Hybrid flotation: newly developed flotation technology for increased recovery, especially in the finest particle fractions.

The use was investigated of Siemens’ SIMINE HybridFlot flotation technology for processing Cu-Mo sulphide minerals at Minera Los Pelambres in Chile. The HybridFlot cell combines a pneumatic spray-in principle with the column method. The cell operates without an agitator, and the ore slurry is sprayed into the cell by high-pressure nozzles. The gas is added to the ore slurry in mixing chambers before the 3-phase mixture enters into the cell. The design of the nozzles ensures generation of the finest gas bubbles, significantly improving the frequency of contact between the gas bubbles and very fine particles and the ability of the particles to stick to the bubbles. The resulting mixture is sprayed into the flotation cell in a tangential arrangement. Additional gas is added to an internal column in the second stage, which ensures that ore particles not captured in the first stage can collide with the gas bubbles of the second stage and be transported to the surface. The froth concentrate produced during the process is taken to the edge of the flotation tank and drained off. In the bulk flotation process at Minera Los Pelambres, rougher, scavenger and cleaner flotation are employed with associated concentrate and regrind stages. Bulk Cu-Mo concentrate goes to a thickener prior to treatment in the Mo plant. Tests were carried out in which the HybridFlot flotation cell was implemented in the existing flotation circuit as a pre-rougher cell, and results obtained were compared with concentrate produced from the conventional mechanical rougher cells. An average increase of more than 1% in Mo recovery was obtained, and an overall recovery increase of more than 2% percent could be achieved. The increase in recovery was particularly noticeable for fine particle of less than 10 micrometres, but also occurred in the coarser particle size fractions of more than 74 micrometres.
The use was investigated of Siemens’ SIMINE HybridFlot flotation technology for processing Cu-Mo sulphide minerals at Minera Los Pelambres in Chile. The HybridFlot cell combines a pneumatic spray-in principle with the column method. The cell operates without an agitator, and the ore slurry is sprayed into the cell by high-pressure nozzles. The gas is added to the ore slurry in mixing chambers before the 3-phase mixture enters into the cell. The design of the nozzles ensures generation of the finest gas bubbles, significantly improving the frequency of contact between the gas bubbles and very fine particles and the ability of the particles to stick to the bubbles. The resulting mixture is sprayed into the flotation cell in a tangential arrangement. Additional gas is added to an internal column in the second stage, which ensures that ore particles not captured in the first stage can collide with the gas bubbles of the second stage and be transported to the surface. The froth concentrate produced during the process is taken to the edge of the flotation tank and drained off. In the bulk flotation process at Minera Los Pelambres, rougher, scavenger and cleaner flotation are employed with associated concentrate and regrind stages. Bulk Cu-Mo concentrate goes to a thickener prior to treatment in the Mo plant. Tests were carried out in which the HybridFlot flotation cell was implemented in the existing flotation circuit as a pre-rougher cell, and results obtained were compared with concentrate produced from the conventional mechanical rougher cells. An average increase of more than 1% in Mo recovery was obtained, and an overall recovery increase of more than 2% percent could be achieved. The increase in recovery was particularly noticeable for fine particle of less than 10 micrometres, but also occurred in the coarser particle size fractions of more than 74 micrometres.