An Investigation into the Effect of Water Quality on Flotation Performance
A study was carried out to determine the effect of water quality on flotation performance. The experimental test work comprised of batch flotation tests using Denver lab cell for a period of 10 minutes. Nine different test runs were carried out in triplicates to ensure reproducibility using different water types from different thickener overflows, return and sewage effluent water (process water) and portable water. The water sources differed in pH, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids and conductivity. Process water was found to reduce the concentrate recovery and mass pull, while portable water increased the concentrate recovery and mass pull. Portable water reduced the concentrate grade while process water increased the concentrate grade. It is proposed that a combination of process water and portable water supply be used in flotation circuits to balance the different effects that the different water types have on the flotation efficiency.
[1] G. Levay, R. St. C. Smart, and W. M. Skinner, "The impact of water
quality on flotation performance" SAIMM. J., vol. 101, no. 2, pp. 69-
75, April 2001.
[2] N. W. Johnson, "Issues in Maximasation of Recycling of Water in a
Mineral Processing Plant" The Australian Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy, Publication Series No 6/2003, Oct. 2007, pp. 239 -245,
(Proc. Conf. Water in Mining, Brisbane, Queensland, 2003).
[3] A. J. Roderick, and G. Dopson, "Factors Influencing Water Quality," in
Water Management and Treatment for Mining and Metallurgical
Operations, vol. 6, von Michaelis, H, Ed, Colorado, Randol
International ltd, 1985, pp. 3052-3056.
[4] M. Smith, and L. D. Hertzog, "Seawater in flotation," in Water
Management and Treatment for Mining and Metallurgical Operations,
vol. 6, von Michaelis, H, Ed, Colorado, Randol International ltd, 1985,
pp. 3163-3164.
[5] K. S. E. Forssberg, and M. I. Hallin, "Process Water Reticulation in a
Lead-Zinc Plant and other Sulphide Flotation Plants," in Proc, Symp.
Challenges in Mineral Processing, K. V. S. Sastry and M.C. Fuerstenau,
Ed, Society of Mining Engineers, 1989.
[6] M. Rey, and P. Raffinot, "Flotation of Ores in Sea Water" in Water
Management and Treatment for Mining and Metallurgical Operations,
vol. 6, von Michaelis, H, Ed, Colorado, Randol International ltd, pp.
3167-3174, 1985.
[7] S. R. Rao, and J. A. Finch, "A Review of Water Reuse in Flotation"
Min. Eng. J., vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 65-85, 1989.
[8] B. J. Arnold, and F. F. Aplan, "The Effect of Clay Slimes on Coal
Flotation, Part 11: The Role of Water Quality," Int. J. Min. Process.,
vol. 17, pp. 243-260, 1986.
[9] N. J. Shackleton, V. Malysiak, and K. A. Slatter, "Effects of Water
Quality and Surface Passivation on Flotation Behaviour," in Proc. Anglo
American Metallurgical Symp., Session 4, Paper 2, November 2001.
[10] V. Malysiak, N.J. Shackleton, and D. De Vaux, "Effect of Water Quality
on Pentlandite-Pyroxene Floatability with an Emphasis on Calcium
Ions," in Proc. 22nd International Mineral Processing Cong., ISBN: 0-
958-46092-2, 2003.
[11] V. Kirjavainen, N. Schreithofer, and K. Heiskanen, "The effect of
calcium and thiosulphate ions on flotation selectivity of nickel-copper
ores," Min. Eng, J., vol. 15, pp. 1-5, August 2002
[12] R. St. C. Smart, W. M. Skinner, and G. Levay, "Process Water Quality
and Treatment: Issues and Methodology," Proc. WAMMO., pp. 226-235,
1999.
[13] N. P. Haran, E. R. Boyapati, C. Boontanjai, and C. Swaminathan, "The
Effect of Water Quality on Flotation Kinetics of Chalcopyrite,"
Excellence in Chemical Enginneering: in Proc. 24th Australian and New
Zealand Chemical Engineering Conference and Exhibition, Barton,
ACT, Inst. Eng. Australia., vol. 3, pp. 77-82, 1996.
[14] N. P. Haran, E. R. Boyapati, C. Boontanjai, and C. Swaminathan,
"Kinetics Studies on Effect of Recycled Water on Flotation of Copper
Tailings from Benambra Mines, Victoria," Developments in Chemical
Engineering and Mineral Processing, vol. 4, issue. 3-4, pp. 197 - 211,
2008.
[15] S. G. Ozkan, and A. Acar, "Investigation of impact of water type on
borate ore flotation," Water Research, vol. 4, issue. 7, pp. 1773-1778,
April 2004.
[16] S. R. Williams, and J. M. Phelan, "Process development at Woodlawn
Mines," in Complex Sulphides. Processing of Ores, Concentrates and
By-products, A. D. Zunkel, R.S. Boorman, A. E. Morris, and R. J.
Wesely, Eds, Pennsylavania, The AIME, pp. 293-304, 1985.
[17] R. Brehenhamn, H. S. Du Preez, and G. Coetzer, "Influence of Water
Resources and Metal Ions on Galena Flotation of Rosh Pinnar Ore,"
Kumba Resources R&D, Pretoria, South Africa, pp. 193 -207, 2001.
[1] G. Levay, R. St. C. Smart, and W. M. Skinner, "The impact of water
quality on flotation performance" SAIMM. J., vol. 101, no. 2, pp. 69-
75, April 2001.
[2] N. W. Johnson, "Issues in Maximasation of Recycling of Water in a
Mineral Processing Plant" The Australian Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy, Publication Series No 6/2003, Oct. 2007, pp. 239 -245,
(Proc. Conf. Water in Mining, Brisbane, Queensland, 2003).
[3] A. J. Roderick, and G. Dopson, "Factors Influencing Water Quality," in
Water Management and Treatment for Mining and Metallurgical
Operations, vol. 6, von Michaelis, H, Ed, Colorado, Randol
International ltd, 1985, pp. 3052-3056.
[4] M. Smith, and L. D. Hertzog, "Seawater in flotation," in Water
Management and Treatment for Mining and Metallurgical Operations,
vol. 6, von Michaelis, H, Ed, Colorado, Randol International ltd, 1985,
pp. 3163-3164.
[5] K. S. E. Forssberg, and M. I. Hallin, "Process Water Reticulation in a
Lead-Zinc Plant and other Sulphide Flotation Plants," in Proc, Symp.
Challenges in Mineral Processing, K. V. S. Sastry and M.C. Fuerstenau,
Ed, Society of Mining Engineers, 1989.
[6] M. Rey, and P. Raffinot, "Flotation of Ores in Sea Water" in Water
Management and Treatment for Mining and Metallurgical Operations,
vol. 6, von Michaelis, H, Ed, Colorado, Randol International ltd, pp.
3167-3174, 1985.
[7] S. R. Rao, and J. A. Finch, "A Review of Water Reuse in Flotation"
Min. Eng. J., vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 65-85, 1989.
[8] B. J. Arnold, and F. F. Aplan, "The Effect of Clay Slimes on Coal
Flotation, Part 11: The Role of Water Quality," Int. J. Min. Process.,
vol. 17, pp. 243-260, 1986.
[9] N. J. Shackleton, V. Malysiak, and K. A. Slatter, "Effects of Water
Quality and Surface Passivation on Flotation Behaviour," in Proc. Anglo
American Metallurgical Symp., Session 4, Paper 2, November 2001.
[10] V. Malysiak, N.J. Shackleton, and D. De Vaux, "Effect of Water Quality
on Pentlandite-Pyroxene Floatability with an Emphasis on Calcium
Ions," in Proc. 22nd International Mineral Processing Cong., ISBN: 0-
958-46092-2, 2003.
[11] V. Kirjavainen, N. Schreithofer, and K. Heiskanen, "The effect of
calcium and thiosulphate ions on flotation selectivity of nickel-copper
ores," Min. Eng, J., vol. 15, pp. 1-5, August 2002
[12] R. St. C. Smart, W. M. Skinner, and G. Levay, "Process Water Quality
and Treatment: Issues and Methodology," Proc. WAMMO., pp. 226-235,
1999.
[13] N. P. Haran, E. R. Boyapati, C. Boontanjai, and C. Swaminathan, "The
Effect of Water Quality on Flotation Kinetics of Chalcopyrite,"
Excellence in Chemical Enginneering: in Proc. 24th Australian and New
Zealand Chemical Engineering Conference and Exhibition, Barton,
ACT, Inst. Eng. Australia., vol. 3, pp. 77-82, 1996.
[14] N. P. Haran, E. R. Boyapati, C. Boontanjai, and C. Swaminathan,
"Kinetics Studies on Effect of Recycled Water on Flotation of Copper
Tailings from Benambra Mines, Victoria," Developments in Chemical
Engineering and Mineral Processing, vol. 4, issue. 3-4, pp. 197 - 211,
2008.
[15] S. G. Ozkan, and A. Acar, "Investigation of impact of water type on
borate ore flotation," Water Research, vol. 4, issue. 7, pp. 1773-1778,
April 2004.
[16] S. R. Williams, and J. M. Phelan, "Process development at Woodlawn
Mines," in Complex Sulphides. Processing of Ores, Concentrates and
By-products, A. D. Zunkel, R.S. Boorman, A. E. Morris, and R. J.
Wesely, Eds, Pennsylavania, The AIME, pp. 293-304, 1985.
[17] R. Brehenhamn, H. S. Du Preez, and G. Coetzer, "Influence of Water
Resources and Metal Ions on Galena Flotation of Rosh Pinnar Ore,"
Kumba Resources R&D, Pretoria, South Africa, pp. 193 -207, 2001.
@article{"International Journal of Chemical, Materials and Biomolecular Sciences:60788", author = "Edison Muzenda", title = "An Investigation into the Effect of Water Quality on Flotation Performance", abstract = "A study was carried out to determine the effect of water quality on flotation performance. The experimental test work comprised of batch flotation tests using Denver lab cell for a period of 10 minutes. Nine different test runs were carried out in triplicates to ensure reproducibility using different water types from different thickener overflows, return and sewage effluent water (process water) and portable water. The water sources differed in pH, total dissolved solids, total suspended solids and conductivity. Process water was found to reduce the concentrate recovery and mass pull, while portable water increased the concentrate recovery and mass pull. Portable water reduced the concentrate grade while process water increased the concentrate grade. It is proposed that a combination of process water and portable water supply be used in flotation circuits to balance the different effects that the different water types have on the flotation efficiency.
", keywords = "Flotation, mass pull, process water, thickeneroverflows, water quality.", volume = "4", number = "9", pages = "600-5", }
