This video is an overview of setting up and conducting a flotation rate test.
The test is a means of determining the flotation characteristics of an ore.
It is conducted in an laboratory scale cell usually with a volume of 2.5 liters.
The intention is to generate relationships of cumulative recovery mass pull and grade versus
time and we use these to evaluate the flotability of metal, mineral and gangue.
The video is not intended to be a detailed explanation of how to conduct a rate test. For that,
download the test procedure shown here from the EMC website.
The purpose of this video is to outlined the important aspects of setting up the test to ensure
that flotation characteristics are correctly measured and the resulting data can be properly
interpreted.
How the data is used to determine flotation kinetics is the subject of a separate video.
The key aspects are the type size and setup of the laboratory cell, sample to be tested, test
conditions and how the test is conducted
The standard laboratory cell and cell size for many decades has been the Denver D12 with 2.5
liter stainless steel cell. This come standard with 73 mm diameter rotor and a stator of 18 mm
inside diameter.
The 2.5 litter cell has an operating volume of about 2 litters and takes 1 kg of solids giving a
pulp density of thirty-two percent solids by mass.
Air is self-induced through a valve on the shaft
Alternatively, air can be supplied from a compressor and controlled by valve.
What rotor speed is used is a matter of personal choice or company standard. The speed
affects the degree of agitation and the amount of air going into the and the number of air
bubbles generated per unit time
Both gangue and mineral recovery increases with increasing aeration rate as shown here with
an example taken on a marine ski PGM or from the western limb of bushveld igneous complex
in south Africa
The graphs show platinum group metals as PGMs and gangue recovery with flotation time at
six different air rates measured as cubic meters of air per minute per cubic meter of pulp.
PGM and concentrate mass recovery increase at different rates resulting in a system operating
at successively different recovery grade curves. You can see that highest concentrate grade is
generated at the lowest air rate but also for the lowest recovery. In other words, lowest
aeration rate generats the best selectivity between mineral and gangue.
These tests were conducted at a fairly high rotor speed of 1500 rpm. If rotor speed is reduced
the same effect is achieved that is selectivity increases as less air is introduced into the system
However, in this case an extra variable is being added due the small degree of agitation.
Some companies and operators prefer to run with a lower rotor speed such as 900 rpm in an
effort to derate the laboratory cell so that its operation is closer to that of a production scale
cell
These graphs illustrate that aeration rate changes flotation performance quite significantly.
Whatever rotor speed and aeration rated chosen, for consistency, make sure that all
subsequent tests are performed at the same speed and the same air rate.
The sample can be crashed and milled in the laboratory or it can be obtained from the
sampling required stream at the plant
Rate testing a plant grab sample is often know as a hot float
For samples prepared in the metallurgical laboratory, the operator chooses all conditions of
grind, reagents, pH, percent solids. Hot float are normally performed as is unless the intention
is to add additional reagents or change pulp density, pH, etc. Note that avoid aging of the
sample and possible oxidation effects, flotation should be done as soon as possible after the
sample collection.
Add a rotation speed of 1500 rpm, add water, add water until the pulp level is set at 15-200
mm below cell overflow lip. The distance will be less at lower rotor speeds. Add condition all
reagents, finally adding frother and begin the test by opening the air valve.
The aim throughout the test is to maintain the top of the froth bed level with the overflow lip
of the cell. As the test proceeds this is achieved by gradually opening the air valve.
When fully open, froth level is kept at the desired height by raising pulp level with make up
water. By keeping the level of the froth consistently equal to that of the overflow lip, the
quantity of froth removed is controlled by the paddle design and the number of froth removal
sweeps per minute.
Details of the number of concentrate collections per minute and timing of the sweeps can be
found in AMC’s procedure.
The video shows an automated laboratory flotation developed by outotec at their research
center in pori in finland.
In this case, the cell is 12 litters, treating 3.5 kilograms of ore at twenty five percent solids.
Rotor speed is 1500 rpm and air is fed of 5 litters per minute. The collection paddle is
automated and set to collect froth every 10 seconds to a depth of about 10 mm below the
overflow lip
Note the level marks on the side of the cell. The top one being leveled with the overflow lip.
Water is added to obtain the required pulp level.
The paddle is split so that collection can be from the back of the cell and around the shaft as it
move forward. Paddle shaft and the sides of the cellar washed down with spray water. Level
control is automated and both makeup and spray water masses are recorded throughout the
test.
This concludes the overview of the important features of a flotation rate test. View the next
video on the meaning and use of kinetics to find more about ore characterization and flotation
circuit design.
