FLOTATION CHARACTERIZATION USING TOP OF FROTH GRADES AND FROTH DISCHARGE RATES IN ROUGHER FLOTATION CIRCUITS

摘要

A new methodology was proposed for flotation characterization in industrial operations, which uses the top-of-froth (TOF) grade and the froth discharge rate down a bank of cells as well as the total recovery of a rougher circuit. This new approach considers that mineral recovery is proportional to the TOF grade and to the froth discharge rate. The results showed good agreement with recovery profiles obtained from mass balances along an industrial flotation bank.The collection rate was characterized assuming a first-order kinetic per liberation classes using the rougher feed distribution data from QEMSCAN analysis. In addition, an operating model for the froth zone recovery was proposed, which considers the froth depth profile along the flotation bank. The collection and froth zone recoveries were evaluated together with the adjusted mass balance to fit the TOF grade profiles and the incremental recoveries along the rougher flotation circuit. The new model showed a good fitting to describe the cumulative recovery of Cu and the TOF grade profiles. Collection rate constants in the range of 1.6-3.1 min~(-1) were obtained, whereas froth zone recoveries in the range 19%-62% were observed along the rougher flotation bank.