XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 925
Plant Scale Model
The observed effect of water quality on plant performance
is very marked, and possibly overestimated. This may be
due in part to the simplicity of the flotation laws men-
tioned above, but also to an upscaling effect. With reliable
analytical protocols, it would already be possible to carry
out plant-scale open-loop validation. This would also be an
opportunity to determine the respective impacts of grind-
ing and flotation on ore dissolution, which was considered
similar on the proposed model, but might be different.
Plant operating conditions, which would potentially
not be taken into account in the tests, can also have a strong
influence. Among other things, pH has a major effect on
precipitation/dissolution. In the presented case, it was nec-
essary to limit the application of the dissolution model to
section of the flotation circuit, due to the pH variations
within it. It might be possible to use thermodynamic mod-
eling to simulate mixtures, and to particularly take pH into
account. However, this type of model requires a very good
knowledge of water composition and speciation. Given the
complexity of the water matrix, it seems worth keeping an
empirical approach in parallel, which could be done by
integrating pH as a parameter for dissolution tests.
CONCLUSIONS
The proposed modelling approach makes it possible to han-
dle short-loop water recirculation scenarios simulation by
combining models of the various unit operations that inte-
grates the impact of water quality on process performance
as well as variations of water composition: ore dissolution,
flotation, and water treatment.
Relatively simple models can be used to account for
laboratory experiments, but difficulties have been encoun-
tered in calibrating these models. Several sets of parameters
can account for experiments at laboratory scale, but their
integration into the plant model gives different results, and
determining which ones to keep remains an issue. A more
in-depth study of this type of scenario would require adap-
tation of the experimental protocols, specifically to provide
more concentrated water that would be representative of
what could be obtained if recirculation is implemented.
Integrating these unit models into the plant model
shows the importance of considering a global approach to
integrate water management into simulation: it is necessary
to know the impact of a unit operation (for example water
treatment) on a parameter which does not concern it at first
(flotation reagent), but which can influence plant perfor-
mance, and vice versa.
Thermodynamic modelling could be a complemen-
tary approach which would help to overcome some of the
limitations encountered: management of mixtures, effect of
pH, etc. However, given the complexity of the system, it
seems important to maintain an empirical approach, and
to keep a certain flexibility at modeling level, with the pos-
sibility of integrating parameterizable laws translating the
results obtained experimentally.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research received funding from the European Union
H2020 program under grant agreement no. 730480,
ITERAMS project.
The authors would like to acknowledge Boliden Kevitsa
Mine for their technical support, as well as project partners
in charge of experimental tasks, Le T.M.K, Schreitofer N.,
Saari E. and Ekmekçi Z., for sharing and discussing their
results.
REFERENCES
Braak, E., Wavrer, P., Musuku, B., De Ville D’Avray,
M.A., Mdere, O., Brochot, S. 2022. Modelling of
water quality impact on flotation performance and
potential of improvement—case of a Cu-Ni flotation
plant. Proceedings of IMPC Asia Pacific Conference,
Melbourne, Australia.
Dokoumetzidis, A., Macheras, P. 2006. A century of dis-
solution research: from Noyes and Whitney to the
biopharmaceutics classification system. International
Journal of Pharmaceutics 321: 1–11.
Ekmekçi, Z.E. 2020. Personal communication: Sulfate
removal from flotation process water using ion
exchange resin column system. ITERAMS project.
Güner, M.K., Bulut, G., Yenial, Ü. 2019. Comparison of
Different Kind of Waters on Chalcopyrite Flotation.
Proceedings of IMPC Eurasia Conference, Antalaya,
Turkey.
Le, T.M.K. 2020. Personal communication: Dissolution
test protocol and experimental results. ITERAMS
project.
Le, T.M.K., Schreitofer, N., Dahl, O. 2020. Dissolution
test protocol for estimating water quality changes in
minerals processing plants operating with closed water
circulation. Minerals 2020 10(8):653.
Le, T.M.K., Miettinen, H., Bomberg, M., Schreitofer, N.,
Dahl, O. 2020. Challenges in the assessment of mining
process water quality. Minerals 2020 10(8):653.
Le, T.M.K. 2021. The characterization of industrial pro-
cess water properties, a methodology case study from
the mining industry. Doctoral dissertation. Aalto
University School of Chemical Engineering.
Plant Scale Model
The observed effect of water quality on plant performance
is very marked, and possibly overestimated. This may be
due in part to the simplicity of the flotation laws men-
tioned above, but also to an upscaling effect. With reliable
analytical protocols, it would already be possible to carry
out plant-scale open-loop validation. This would also be an
opportunity to determine the respective impacts of grind-
ing and flotation on ore dissolution, which was considered
similar on the proposed model, but might be different.
Plant operating conditions, which would potentially
not be taken into account in the tests, can also have a strong
influence. Among other things, pH has a major effect on
precipitation/dissolution. In the presented case, it was nec-
essary to limit the application of the dissolution model to
section of the flotation circuit, due to the pH variations
within it. It might be possible to use thermodynamic mod-
eling to simulate mixtures, and to particularly take pH into
account. However, this type of model requires a very good
knowledge of water composition and speciation. Given the
complexity of the water matrix, it seems worth keeping an
empirical approach in parallel, which could be done by
integrating pH as a parameter for dissolution tests.
CONCLUSIONS
The proposed modelling approach makes it possible to han-
dle short-loop water recirculation scenarios simulation by
combining models of the various unit operations that inte-
grates the impact of water quality on process performance
as well as variations of water composition: ore dissolution,
flotation, and water treatment.
Relatively simple models can be used to account for
laboratory experiments, but difficulties have been encoun-
tered in calibrating these models. Several sets of parameters
can account for experiments at laboratory scale, but their
integration into the plant model gives different results, and
determining which ones to keep remains an issue. A more
in-depth study of this type of scenario would require adap-
tation of the experimental protocols, specifically to provide
more concentrated water that would be representative of
what could be obtained if recirculation is implemented.
Integrating these unit models into the plant model
shows the importance of considering a global approach to
integrate water management into simulation: it is necessary
to know the impact of a unit operation (for example water
treatment) on a parameter which does not concern it at first
(flotation reagent), but which can influence plant perfor-
mance, and vice versa.
Thermodynamic modelling could be a complemen-
tary approach which would help to overcome some of the
limitations encountered: management of mixtures, effect of
pH, etc. However, given the complexity of the system, it
seems important to maintain an empirical approach, and
to keep a certain flexibility at modeling level, with the pos-
sibility of integrating parameterizable laws translating the
results obtained experimentally.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research received funding from the European Union
H2020 program under grant agreement no. 730480,
ITERAMS project.
The authors would like to acknowledge Boliden Kevitsa
Mine for their technical support, as well as project partners
in charge of experimental tasks, Le T.M.K, Schreitofer N.,
Saari E. and Ekmekçi Z., for sharing and discussing their
results.
REFERENCES
Braak, E., Wavrer, P., Musuku, B., De Ville D’Avray,
M.A., Mdere, O., Brochot, S. 2022. Modelling of
water quality impact on flotation performance and
potential of improvement—case of a Cu-Ni flotation
plant. Proceedings of IMPC Asia Pacific Conference,
Melbourne, Australia.
Dokoumetzidis, A., Macheras, P. 2006. A century of dis-
solution research: from Noyes and Whitney to the
biopharmaceutics classification system. International
Journal of Pharmaceutics 321: 1–11.
Ekmekçi, Z.E. 2020. Personal communication: Sulfate
removal from flotation process water using ion
exchange resin column system. ITERAMS project.
Güner, M.K., Bulut, G., Yenial, Ü. 2019. Comparison of
Different Kind of Waters on Chalcopyrite Flotation.
Proceedings of IMPC Eurasia Conference, Antalaya,
Turkey.
Le, T.M.K. 2020. Personal communication: Dissolution
test protocol and experimental results. ITERAMS
project.
Le, T.M.K., Schreitofer, N., Dahl, O. 2020. Dissolution
test protocol for estimating water quality changes in
minerals processing plants operating with closed water
circulation. Minerals 2020 10(8):653.
Le, T.M.K., Miettinen, H., Bomberg, M., Schreitofer, N.,
Dahl, O. 2020. Challenges in the assessment of mining
process water quality. Minerals 2020 10(8):653.
Le, T.M.K. 2021. The characterization of industrial pro-
cess water properties, a methodology case study from
the mining industry. Doctoral dissertation. Aalto
University School of Chemical Engineering.