The effect of particle shape and hydrophobicity in flotation

The effect of particle shape on the flotation process has been investigated in laboratory experiments with monosized spherical ballotini and ground ballotini. The particles were treated by partial methylation with trimethylchlorosilane to achieve varying degrees of hydrophobicity. In flotation, the process of film thinning and liquid drainage is critical in the formation of stable bubble–particle attachments and this is affected by the particle shape and surface hydrophobicity. Flotation tests with different particle sizes were conducted in a modified batch Denver cell. Predictions from a computational fluid dynamic model of the flotation cell that incorporates fundamental aspects of bubble–particle attachment were compared with data from flotation tests. Contact angles of the particles were measured using a capillary rise technique to indicate surface hydrophobicity. Ground ballotini generally has higher flotation rates than spherical ballotini; the results are consistent with effects from faster film thinning and rupture at rough surfaces and are well correlated by the sphericity index.     

Modelling the performance of industrial ball mills using single particle breakage data

Ball milling is an energy-intensive unit operation and usually consumes a major proportion of the power drawn by a typical mineral processing plant. Hence, substantial economic benefits can be achieved by optimal design and by operating ball milling circuits under optimum process conditions. This requires an accurate ball mill modelling technique.In the multi-segment ball mill model, the size-dependent material transport within the mill varies systematically with the amount of coarse particles present in each segment. The ore-specific breakage distribution function can be determined from single particle breakage tests conducted using a computer-monitored twin pendulum apparatus. When the ore-specific breakage distribution function is used in the multi-segment, a constant relationship between the breakage rate parameters and mill diameter is observed. Thus, the performance of an industrial ball mill can be adequately described using the ore-specific breakage distribution function together with the systematic variation of the material transport and the breakage rate functions with process conditions and mill diameter, respectively.This ball mill modelling technique is illustrated using a case study on the design of a ball milling circuit for a particular grinding requirement and another case study on modelling the performance of an industrial ball milling circuit.     

应用X射线衍射-红外光谱等技术研究滑石在机械力研磨中的形貌和晶体结构变化及影响机制

滑石的颗粒粒径、形貌、晶型等对其应用的实效性、终端产品的性能产生极大影响,目前主要研究其表面改性,而有关微观形貌及晶体结构研究较少。本文利用X射线荧光光谱、X射线衍射分析、红外光谱、粒度分析仪结合高分辨场发射扫描电镜(FE-SEM)技术对辽宁滑石粉在高强度机械力研磨作用下的微形貌和晶体结构变化特征进行系统研究。结果表明滑石粉原矿混合物中MgO与SiO2的分子个数比约为0.45,该数值明显低于纯滑石粉晶体中MgO与SiO2的分子个数比0.75。此类滑石为典型的单斜晶系,研磨作用使滑石粉由晶态转变为非晶态结构,其层状结构的有序化和键合作用发生了明显的变化。滑石粒度随研磨时间变化呈现减小-增大-减小的循环过程。研磨后粉体形貌存在差异,细化的小颗粒粉体因团聚而呈"准球体",且随着研磨的进行出现细化-团聚-细化的反复过程。此结论对于滑石的深加工与应用及其相关矿物粉体的研究具有一定的参考价值。     

Potential use of model predictive control for optimizing the column flotation process

A constrained model predictive control (MPC) strategy is proposed to deal with the problem of optimizing flotation column operation using secondary variables. Froth depth, collection zone gas hold-up and bias rate are selected as secondary variables to be controlled whereas tailing, wash-water and gas flow rate are used as manipulated variables. The control problem was formulated in order to minimize the tracking error of the gas hold-up and bias rate by maintaining gas flow rate, wash-water flow rate and bias rate within their operational limits. In particular, a strategy was conceived to optimize the column flotation process based on establishing an unreachable high set point for the gas hold-up (which is equivalent to maximizing the bubble surface area available for particle collection at a given flotation reagent dosage and thus recovery), while simultaneously satisfying operational constraints (such as ensuring a positive bias rate to prevent gangue entrainment and therefore concentrate grade deterioration). Several other operational constraints on wash-water, gas rate, gas hold-up and bias rate were considered, their use being justified from a processing point of view. Since this study deals with the hydrodynamic characteristics of flotation columns, a pilot flotation column working with a two-phase system is sufficient to demonstrate the advantages of using predictive control for this process optimization.     

Surface chemical mechanisms of inadvertent recovery of chromite in UG2 ore flotation: Residual layer identification using statistical ToF-SIMS analysis

In the UG2 ore (Bushveld Complex, South Africa) flotation, normally more than 3% of the gangue minerals, principally chromite with talc and pyroxene, report to the concentrate diluting the PGM recovery and contributing to subsequent processing costs. Previous studies have identified residual talc-like layers on orthopyroxene surfaces in Merensky ore flotation contributing to inadvertent flotation of relatively large particles (20–150 µm) of this mineral. Chromite (75–150 µm) from flotation of UG2 ore has been similarly examined. Statistical comparison of ToF-SIMS analysis of particles from concentrate and tails reveals no significant difference in Cu, Pb, Ni and collector (IBX and DTP) signals between these streams but surface exposure of Mg and Si is favoured in the concentrate. The flotation rate of coarse chromite correlates with the exposures of magnesium and silicon in patches on the chromite surface; higher exposures give earlier flotation. Conversely, there is a negative correlation with signals corresponding to the chromite surface, i.e. Cr, Fe, Al. Flotation of chromite without collector has confirmed this statistical discrimination. Hydrophobic talc-like residual layers, similar to those found on orthopyroxene surfaces, probably from partial alteration, explain this flotation mechanism.     

Selective separation of very fine particles at a planar air–water interface

Selective fine particle separation is a key unit operation in the mineral and related industries. In flotation, the capture of fine particles by bubbles is inefficient due to their low mass and momentum, which result in low particle–bubble collision efficiency. We demonstrate that it is possible to selectively separate a mixture of very fine hydrophobic graphite and hydrophilic quartz particles by direct contact with an air–water interface without a particle–bubble collision step involved. We demonstrate that it is possible to scale-up the process from a simple batch to a continuous process. Good selective separation of graphite from quartz gangue could be obtained under continuous conditions.     

Characterisation of sphalerite and pyrite flotation samples by XPS and ToF-SIMS

The surface analytical techniques of X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) have provided information on the type and concentration of species on the surface of sphalerite and pyrite particles in flotation concentrate and tail samples, but also on their distribution on each particle and across particles of different sizes. From this surface analytical study, a more accurate interpretation of the flotation results of sphalerite and pyrite minerals in a mixed mineral system could be made as a function of the concentrations of copper sulphate activator and xanthate collector, and particle size. In particular, it was found that sphalerite particles reporting to the concentrate are larger in size and contain less iron hydroxide on their surface than particles reporting to the tail. As for the pyrite particles, their lower recovery than the sphalerite particles is the result of a larger proportion of iron hydroxide on their surface inhibiting copper and collector adsorption.     

Some breakage characteristics of ultra-fine wet grinding with a centrifugal mill

A centrifugal mill is a high-power intensity media mill that can be used for ultra-fine grinding, employing centrifugal forces generated by gyration of the axis of the mill tube in a circle. The mill charge motion is quite different depending on the ratio of the gyration diameter to the mill diameter (G / D ratio), varying from a motion similar to that of a conventional tumbling media mill to that of a vibration mill. In this study, a centrifugal mill was constructed with an arrangement where the gyration diameter could be readily adjusted. The batch grinding characteristics of three different minerals (limestone, talc and illite) in water with dispersing agent were investigated at various G / D ratios. It was found that the optimum G / D ratio in terms of the specific energy consumption to give a desired fineness of product was different for the three minerals. This was due to their different reactions to the breakage mechanisms provided by the mill charge motion at varying G / D ratios. The size distributions became progressively narrower at increased grinding times, and particles finer than about 0.1 μm were not detected even for prolonged grinding times. Measurement of specific surface areas indicated that this was not due to an artifact of the size measurements by laser diffractometry. This implies that there is a limitation in which particles finer than 0.1 μm are not produced under the conditions tested in this type of mill, but further investigation is needed for experimental verification of this limit of comminution.     

Effects of Particle Size and Chain Length on Flotation and Adsorption of Quaternary Ammonium Salts onto Kaolinite

Effects of particle size and chain length on flotation of quaternary ammonium salts (QAS) onto kaolinite have been investigated by mico-flotation tests. The two kinds of quaternary ammonium salts [RN(CH3)3] with different chain lengths, dodecyltrimethylammonium chloride (DTAC) and cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) were used as collectors for kaolinite in different particle size fractions (0.075–0.01 mm, 0.045–0.075 mm, 0–0.045 mm). The anomalous flotation behavior of kaolinite have been further explained based on crystal structure considerations by adsorption tests and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The results show that the flotation recovery of kaolinite in all different particle size fractions decreases with an increase in pH when DTAC and CTAC are used as collectors. As the concentration of collectors increases, the flotation recovery increases. The longer the carbon chain of QAS is, the higher the recoveries of coarse kaolinite (0.075–0.01 mm and 0.045–0.075 mm) are. But the flotation recovery of the finest kaolinite (0–0.045 mm) decreases with chain lengths of QAS collectors increasing, which is consistent with the flotation results of unsifted kaolinite (0–0.075 mm). It is explained by the froth stability related to the residual concentration of QAS collector. In lower residual concentration, the froth stability becomes worse. Within the range of flotation collector concentration, it's easy of CTAC to be completely adsorbed by kaolinite in the particle size fraction (0–0.045 mm), which led to lower flotation recovery. Moreover, it is interesting that the particle size of kaolinite is coarser, the flotation recovery is higher. The anomalous flotation behavior of kaolinite is rationalized based on crystal structure considerations. The results of MD simulations show that the (001) kaolinite surface has the strongest interaction with DTAC, compared with the (001), (010) and (110) surfaces. On the other hand, when particle size of kaolinite is altered, the number of basal planes and edge planes is changed. It is observed that the finer kaolinite particles size become, the greater relative surface area of edges is, and the more the number of edges is. It means that fine kaolinite particles have more edges to adsorb less cationic colletors than that of coarse kaolinite particles, which is responsible for the poorer floatability of fine kaolinite.     

The natural flotability of chalcopyrite

In an extensive programme of batch flotation tests on mixtures of purified minerals, it was established that freshly ground chalcopyrite displayed natural flotability in an oxidising environment and non-flotability in a reducing environment. No rational hypothesis to account for this behaviour has emerged. Grinding in an iron mill produced strongly reducing conditions and consequently suppressed flotation which was restored subsequently by raising the potential of the pulp either by aeration or by the addition of oxidants. The coarse particle sizes recovered more slowly than other fractions. The type and addition of frother had a pronouced effect on the natural flotability, but no proven effect on hydrophobicity. There is some evidence that whilst these observations apply to chalcopyrite from several sources when floated from mixtures with quartz, chalcopyrite in real ore samples does not necessarily show the same flotation behaviour.     

基于离散元模拟的二元颗粒柱坍塌特性研究

常见的地质灾害如滑坡、泥石流、岩崩等通常都涉及不同形状的颗粒物质运动,这些形状不同的颗粒又多具有不同的尺寸和含量。基于典型的颗粒柱坍塌试验,首先根据试验方法确定了离散元模拟所需的各项参数,然后采用随机多面体方法生成了可控制长细比的大颗粒,利用离散元法就不同大颗粒含量下形态变化对二元颗粒柱坍塌特性的影响开展研究,研究结果表明:(1)利用离散元法可以较好地重现室内试验中小球和多面体组成的二元颗粒系统的颗粒柱坍塌过程;(2)在不同长细比的不规则大颗粒和小球组成的二元颗粒柱系统中,当大颗粒含量高于临界含量值20%时,二元颗粒柱坍塌持续的时间随非球形大颗粒长细比的增加而增加;(3)在不同长细比的不规则大颗粒和小球组成的二元颗粒柱中,当大颗粒含量高于临界含量值20%时,在相同百分比的大颗粒含量下,大颗粒长细比的增加会提高大颗粒平均配位数以及降低颗粒的运动能力,大颗粒间形成更强的互锁作用,降低了颗粒柱的整体流动性,使其最终堆积高度更高、最大跑出距离更短以及更小的归一化动能峰值。(4)在不同长细比的不规则大颗粒和小球组成的二元颗粒柱中,小颗粒可以较为明显降低大颗粒间摩擦及互锁作用,增加流动性,降低大骨料形态对坍塌过程的影响。     

晶体及矿物颗粒大小对岩土材料力学性质的影响

岩石常见较大的晶体或者矿物颗粒,混凝土中是骨料,通过团簇模拟大颗粒的力学行为、团簇可以破裂。根据设计的相同数量、相同位置、不同半径的大颗粒数值单轴压缩试验,在虚拟试验条件下,考察了颗粒大小对材料力学响应的影响。通过分析颗粒材料的破裂形态、裂纹扩展过程、应力-应变曲线和破裂能量演化规律发现：大颗粒具有明显的增强特性,有阻止裂纹扩展的作用,破裂多绕大颗粒发展;增强幅度随颗粒半径的增加呈单增趋势,半径较小时,增强效果不明显。     

Modelling transport phenomena in a flotation de-inking column: Focus on gas flow,pulp and froth retention time

A laboratory flotation column using Venturi aerators and a vacuum system to remove froth was used to investigate the contribution of gas flow, pulp flow, cell volume and froth retention time on the ink removal efficiency and on cellulose fibres and mineral fillers loss. The increase in the gas flow from 4 to 8 L/min gave a general rise of particle transport from the pulp slurry to the froth with an ensuing strong increase in ink removal, from 75% to 85%, and water and total loss, from 10% to 40% and 15% to 30%, respectively. Whereas, the increase of the cell volume from 14 to 24 L improved ink removal from 72% to 80% without considerably affecting flotation loss. The rise of the froth retention time in the flotation cell from 5 to 20 s before removal gave a general decrease in the flotation loss from 20% to 11% without a corresponding decrease in ink removal. This trend was interpreted as reflecting poor ink drainage through the froth. The increase of both pulp and froth retention time in the flotation cell appeared as the most favourable way to improve ink flotation selectivity. A mathematical model, describing particle removal during flotation in terms of true flotation, entrainment and drainage, was proposed and used to fit experimental data.     

ToF-SIMS-derived hydrophobicity in DTP flotation of chalcopyrite: Contact angle distributions in flotation streams

Particle hydrophobicity has been derived from Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) measurements and its impact on the flotation behaviour of chalcopyrite investigated. Batch flotation tests were performed using a dithiophosphate-type of collector in different concentrations. Three flotation regimes were studied using particle size ranges of 20–38 μm, 75–105 μm and 150–210 μm. The individual particle contact angle, and hence, the distribution of contact angles of chalcopyrite within feed, concentrate and tail flotation samples has been determined using ToF-SIMS secondary ions. The effects of particle size and hydrophobicity on the flotation behaviour have been investigated using this new approach. The hydrodynamic effects of the particle size were highlighted by the different distributions of contact angles obtained for each concentrate size fraction, with fine and coarse sizes requiring higher average contact angles to float. This effect was overtaken by hydrophobicity when a high collector concentration was used. The broad distribution of contact angles observed in all samples, i.e. heterogeneity in hydrophobicity, has significant consequences for interpreting flotation behaviour. The methodology of analysis conducted in this study was applied to real ore and can be used as a quantitative, diagnostic tool for examining surface chemical factors affecting hydrophobicity. This new technique has promise and may advance the understanding of mechanisms, which may lead to better control strategies for improving flotation performance. Furthermore, any mineral–collector system can be targeted, provided appropriate calibration is performed.     

Phyllosilicates synthesis: a way of accessing edges contributions in NMR and FTIR spectroscopies. Example of synthetic talc

A series of new-generation synthetic talcs were prepared by varying the hydrothermal synthesis duration from a few hours up to 2 months. Crystallinity and particle size analysis of the synthetic products were evaluated by photon correlation spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, differential thermal analysis and unoriented X-ray diffraction, and then analyzed by various spectroscopic methods such as Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy and solid-state ¹H and ²⁹Si magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance. The new process for preparing synthetic talcs allows to obtain single-phased particles which after few hours grow heterogeneously and simultaneously in both the c* direction and the (ab) plan. Fine particles, observed for whatever the synthesis duration, lead to the presence of numerous sheet edges surfaces due to particle size which represents the main difference with natural talc. Spectroscopy data show the influence of the fine particles on signals and highlight that synthetic talc characterization is a potential tool for better understanding crystal chemistry of natural talc.     

Upgrading of calcareous phosphate ores by flotation: Effect of ore characteristics

Sedimentary phosphates contain-besides the phosphate minerals-, various associated gangue minerals such as: clays, silica, calcareous minerals (mainly calcite and dolomite), carbonaceous matter, iron oxides and/or pyrite. The common practiced flow-sheets for concentrating these types of phosphate ores consist of a combination of various mineral processing units such as: crushing and screening, attrition, washing, magnetic separation, and/or flotation. However, none of these combinations was successfully efficient to upgrade the calcareous ores because of the close similarity of the physical properties (density, particle size, particle shape, etc.) as well as the surface physico-chemical properties of the carbonate and phosphate minerals. For the last five decades extensive efforts have been spent to adopt flotation for separating carbonates from phosphate ores. These efforts include thermodynamic analysis, modification of the technique, controlling the pulp environment, and finding new reagents that can specifically differentiate between carbonates and phosphates.This paper reviews some of the published work on the separation of carbonates from phosphate ores by flotation and presents the flotation results of phosphate ore samples different in their physical properties and mineralogical composition. The results obtained reflect the effect of ore nature on the flotation performance and the reagents consumption.     

Quantification of mineral dissolution rates and applicability of rate laws: Laboratory studies of mill tailings

Reliable quantification of mineral weathering rates is a key to assess many environmental problems. In this study, the authors address the applicability of pure mineral laboratory rate laws for dissolution of mill tailings samples. Mass-normalised sulfide and aluminosilicate mineral dissolution rates, determined in oxygenated batch experiments, were found to be different between two samples from the same ∼50-year-old, carbonate-depleted mill tailings deposit. Consideration of difference in particle surface area and mineralogy between the samples resolved most of this discrepancy in rates. While the mineral surface area normalised dissolution rates of pyrite in a freshly crushed pure pyrite specimen and a sulfide concentrate derived from the tailings were within the range of abiotic literature rates of oxidation by dissolved molecular O₂, as were rates of sphalerite and chalcopyrite dissolution in the tailings, dissolution rates of pyrite and aluminosilicates in the tailings generally differed from literature values. This discrepancy, obtained using a consistent experimental method and scale, is suggested to be related to difficulties in quantifying individual mineral reactive surface area in a mixture of minerals of greatly varying particle size, possibly due to factors such as dependence of surface area-normalised mineral dissolution rates on particle size and time, or to non-proportionality between rates and BET surface area.     

焦家金矿选厂旋流器溢流产品工艺矿物学分析

焦家金矿选矿厂目前的日处理量达12000吨/天,金回收率92%。选矿厂已将破碎段产品用双螺旋分级机洗矿,洗矿的矿泥产率为7%,矿泥单独浮选,整体工艺初步实现了泥砂分选。为进一步提高选金回收率,流程改造拟将磨矿-浮选系统的旋流器溢流产品二次分级,分级的次生矿泥与洗矿矿泥进入矿泥浮选系统一并浮选,为了掌握旋流器溢流产品的性质,本文采用偏光反光两用显微镜、扫描电镜、X射线衍射仪、红外光谱和差热分析等手段进行研究。研究结果表明矿物种类主要是金属硫化物和脉石矿物,金属硫化物约占4%,脉石约占96%,金属硫化物主要是黄铁矿(70.17%)和黄铜矿(16.27%),脉石主要是石英(47.12%)和长石(15.90%)。黄铁矿和石英是重要的载金矿物,黄铁矿含金65%,石英含金20%。颗粒越细,单体颗粒含量越高,连生体颗粒含量越少;颗粒越细,黄铁矿含量越高,Au、Ag分布率越高,-0.037 mm粒级中黄铁矿含量达到73.58%,Au、Ag占到47.99%和56.60%,金分配率与黄铁矿含量成正相关;粗粒级中未发现金颗粒,中等粒级中次显微金约占30%,细粒级中次显微金约40%,金粒径在2~10μm范围内;金形状有三角形、棱角状、小粒状、不规则状等。红外光谱与差热曲线研究发现颗粒越细矿物成分趋于复杂。研究结论为磨矿分级产生的次生矿泥浮选调控提供了依据,对矿泥浮选的药剂制度调控、浮选流程确定等具有重要实际意义。     

基于数字图像处理的矿物颗粒形态定量分析

矿物颗粒形态的评价一般采用目估法在显微镜下观测岩石薄片,其评价结果受主观影响.本文利用岩石薄片显微照片,基于图像处理技术提出了矿物颗粒形态定量分析方法.矿物颗粒形态参数主要包括球度、凸度、长宽比、磨圆度等.该方法利用图像分割技术将显微照片中的矿物颗粒区分开,提取颗粒的像素轮廓坐标进行离散几何分析,计算矿物颗粒形态参数....     

烧结法赤泥的物质组成与颗粒特征研究

运用X射线荧光光谱仪、电感耦合等离子体质谱仪、X射线粉晶衍射仪(XRD)、透射电子显微镜和激光粒度分析仪等手段,对贵州烧结法赤泥主量元素和微量元素的化学组成、物质组成、微观形态和粒度分布等基本特征进行系统研究,并将烧结法赤泥的组成与拜耳法赤泥进行对比。结果表明,烧结法赤泥的主要化学成分是CaO、Al2O3、SiO2、Fe2O3、TiO2、Na2O、K2O和MgO,与拜耳法赤泥相比具有高钙低铝的特征。透射电子显微镜分析烧结法赤泥中部分矿物的颗粒形态与特征,XRD分析其主要物相有硅酸二钙、铝酸三钙、方解石、钙钛矿等,还有少量分散的含铁矿物、黏土类铝硅酸矿物。根据微观形态的不同,将烧结法赤泥的组成矿物划分为三类:薄片状或者大块状聚集体;片状、柱状、颗粒状等规则形态;毛发状、细丝状聚集体。通过激光粒度分析仪测量烧结法赤泥的粒径分布情况,表明粒径细小是赤泥的重要特征,同时也是影响赤泥在选矿等领域综合利用的重要因素之一。通过对赤泥物相组成与粒度特征的综合分析,为烧结法赤泥综合利用提供了必要的基础资料和科学依据。