New Technology to Improve Fine Particles Recovery in Froth Flotation Based on Using Hydrophobized Glass Bubbles

摘要

A new technology has been developed to improve selective fine particles recovery in the froth flotation process. The technology is based on using hydrophobized glass bubbles (HGB) as a carrier material for hydrophobic fine particles, which promotes selective particle size enlargement. A proof of concept was carried out using fine graphite particles (13 μm) in order to validate the technology. The results showed that HGB can collect fine, hydrophobic particles, forming particle aggregates of larger size. Flotation kinetics tests were also conducted in order to quantify the effect of using HGB in the flotation metallurgical performance of a finely ground copper ore (d_(80) = 12 μm). The results indicated that HGB addition increased the flotation kinetics rate constant by 1.4 times and the maximum attainable recovery from 64% up to 90% (considering a first-order kinetics model). Additionally, using HGB shifted both the grade-recovery curve and the mineral selectivity curve. Therefore, the HGB assisted flotation presented much better metallurgical performance and process selectivity. In conclusion, the HGB technology has become a promising innovation which could be used to face the challenge of processing very fine particles.