Abstract
Mineral liberation in froth flotation is essential to separate valuable minerals from gangue. In conventional sulfide flotation, particle sizes are reduced to a P80 of 75-150µm to achieve sufficient liberation to float the valuable minerals. Here, the material grinding process produces fines, which create challenges in water separation from slurry. Downstream, this situation creates challenges in the tailing dam management and increases mine water consumption. Grinding at coarser sizes decreases overall fine generation, thereby improving water recovery, which increases the tailing dam stability.
The coarseAIR is a novel coarse flotation technology that aims to help mine operators worldwide achieve the maximum mineral recovery at coarse feed and achieve their sustainability goals. This innovative technology consists of an aerated fluidized bed with a system of inclined channels. A study was conducted to maximize copper recovery and produce plant tails with coarseAIR technology. Multiple coarse flotation and thickening tests were conducted to optimize the performance. The performance of the coarseAIR technology was compared to conventional flotation. This study showed that utilizing the coarseAIR technology recovers coarser particles, improves water recovery, and provides environmental and sustainability advantages.