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Modelling of Mineral Dissolution Occurring During Flotation:
Simulation of Water Recycling Scenarios in an Industrial Plant
E. Braak, M.V. Durance and S. Brochot
CASPEO, Orléans France
ABSTRACT: High level of water recycling in mineral processing plant may impair performance. A modelling
approach is proposed to anticipate the impact of setting up water recycling scenarios. A mineral dissolution
model was developed and calibrated on lab-scale test results, then integrated into a global model based on an
existing plant.
This model enabled to monitor the evolution of water composition inside the flotation plant, and to assess its
impact on flotation performance as well as on the sizing of water treatment unit that should be implemented
to maintain reliable plant operation.
INTRODUCTION
Water is related to both strategic and operational key issues,
and there is a global trend of mining companies’ involve-
ment towards committed water stewardship. The global
decrease of ore grade induces higher amount of ore to treat
and thus higher amount of water for process operation.
But to maintain the Social License to Operate, freshwater
intake must be reduced as much as possible. From a security
perspective, after Brumadhino disaster, the Global Tailing
Review promoted a reinforced management of water, which
can lead to further consider dry staking implementation as
a viable option for tailing management. All of this translates
into a greater reuse of process water inside mineral process-
ing plant. But as water is recirculated into the plant, dis-
solved components build up into the process water which
can impact process performance, notably flotation, as well
as plant maintenance, such as scaling inside pipes.
The work presented in this paper is a continuation
of research already carried out as part of the European
ITERAMS collaborative project, one aspect of which
concerned water management on mining sites, with the
aim of assessing the impact of potential water reuse on
plant performance. A first plant model based on experi-
mental results from flotation test series using process water
as is or after treatment was developed and presented in a
previous article (Braak et al., 2022). This model provided
a framework for integrating the impact of water on flota-
tion via empirical laws of variation of the kinetic constant
as a function of water composition, and also enabled the
sizing of water treatment units. One of its limitations was
that ore dissolution within the flotation circuit was not
considered, which meant that short loop water recircula-
tion scenarios could not be simulated, and only scenarios
with treatment of process water recirculated from tailings
ponds were addressed. The considered case study is Kevitsa
plant. Muzinda and Schreitofer (2018) had highlighted
the impact of seasonal variations in water quality, linked
to annual freeze-thaw cycles, on plant performance. These
variations in process water conductivity are illustrated in
Figure 1.
Modelling of Mineral Dissolution Occurring During Flotation:
Simulation of Water Recycling Scenarios in an Industrial Plant
E. Braak, M.V. Durance and S. Brochot
CASPEO, Orléans France
ABSTRACT: High level of water recycling in mineral processing plant may impair performance. A modelling
approach is proposed to anticipate the impact of setting up water recycling scenarios. A mineral dissolution
model was developed and calibrated on lab-scale test results, then integrated into a global model based on an
existing plant.
This model enabled to monitor the evolution of water composition inside the flotation plant, and to assess its
impact on flotation performance as well as on the sizing of water treatment unit that should be implemented
to maintain reliable plant operation.
INTRODUCTION
Water is related to both strategic and operational key issues,
and there is a global trend of mining companies’ involve-
ment towards committed water stewardship. The global
decrease of ore grade induces higher amount of ore to treat
and thus higher amount of water for process operation.
But to maintain the Social License to Operate, freshwater
intake must be reduced as much as possible. From a security
perspective, after Brumadhino disaster, the Global Tailing
Review promoted a reinforced management of water, which
can lead to further consider dry staking implementation as
a viable option for tailing management. All of this translates
into a greater reuse of process water inside mineral process-
ing plant. But as water is recirculated into the plant, dis-
solved components build up into the process water which
can impact process performance, notably flotation, as well
as plant maintenance, such as scaling inside pipes.
The work presented in this paper is a continuation
of research already carried out as part of the European
ITERAMS collaborative project, one aspect of which
concerned water management on mining sites, with the
aim of assessing the impact of potential water reuse on
plant performance. A first plant model based on experi-
mental results from flotation test series using process water
as is or after treatment was developed and presented in a
previous article (Braak et al., 2022). This model provided
a framework for integrating the impact of water on flota-
tion via empirical laws of variation of the kinetic constant
as a function of water composition, and also enabled the
sizing of water treatment units. One of its limitations was
that ore dissolution within the flotation circuit was not
considered, which meant that short loop water recircula-
tion scenarios could not be simulated, and only scenarios
with treatment of process water recirculated from tailings
ponds were addressed. The considered case study is Kevitsa
plant. Muzinda and Schreitofer (2018) had highlighted
the impact of seasonal variations in water quality, linked
to annual freeze-thaw cycles, on plant performance. These
variations in process water conductivity are illustrated in
Figure 1.