SGS MINERALS SERVICES – T3 SGS 097
FLOTATION
Flotation is an incredibly robust and
versatile process that works equally
well on mixed sulphide, oxide, silicate
and other ores. Using standardized
equipment, cutting-edge mineralogy and
experienced technical staff, SGS Minerals
Services will provide laboratory test
programs which are designed to achieve
your objectives quickly and efficiently.
Strong ties with equipment and reagent
suppliers ensure the most effective,
practical, and innovative (if necessary)
methods for mineral separation are
applied.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
SGS Minerals Services is the most
experienced and trusted testing
organization in the mineral processing
industry. Our core philosophy is to
understand the variability of the
ore parameters that affect flotation
performance and then design, optimize or
forecast based on these parameters.
OUR QUALIFICATIONS
•• Recognized bankable expertise
in beneficiation, metal extraction,
purification and recovery across our
global network of metallurgy labs.
•• Extensive bench and pilot scale
facilities.
•• Over 70years of experience in
developing practical
and cost efficient processing routes.
•• Quality mineralogical and analytical
services.
PROGRAM DESIGN
We execute our philosophy in a stage-
wise fashion that permit each phase of
work to build on all that has gone before
it. For example, flowsheet development
is done on carefully selected drill core
composites1 that represent your major
ore types. Following this, locked-cycle
1 RC cuttings or lump samples can be used
if core is not available
09-2013
tests are done to define the basic flotation SULPHIDE FLOTATION
circuit flowsheet. Variability is assessed
SGS Minerals Services has over 70 years
using geometallurgical approaches.
of experience in the design and evaluation
Advanced kinetic-based computer
of sulphide base metal flotation regimes,
simulations based on a series of small
with more than a thousand ores including
scale tests are then used to fine-tune the
the minerals
flowsheet and provide you with circuit
options that trade-off upfront capital •• argentite
expenditure and/or operating flexibility •• arsenopyrite
with grade-recovery performance. •• bornite
•• chalcopyrite
SGS Minerals Services has all of the
•• covellite
expertise and equipment necessary to
•• enargite
complete the flotation flowsheet with
•• galena
thickening, filtering or leaching testwork
•• molybdenite
as needed.
•• marmatite
•• pentlandite
FLOTATION CELL HYDRODYNAMICS •• pyrite
SGS Minerals Services offers a •• pyrrhotite
scientifically proven technology to •• sphalerite
measure flotation cell hydrodynamic •• tetrahedrite
variables using high-end optical Polymetallic ores, such as copper-lead-
equipment and software. By visualizing zinc-silver-bismuth ores, are some of the
and understanding the “hidden” factors most complex and SGS Minerals Services
of flotation cell hydrodynamics, SGS has proven practical solutions to separate
Minerals Services has the expertise these minerals.
to provide you with reliable data and
solutions for more efficient flotation. OXIDES AND SILICATE FLOTATION
Gravity, magnetic and electrostatic
separation processes are the traditional
treatment methods used for beneficiation
of oxide minerals. Advances in flotation
reagents can make the recovery of
oxides by flotation a more effective and
economic process. Grinding and surface
chemistry are critical to the success of
oxide flotation. Over-grinding of the brittle
minerals is avoided by stage grinding and
careful selection of equipment.
We have experience in diverse regimes
for treatment of a wide range of oxide
minerals such as
•• barite
•• cassiterite
•• copper, lead, and zinc carbonates
SGS MINERALS SERVICES – T3 SGS 097 2

•• fluorite SGS Minerals Services provides columns

COMPREHENSIVE
•• ilmenite and contact cells to the oil sands industry
•• iron ore that are used in flotation and scavenging
SUPPORT SERVICES
•• monazite and other rare earth oxides applications.
•• phosphates MINERALOGY
•• potash
Mineralogy plays an important role in
•• rutile
quickly troubleshooting and resolving
•• scheelite
operational issues. In particular,
•• silicates
QEMSCAN TM technology offers a
•• spodumene
quantum leap in the understanding of
•• tantalite
flotation processes. The QEMSCAN TM
•• topaz
instrument rapidly and inexpensively
•• wolframite
analyzes hundreds of thousands of
•• zircon
points in a polished section. This large
dataset is the basis for liberation studies,
OTHER MINERALS AND APPROACHES
grade- recovery prediction and diagnosis,
Flotation is a robust process and new and LABORATORY AND PILOT with greatly improved speed, detail and
innovative treatment processes have been PLANT EQUIPMENT confidence over manual grain counting
developed by SGS Minerals Services. methods.
An example is the recovery of secondary Columns, mechanical cells, flash
flotation, unit cells, and high capacity In a recent project at SGS Minerals
minerals from oil sands. Other minerals
contact cells are regularly used in our Services, over $250,000 was saved by
that can be recovered by flotation include:
evaluations. Other related equipment, using QEMSCAN TM for prediction of
•• coal such as stirred mills, ball mills, and grade-recovery variability in place of
•• metallic copper high intensity conditioners, are also traditional locked-cycle flotation testing.
•• metallic silver available. Techniques, such as new
•• platinum group elements (PGE) reagent development, control potential
Our experience in the PGE is particularly sulphidization (CPS), flotation kinetics,
strong with process development, in-plant and computer modeling are also used.
optimization and auditing of plants, for
some of the world’s largest producers.
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
•• a selection of rod mills, ball mills, and
grinding media
•• Denver and Agitair flotation cells
•• extensive reagent selection
•• Eh/pH capability
QEMSCAN Mineral Particle Map
PILOT PLANT EQUIPMENT
•• a wide selection of primary and
regrind mills CHEMICAL LABORATORIES
•• flotation banks suitable for 3kg/h to SGS Minerals Services’ full service
over 1000kg/h analytical and environmental laboratories
•• column cells from 2” to 12” diameter operate around the clock to provide key
with DCS level control data to guide project decisions. Analytical
•• Contact Cell multi-stage plants of instrumentation is linked to a networked
various sizes data management system allowing
OIL SANDS •• reagent pumps monitored and speedy access by the project team
SGS Minerals Services performs froth controlled through a DCS system worldwide.
flotation testing on oil sands materials, •• standard and high-intensity
separating bitumen from sand. We conditioners
have also developed methods to extract •• thickeners, tailing pond, and recycle
heavy minerals from oil sands tailings via water capabilities
flotation. •• pulp density and pH monitoring and
control through a DCS system
 SGS MINERALS SERVICES – T3 SGS 097 3

CONTROL, PARTY UMPIRE ANALYSIS EXPERIENCE

Final locked cycle or pilot plant
SGS Minerals Services has done
concentrates can be subjected to high-
bench and pilot-scale testing on literally
accuracy settlement analysis to determine
thousands of flotation projects. Recent
if phases causing smelter penalties or
high profile projects include:
precious metal credits are present.
•• Antamina
ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING AND PROJECT •• Pogo
•• Voisey’s Bay
WASTE DISPOSAL
•• San Nicolas
SGS Minerals Services has unique •• Bulyanhulu
environmental expertise, particularly •• Raglan
in assessing potential environmental •• Yackabindie
problems. Environmental studies •• Greenbushes
supporting flotation studies can involve •• Tenke Fungurume
material characterization, acid base •• Southern Peru Copper
accounting, process water toxicity, •• Troilus
leachate toxicity testing and effluent •• Lac-des-Isles
testing. •• Tambo Grande
Project tailings can be disposed of by a •• Winnarshoek
third party contractor, following pertinent •• Montcalm
government regulations. •• Telfer
•• Las Pelambres
•• Batu Hijau
SOPHISTICATED DATA •• Pallca
MANAGEMENT AND
© SGS Group Management SA – 2013 – All rights reserved - SGS is a registered trademark of SGS Group Management SA

•• Lady Loretta
ANALYSIS
Distributed control systems and process
control instrumentation are available to
control and operate the pilot plant grinding
and flotation circuits. Rapid feedback is
provided to refine operating conditions.
On-stream particle size analysis, and
chemical analysis, is also available.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email us at minerals@sgs.com
www.sgs.com/mining