FLOTATION

Top flotation
IM looks at some of the latest innovations aimed at getting more from the flotation process

ptimisation of flotation cells is a constant need for profitability in the flotation section of the concentrator. Most, older flotation cells use a displacement float below the froth layer to measure the pulp height. Pulp height is an extremely important process measurement, used to ensure that liquid pulp is not allowed to overflow to the launders. If pulp overflows, the flotation cell ceases to function effectively, which is very costly to the process. The displacement float technique is limited in performance in a variety of ways: the float may at times stick, slurry builds up on the float mechanism changing the effective specific gravity tracked, they are affected by high agitation, etc.

At Prominent Hill a B5400/18 model Jameson Cell is used in a cleaner scalper duty treating the discharge from the IsaMill regrind mill to produce a final grade copper concentrate

Hawk has developed a very low frequency Acoustic Wave Transmitter that is non intrusive and will penetrate through the froth to measure the pulp height. The Hawk sensor is mounted above the froth and pulp height, so it has no maintenance or mechanical problems. Typically the transmitter can be mounted at walkway height for easy serviceability. The low frequency level transmitter can be supplied ready for connection to the typical two-wire loop power

supply used for the displacement float transmitter which it is replacing. Remote mounted transmitters are also an option. Hawk also provides as an option, a nonintrusive transmitter to measure the froth height. Continuous measurement of the froth height, provided as feedback to the control loop for the inlet Dart Valve, allows a flotation cell to maintain constant overflowing of froth to the launder, even when the orebody type may produce variations to frothing consistency. Small changes in the pulp height to keep the froth overflowing at all times will increase the efficiency of the cell and consequently increase profitability. Hawk says its transmitters will reliably measure froth height, even when froth density changes. Hawk also provides a third type of transmitter to measure relative froth density. Higher density froth will have greater entrainment of mineral going over the launder. Currently, Hawk says, density measurement is not widely used due to the degree of difficulty in making an effective online density measurement in each flotation cell. Bubbler type pressure transmitters have been commonly used, though they have high maintenance costs due to their intrusive installation. A non intrusive transmitter that penetrates partly through the froth gives an output proportional to density. Data from the froth height transmitter is used with the froth penetration (density) information. Monitoring of the deviation between froth height and froth penetration allows the control system to track relative froth density - all non intrusively. Relative density data can be used to actively control density through a feedback loop, regulating forced air flow into the flotation cell. Air input is currently largely controlled manually by onsite operators. Hawks low frequency transmitters require no maintenance due to their self cleaning nature. The high powered acoustic wave being transmitted will automatically clean the sensor face with every measurement pulse. Self cleaning minimises buildup on the sensor facing which would otherwise prevent it from measuring accurately. Buildup is a significant problem in the mining industry due to the dirty nature of materials being handled, and also the presence of moisture and dust in the environment.

20+ years of success

The Jameson Cell is an efficient high intensity flotation technology marketed world wide by Xstrata Technology. With nearly 300 cells installed globally, the technology has been continuously developed and improved over

20 International Mining JULY 2010

FLOTATION
Hawks low frequency, non contact transmitter penetrates froth and measures pulp height, froth density and froth height

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two decades. The current Mark IV model is the easiest to operate and maintain yet, Xstrata Technology says. In metals applications, Jameson Cells are specifically designed for duties which best use its attributes. Due to its fine bubble generation and high intensity it is able to float liberated fast floating mineral particles very rapidly, with its froth washing capability producing high grade concentrates in a single stage of flotation. Jameson Cells are usually integrated into circuits in combination with conventional cells, with the faster floating minerals recovered by the Jameson Cells, while the slower floating minerals are recovered in the conventional cells. For this reason Jameson Cells are best used for: Prefloat duties to remove naturally hydrophobic gangue minerals upfront prior to valuable mineral flotation Pre-roughing duties where it can produce a final grade concentrate in a single step if liberated fast floating minerals are present. This reduces downstream flotation capacity Roughing duties where it can produce high grade concentrate and high recovery using a single cell Precleaning (also called cleaning scalping) where again, liberated fast floating minerals can be recovered to the final concentrate. This reduces downstream cleaning capacity. If rougher concentrate regrinding is required, removing already liberated material means less over grinding and a saving in energy. Le Huynh, Senior Processing Engineer for Xstrata Technology says the high throughput and small footprint of the Jameson Cell means it can offer versatile solutions to increase existing plant capacity. With no moving parts and no need for blowers or air compressors it is simple to install and commission so can be brought online very quickly. Recent Jameson Cell installations in base metals include the Prominent Hill mine in South Australia, where a B5400/18 model Jameson Cell is used in a cleaner scalper duty treating the discharge from the IsaMill regrind mill to produce a final grade copper concentrate. Froth washing in the cell enables excellent rejection of penalty elements such as fluorine and uranium. In the brownfield expansion at the Cosmos Mine in Western Australia, a Jameson Cell was installed as a pre-rougher cell which treats feed from primary grinding. It is able to produce a nickel concentrate grade that is higher than that of the cleaner circuit. Although now more common in the base metals and coal industries, Le Huynh said that the Jameson Cell technology is making significant inroads into industrial minerals such as the potash and phosphate industries. Oil sands flotation is another area with great potential, with the first full scale installation commissioned this year. She said its

rom coal-face to coal loading, Bateman Engineering tackles any coal processing assignment to optimise the recovery of coal at the least possible cost from mine evaluation, sampling and testing, technical assistance, plant upgrades, process feasibility and economic viability studies, through to design, engineering, procurement, management, construction and commissioning.

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FLOTATION
efficiency, ability to achieve high concentrate grades, high recoveries in a single cell of very small volume and its robust operation makes it a very attractive option in these applications. The Imhoflot G-cell is the latest version of MMSs pneumatic flotation technology. It uses centrifugal force in the froth separation vessel which provides for improved separation efficiency for a range of particle sizes but particularly for finer particles. In terms of the fly ash application the overall plant is designed to produce several products with the Imhoflot cells at the heart of the process. The plant is designed to treat approximately 800,000 t/month of either stockpiled or current arisings of fly ash or a combination of the two containing approximately 12% carbon in the feed to produce a range of products for the cementitious market and a high carbon purity product for re-use in the power station. The flotation circuit consists of two parallel banks of three 3.8 m diameter V cells as roughers followed by the cleaning circuit of two parallel banks of Gcells ranging from 2.8m to 1.8 m diameter. A carbon rich concentrate is produced containing greater than 90% of the carbon in the feed. Due to the removal of the carbon the circuit tails now have a loss of ignition (LOI) of less than 2% and can be used as a cementitious additive. It should be noted that this value of <2% LOI is significantly better than comparative testwork with other flotation technologies where a LOI could not be achieved below 5% and therefore lead to the Imhoflot cells selection along with their numerous other benefits. There are a number of additional benefits for the power station which accrue from the process including: Environmental benefits-cementitious products can be used to substitute for ordinary Portland cement therefore reducing greenhouse gas emissions Land reclamation benefits- 100% of the feed is recovered as a product thus releasing previously covered land The carbon rich product can be used to supplement the power station feed. IM

Floating fly ash

Imhoflot pneumatic flotation cell technology supplied by Maelgwyn Mineral Services (MMS) has recently been installed at a large power station in Northern England to treat fly ash. Intensive piloting was conducted over several years where the Imhoflot cells were found to significantly outperform conventional tank cells in this difficult flotation application. MMS has exclusively licensed the Imhoflot technology for the treatment of fly ash to Rocktron, the developer of the treatment plant, who has complementary technology to beneficiate power station waste. The term pneumatic flotation is generally associated with flotation where the aeration of the pulp takes place outside of the flotation cell. This is the main differentiating factor between pneumatic flotation and conventional tank flotation. The energy required by conventional cells to keep particles in suspension and generate bubbles is now focused solely on the production of very fine bubbles in the Imhoflot system, and the suspension of particles is catered for in the surplus energy of the system. The external aeration is usually achieved either by using a simple venturi system in a pipe with downcomers or by using specialised fine bubble generation technology. This fine bubble generation technology is a core feature of the Imhoflot system and contributes to a number of advantages over conventional tank cells including: Enhanced kinetics Significantly reduced residence time, leading to reduced capital and operating costs due to a much smaller footprint Lower power consumption No moving parts.

22 International Mining JULY 2010