The Effect of Operating Variables on the Performance of Column Flotation of Silica Sand.

This paper presents the results of a study performed on silica sand samples to determine the effect of operating parameters (collector type and dosage, solids content in the pulp, pulp pH and air flow rate) on the concentrate grade and mass recovery in laboratory-scale column flotation. Through the analysis of variance (ANOVA), it was determined that the pulp pH had a significant impact on all four of the observed grade parameters (mass contents of SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃ and TiO₂ in the concentrate). Air flow rate had a significant impact on the mass contents of SiO₂ and Al₂O₃. The solids content in the pulp only significantly affected the mass content of Fe₂O₃. The mass recovery was significantly influenced by the pulp pH, with a high level of significance (p-value (p) = 0.002917), as well as by the air flow rate (p = 0.010285). On the basis of a model of the relationship between the respective grade parameters and tested operating variables, it was determined that with the use of the Aeromine 3030C collector (at a dosage of 500 g/t) the highest-grade concentrate regarding the mass contents of SiO₂, Al₂O₃ and TiO₂ was achieved with a pulp pH within a range from 2.4 to 3 and an air flow rate above 26 L/h. The lowest mass content of Fe₂O₃ in the concentrate was achieved at a pulp pH in a range from 2.2 to 2.8 and a solids content in the pulp between 2.0% and 3.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]