labcell)
for conventional flotation and the laboratory cell for Metso’s
new CPF technology.
Methods
In total 2 bench tests were performed with the GTK
Labcell. Both tests followed the same procedure. The ore
was ground until the P80=180µm was achieved, during
grinding, 12g/t of PAX (collector) was added in the mill
and just after grinding it was fed into a 2L bench scale cell
for final conditioning. The conditioning included an addi-
tional 12 g/t of PAX and was performed at pH10 for 1 min-
ute. After conditioning, 19g/t of MIBC+DF250(frother
ratio 6:1) was added and the air was started at 2L/min. The
cell had an automatic scraper system with scraper rate set to
4 seconds. After 7 minutes of flotation, an additional 8 g/t
of PAX was added and conditioned for another 1 minute,
followed by 13g/t of MIBC+DF250. After conditioning,
an additional 10 minutes of flotation was performed. One
concentrate and one tailings were produced for each test.
In total 11 tests were completed with the new CPF lab
cell, from which 8 tests were part of a half factorial DoE
planned with Minitab, 1 test was repetition of one test con-
dition from the half factorial tests and 2 tests were with
fixed and optimized conditions targeting for maximum Cu
recovery and maximum rejected mass to tailings. Before
Figure 3. Particle size distribution tested with conventional flotation and with the new technology