Flotation Overview:
Flotation, a method of sorting minerals, relies on the diverse physical and chemical properties of mineral particle surfaces. It is extensively used in sorting fine-grained disseminated metallic and non-metallic minerals, as well as in chemicals. Additionally, flotation plays a crucial role in reducing ash and fine-grained pyrite in fine coal.
Categories of Flotation:
- Positive Flotation: Unwanted minerals (gangue minerals) remain in the pulp and are discharged as tailings.
- Anti-Flotation: Unwanted minerals are selectively floated.
Flotation Agents:
Commonly used flotation agents include:
- Collector agents
- Foaming agents
- Inhibitors
- Activators
- pH adjusting agents
- Dispersants
- Flocculants, etc.
Types of Flotation Machines:
- Mechanical Agitation
- Inflatable
- Inflatable Mechanical Agitation
Flotation Process:
The theoretical basis of flotation involves mineral particles aggregating at the liquid-gas or water-oil interface due to their hydrophobic properties. The process includes grinding, grading, mixing, roughing flotation, selection, scavenging, and more. Specific flotation processes may include grinding-float, concentrate re-election, and various operations like roughing, selection, and sweep elections for crude ore flotation.
Variations in Flotation Processes:
- Choose Flotation: Selecting a variety of useful minerals based on their different processes in the ore.
- Mix-Flotation Separation: Surfacing all useful minerals before separating other materials.
Tailoring Flotation for Industrial Production:
The choice of prescriptions and flotation processes in industrial production depends on the ore’s nature and product requirements. It involves adapting the process to optimize the recovery of useful minerals and the overall efficiency of the beneficiation operation.
The selection of a gold ore beneficiation process depends on the unique characteristics of each medium-sized gold ore. Attention should be given to early recovery of large gold particles, mud and sand sorting, stage grinding, stage separation, and the use of combined processes. conducting mineral processing tests, and based on the results and production requirements, a customized gold mineral processing plan can be devised to effectively recover gold particles and enhance economic benefits.
- Gold Ore Flotation and Concentrate Cyanidation Process This technique is suitable for handling gold and silver ores found in quartz vein sulfide ores. The sulfide ore undergoes flotation to yield a modest amount of concentrate, which is subsequently subjected to cyanidation. In contrast to the all-sludge cyanidation process, the flotation concentrate cyanidation process eliminates the need for finely ground ores, leading to savings in grinding costs and power consumption. Additionally, this process boasts advantages such as a smaller footprint and reduced capital costs.
- Gold Ore Flotation and Concentrate Thiourea Leaching Process Tailored for processing vein gold ores rich in arsenic, sulfur, or carbon-rich mud, this method initially employs a flotation process to obtain a gold-containing sulfide mineral concentrate. Subsequently, thiourea is utilized to leach the concentrate, facilitating gold recovery. The thiourea leaching process is straightforward, easy to operate, and offers fast leaching speed with low toxicity. It proves efficient in processing gold concentrates featuring high arsenic, sulfur, carbonaceous, or muddy content.
- Gold Ore Flotation and Concentrate Roasting, Roasting, and Cyanidation Process Primarily employed for refractory gold-bearing arsenic ores, gold-bearing antimony ores, and high-sulfur gold-pyrite ores, this process incorporates roasting to eliminate elements detrimental to the cyanidation process, such as arsenic and antimony.
- Gold Mine Mercury Amalgamation and Flotation Process Designed for processing vein gold ore with uneven thickness, this approach utilizes the mercury amalgamation method in the grinding circuit to recover coarse-grained gold, followed by the flotation method to recover fine-grained gold. This dual method enhances gold recovery and reduces overall beneficiation costs.
- Gold Ore Flotation and Concentrate Pyrolysis ProcessApplicable to the separation of most polymetallic sulfide ores containing gold and silver, this method involves floating gold ore, allowing gold and silver to enter copper-lead and other gold ores in close symbiosis. The recovered gold and silver can then be sent to the smelting plant for further processing.
- Gold Ore Flotation and Concentrate Roasting, Tailings Medium Ore Cyanidation Process Ideal for treating quartz sulfide ores containing telluride, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, and other sulfide minerals, this scheme utilizes sulfide ore flotation concentrate. The roasting method exposes gold and silver in the sulfide ore, followed by cyanidation treatment to recover precious metals from middlings and tailings.
- Gold Ore Cyanidation and Tailings Flotation Process Flow.Applicable when the cyanidation process cannot fully recover gold and silver symbiotically present with sulfides in the ore. Selecting tailings treated by the cyanidation process for flotation improves the utilization rate of gold mines and the recovery rate of concentrates.