Comparison of flash and column flotation performance in an industrial sulphide rougher application

摘要

A survey has been conducted on a refractory gold (pyrite) concentrator which utilises flash flotation on the cyclone underflow stream and a flotation column on the cyclone overflow stream. Both cells are considered to be performing a first rougher operation on their respective streams. A comparison of the size and nature of the target mineral for flotation (pyrite) in the concentrates from both these unit operations has shown that they both recover predominantly liberated pyrite in the fine and intermediate size classes (-150 mu m). The flash flotation machine on this particular circuit recovers fast floating well liberated particles, with a minimal froth depth and short residence time; while the rougher column has a very deep froth and long residence time. To date no comparison of a flash flotation cell and a column cell has been published in the literature and the results presented here are the first of their kind to the best of the authors' knowledge.