# FROTH FLOTATION PLANT



## renatomerino (Apr 2, 2012)

This topic will try to share some data on froth flotation.
Surely the metallurgical concept is explained in many ways.
Apart from theoretical considerations it is important that the implementation will try to present.


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## Palladium (Apr 2, 2012)

You are one cool dude! Thanks for all the information you share.


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## renatomerino (Apr 2, 2012)

This topic will try to share some practical data from deternimacion mill speed, pump speed of sludge, size of the cyclone, reagents, analysis etc. ..


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## RGJohn (Apr 2, 2012)

Very nice setup you have.
I see you are feeding reagents into your ballmill feed, I was always told that is best so that as the mineral particles become exposed the chemicals attach immediately to the fresh face.
Do you know the pulp density of the mill? Seems like they used to recommend 70% solids for the best combination of grind versus the wear on the media and lining.
Then add your frothers in the conditioning tank.
Your froth looks rather weak in the actual flotation cells but goodness knows there is plenty of concentrate being created so even though it looks 'flat' to me one cannot argue with sucess. I'm used to larger bubbles with less mineral.
Moly is bluer. Zinc browner. Is that silver-bearing lead sulphide?


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## renatomerino (Apr 2, 2012)

This is a small plant flotation froth that I am implementing and milling capacity is 1.8 tons / day.
The mill has an internal diameter of 0.7 meters and 1.1 meters long.
The mill speed is determined by a simple relationship:
Vc = critical velocity 
Vc = 42.3/(D molino)^1/2 
Vc = 42.3/Square root of the diameter in meters.
Mill speed = 70 - 80 % critical velocity.
Mill speed of this pilot plant is 70% of critical speed = 35 rpm and It has 300 kg of steel balls of 2 in. wrought.
The processed material has high hardness.
The size of the ore that feeds the mill is 2 tons / day 100% minus 10 mm. and 2 tons / day 100% minus 1 mm.
The specific gravity of the material is 3.5 grs/cm3.
The percentage of solids in the mill is 70 to 75%.
The mill discharge is 33% of material with 70% less than 200 mesh.
It adds to mill 100% of fine material to fill the 4 inch cyclone classifier that requires at least 4 tons / day to operate.
The total load is fed to the cyclone 12 to 14 tons / day with 300% load current.
The feed mill is manual, then'll add a conveyor belt.


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## renatomerino (Apr 2, 2012)

RGJohn said:


> Very nice setup you have.
> I see you are feeding reagents into your ballmill feed, I was always told that is best so that as the mineral particles become exposed the chemicals attach immediately to the fresh face.
> Do you know the pulp density of the mill? Seems like they used to recommend 70% solids for the best combination of grind versus the wear on the media and lining.
> Then add your frothers in the conditioning tank.
> ...



Am adding copper sulfate 80 g / ton to the output of the mill and the pump inlet sludge.
In the conditioner is added sodium isobutyl xanthate 80 g / ton.,Sodium Monotiofosfato 25 g / ton and based alcoholic froth 20 g / ton.
At the beginning of the review I am using Sodium Di-sec-butyl dithiophosphate and Sodium Mercaptobenzo-thiazole 25 g / ton.
You can place the trade name of flotation reagents?. Do not know.
The granulometry of the material for froth flotation is 70% less than 200 mesh.
The concentration ratio is 20. For example with 20 tons of ore is obtained 1 ton of concentrate.


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## renatomerino (Apr 3, 2012)

This is inside a flotation cell.
The pulp comes to the bottom where there is a turntable and another fixed.
These two elements produce an intense agitation with air entering through the axis of the cell.
Left side is the gate that is used to adjust the height of the pulp and foaming.


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## renatomerino (Apr 3, 2012)

This is the cyclone classifier, its location in the plant and the different parts.
The cyclone feed is performed by side in a tangential manner which produces a vortex inside.
This vortex classifies particles by centrifugation. At the center of the cyclone there is an area that meets the feeding fine particles that leave for the top by revalse.
The coarse particles are directed to the bottom wall attached to the cyclone.
The values ​​of operation of a cyclone consider mainly the supply pressure, flow, density, size distribution, ratio of upper and lower outputs.


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## AztekShine (Apr 4, 2012)

That is impressive! I am studying froth flotation at the moment. Trying to apply it to a home made system.


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## renatomerino (Apr 4, 2012)

AztekShine said:


> That is impressive! I am studying froth flotation at the moment. Trying to apply it to a home made system.



[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36Qfor7bBVs[/youtube][youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6l4iWI3LzQ[/youtube]


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## AztekShine (Apr 4, 2012)

:mrgreen:


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## MadScientistProspect (Jan 30, 2019)

What is the job of the cyclone?

Removing larger particles for further crushing?

Removing lights to waste?


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## FrugalRefiner (Jan 30, 2019)

If you're asking that question of renatomerino, he hasn't visited her since 2013.

Dave


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## tesaygo (Jan 30, 2019)

Do you know guys what material do minerals was trying to recover on this process? 
Do you have information of reagent use to float copper mineral, and gold mineral too? 
Thanks alot....


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## Lino1406 (Jan 30, 2019)

Flotation is intended for pyrites which have affinity to froth, many times associate gold. Chemicals - look for (xanthate e.g.) at DuPont, Dow


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## g_axelsson (Jan 31, 2019)

Flotation can be adapted to several different types of minerals. I've seen flotation to extract sulfides in general (galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite...) but also to separate quartz from feldspar.

There are a number of different chemicals and additives used to customize the flotation depending on the content of the ore.

Göran


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## tesaygo (Feb 1, 2019)

Hello guys,

Is that so, ok thanks.
Can you provide me those many chemical can be use for floation of copper, gold or sulfide ore. I would like to customize my reagent, due to the fact the not all reagent can be buy here in my country Philippines. Thank you!!!


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## g_axelsson (Feb 4, 2019)

I'm no expert in froth flotation, a 30 second google search gave this site that gives a good run through of chemicals used.
https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/flotation-reagents

Göran


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