AUTHOR: GODFREY MOENG MONYAKENG

DEPARTMENT: MINING AND GEOLOGICAL

COURSE: MINING ENGINEERING

YEAR: 3

ST ID: 17000196

LECTURER: PROF. DANHA

REPORT TITLE: FROTH FLOTATION

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.ABSTRACT.........................................................................................................................................3
2.INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................4
2.1 Mineralogy....................................................................................................................................4
2.2Mineral Processing.........................................................................................................................5
2.3Froth Flotation Mechanism.............................................................................................................5
2.3.1Froth Flotation techniques...........................................................................................................6
2.3.2 Flotation reagents........................................................................................................................6
2.3.3Flotation cell selection.................................................................................................................6
2.3.4 Flotation Circuits........................................................................................................................7
2.3.5Factors that influence the rate of Froth Flotation.........................................................................7
2.3.6Froth Flotation Performance calculations....................................................................................8
2.3.7Advantages of Froth Flotation.....................................................................................................9
2.3.8Disadvantages of Froth Flotation.................................................................................................9
3.PROCEDURE................................................................................................................................10
3.1Apparatus......................................................................................................................................10
3.2Methodology.................................................................................................................................10
4.RESULTS AND ANALYSIS.........................................................................................................12
4.1Sample Calculations.....................................................................................................................14
5. CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................................16
6.REFERENCES...............................................................................................................................17

2
1.ABSTRACT
An experiment of Froth Flotation was carried out on a Nickel-Copper Sulphide ore in order to
extract the Copper and nickel mineral from the material. The main aim of this experiment was to
determine the following; -The weight recovery of the flotation batch process, -The final grade of
the concentrate. After the Sulphide ore was taken through a Froth Flotation process, the
substance which went to the tailings and concentrate was taken for X-Ray Fluorescence analysis
to reveal its elemental compositions. At the last stage of the experiment it was found out that the
%Weight recovery is 13.59%. It was also found out that the final grade of the Coper Nickel in
the concentrate is 1.6434%.

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2.INTRODUCTION

2.1 Mineralogy
Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic substances, have a defined chemical composition and
defined crystalline structure. Minerals are found in phases. For example, the Native mineral Tin
(Sn) is found in Cassiterite ( SnO2) as said by [ CITATION NIJ00 \l 1033 ]. The environment in
which a mineral is found is called a Deposit, which usually results from a geological process
associated with the mineral. Different minerals are found in different geological conditions
because the environment itself [plays a role in how certain material should react or undergo some
changes].

[ CITATION Raj18 \l 1033 ] says that when an ore of substantial value has been discovered, ore
samples have to be taken to the Laboratories for testing. The testing is carried out at different
variables with the aim of determining the properties of the mineral inside that ore[ CITATION Raj18
\l 1033 ]. These properties include fluorescence, grain sizes, distribution of Grain size, relative
abundance of minerals in the sample, cleavage or fracture, crystalline structure, diaphaneity or
Amount of Transparency, tenacity, surface properties etc.

These properties are outlined in order to determine the characteristics of the ore in terms of how
concentrated the mineral is in the ore, how the mineral is distributed in the ore, its uniformity,
whether it is in liquid or solid phase, the minerals associated with the mineral, the phases in
which the mineral is found etc. There are various tests which are carried out and each test entails
a unique equipment with its working principle[ CITATION NIJ00 \l 1033 ]. After these tests are done,
the results obtained from these tests are run through a similarity software which will compare
actual results obtained from the tests, with the known standard, properties of different minerals to
get a match.

Many techniques are used to achieve the above mentioned objectives which are X-Ray
Fluorescence Spectrometry, X-Ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy Spectrometry,
Electron Probe Micro Analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer etc. ‘’A
comprehensive mineralogical investigation should encompass not only those minerals of
economic value (e.g., carbonate, talc, rutile, ilmenite; i.e. the ore itself), but also harmful
minerals, whose presence may negatively impact upon exploitation, processing’’[CITATION
NIJ00 \l 1033 ]. Prof Nijel further explains that in most of the cases an Gangue part of an Ore may
contain other different minerals which are not of interest. ‘’In order to exploit any mineral
deposit, it is necessary to provide comprehensive data on all minerals present and their respective
proportions in the ore as well as in waste and concentrate products, in addition to the spatial
distributions of those minerals on the scale of the deposit’’[ CITATION NIJ00 \l 1033 ].

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2.2Mineral Processing
Mineral processing is defined in stages that come after Mineral characterization[ CITATION
Raj18 \l 1033 ]. The processes work hand in hand with each other such that the efficiency of one
process is dependent on the efficiency and effectiveness of the previous. This means that these
processes are given certain degree of performance which is to be achieved. These stages are:

 Size Reduction
 Screening
 Classification
 Mineral extraction by Froth Flotation
 Mineral extraction by Leaching
 Mineral extraction by other methods

Normally it is in the best interest that for whatever the chosen Mineral Liberation/Beneficiation
method, it has to be in such a manner that it favors the cost and is the most suitable as it will give
the highest degree of Mineral Liberation/Beneficiation[ CITATION Sin07 \l 1033 ].

2.3Froth Flotation Mechanism

‘’Froth flotation is a process that selectively separates materials based upon whether they are
water repelling (hydrophobic) or have an affinity for water (hydrophilic)’’[ CITATION Cra17 \l 1033
].

Figure2.0 collected from [ CITATION Bar06 \l 1033 ]

‘’The process of material being recovered by flotation from the pulp comprises three
mechanisms’’[ CITATION Bar06 \l 1033 ] which are:

 Selective attachment to air bubbles (or “true flotation”).

 Entrainment in the water which passes through the froth.
 Physical entrapment between particles in the froth attached to air bubbles (often referred
to as “aggregation”)

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The steps in Froth flotation are simple, such that the first step is to pour the feed into the
Flotation vessel followed by addition of water to produce a slurry. Followed by addition of
Collectors which will render a particular substance in the feed hydrophobic. [ CITATION Sin07 \l
1033 ] says that time is allocated for the Collector to selectively absorb onto the surfaces of the
mineral of interest(Conditioning time) to form a thin moisture layer film on the surface of the
mineral. After this, the vessel is closed, air pressure is adjusted and released to the very bottom
of the slurry. Once the air bubbles come into contact with the slurry, they produce bubbles which
will carry the hydrophobic material to the top to form a froth which is collected at the top.

2.3.1Froth Flotation techniques

The following are the manners in which Froth Flotation can be carried out. The choice of
technique depends on the nature of the ore/feed[ CITATION Sin07 \l 1033 ].

 Direct flotation

In the direct Froth Flotation, the mineral of interest is made to be hydrophobic so that it attaches
to the water bubbles to form a frothy layer at the top and be collected as the concentrate, leaving
behind the gangue material[ CITATION Bar06 \l 1033 ].

 Reverse Flotation

In the Reverse Flotation, the mineral of interest is made to be hydrophilic and the gangue
material is made to be hydrophobic, which means that the gangue material attaches to the water
bubbles and is floated to the top to make a froth layer which is then collected, leaving behind the
mineral of interest[ CITATION Bar06 \l 1033 ].

2.3.2 Flotation reagents

They are chemicals added to the Pulp of Froth Flotation vessel which intend to optimize the
flotation process. Collected from[ CITATION Sin07 \l 1033 ]

 Collector: ‘’Chemicals which adsorb on mineral surfaces, rendering them hydrophobic

(or aerophilic) and facilitating bubble attachment’’[ CITATION Bar06 \l 1033 ].
 Frothers: ‘’ help maintain a reasonably stable froth’’[ CITATION Bar06 \l 1033 ].
 Regulators/modifiers: ‘’are used to control the flotation process; these either activate or
depress mineral attachment to air bubbles and are also used to control the pH of the
system’’[ CITATION Bar06 \l 1033 ]. ‘’They can be classified as Activators, Depressants or
pH modifiers. They are used extensively in flotation to modify the action of the collector,
either by intensifying or by reducing its water-repellent effect on the mineral surface.
They thus make collector action more selective towards certain minerals’’[ CITATION
Bar06 \l 1033 ].

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2.3.3Flotation cell selection
The first stage to Flotation cell selection is to perform a froth flotation at laboratory scale and the
use the scale up procedures to industrial scale[ CITATION Cra17 \l 1033 ].

Figure2.1 collected from[ CITATION Cra17 \l 1033 ]

2.3.4 Flotation Circuits

[ CITATION Bar06 \l 1033 ] says there are many types of Flotation circuit designs and each flotation
circuit design is based on the optimization required in order to increase the benefits and reduce
the costs arising from mineral beneficiation. One design involves that in which only one flotation
cell is used to perform the splitting of the concentrate and the tailings.

One setup involves the inter-connections of flotation cells in series, where-by a certain flotation
cell treats the tailings of the previous flotation cell. As shown below:

Feed

Cleaner Tails

Rougher cleaner
Cleaner
Feed Cleaner
Concentrate
Rougher
Concentrate
Figure 2.2

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2.3.5Factors that influence the rate of Froth Flotation
The following are the factors affecting the rates of froth flotation as collected from [ CITATION
Bar06 \l 1033 ]:

 pH(potential for hydrogen)

 Mineralogical character of the ore
 Agitation speed
 Flow rate of the compressed air
 Slurry density
 Flotation reagents

2.3.6Froth Flotation Performance calculations

 Mass balances Concentrate

Flotation Circuit

F=C+T Tailings

Ff= Cc+Tt Figure 2.3

Where F,C and T are the weights of the feed, concentrate and the tailings respectively and f, c
and t are the assays/concentrations of the mineral of interest.

 Ratio of concentration

F c−t
=
C f −t

 %Metal Recovery

It is the % of the metal in the feed that was reporting to the Concentrate

Cc c ( f −t )
X 100=
Ff f ( c−t )

 %Metal Loss

It is the % metal in the feed lost to the tailings

=1-%Metal Recovery

 %Weight Recovery

It is the reciprocal or inverse of the ratio of concentration

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C f −t
=
F c−t

 Enrichment Ratio
c
f

2.3.7Advantages of Froth Flotation

-Because froth flotation uses mineral surface physical and chemical properties to separate
minerals, and this difference can be controlled and adjusted by flotation chemicals.

-There is increased economic recovery of the ore.

-High separation efficiency
2.3.8Disadvantages of Froth Flotation
- It is only viable for particle distributions that are fine
- It is not viable for a situation where 2 or more materials in the feed share the same
hydrophobicity/ hydrophilicity properties
- The pulp must always be agitated to keep the particles in suspension which uses more
power
- Use of flotation chemical agents is expensive

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3.PROCEDURE
3.1Apparatus
 1kg SAMPLE
 Flotation cell

 Tray

3.2Methodology
A slurry was prepared inside the flotation cell using water and the solids which entailed the
mineral of interest. Water and 1kg of Sample was prepared and introduced to the flotation cell as
its feed. The mixture was added such that the slurry entailed 32% solids and 68% liquid.

It was then made sure that the pulp level made by the slurry was around 10-15mm from the lip of
the top of the flotation cell so as to cater for the thickness of the froth layer. The solids entailed
the Chalcopyrite ore and Pentlandite ore which entailed both the Copper and the Nickel mineral
in the feed substance.

The rotor speed of the agitator of the flotation cell was set to 1500 rev/min. It was then made
sure that lime was added to the slurry with the aim of achieving alkaline/basic conditions. The
reason for addition of Lime to the slurry was so that the pH condition favors the action of the
collector to be added to the pulp.

A collector named Xanthate was added to the slurry in a quantity of 0.020g with the aim of
targeting the sulphide ores and making them hydrophobic. A conditioning time of 5 minutes was
allowed for the Xanthate to selectively attach to the sulphide ore particles so that it renders them

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hydrophobic before the flotation starts. A drop of frother was added to ensure that once the
flotation has started, the froth layer would be stable and that the air bubbles do not burst.

The agitator was then brought into contact with the base of the slurry. The valve for the
compressed air was opened to start the test. The top of the froth bed level was maintained with
the overflow lip of the flotation cell. The froth substance formed at the top of the slurry at the lip
of the flotation cell was collected every 15 seconds. It was swept from the back to the front of the
cell continuously.

At the end of the froth flotation process, 2 streams were formed. The 1st stream being the
pregnant solution and the 2nd being the waste material which were both in the form of a slurry.
They were both taken for the filtration process to remove the water and the xanthate substance to
only remain with the solids that reported to the concentrate and the solids that reported to the
tailings. The concentrate and the tailings were then taken for further drying. Their dry weights
were recorded.

The Tailings and the concentrate were then taken for Pulverization separately with the aim of
maintaining homogeneity of the substance before taking for the XRF Analysis.

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4.RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
The following are the results of the dry masses obtained from the Concentrate and the Tailings.

Table4.0

FROTH FLOTATION
Concentrate(Sulphide Tailings(non sulphides
Ores only) only/oxides
Mass of Dry Mass of Dry
concentrate=135.886g Tailings=811.516g

The following are the results obtained from the Mineral Characterization analysis of both the
tailings and the concentrate.

Table4.1. Results from the XRF

Instrument Model Tube Elemen Elemental Elemental composition in

Anode of t compositions in Tailings(oxide
Tailingsores)
stream(%)
instrument Concentrate
stream(%)
550255 Delta Au Al 4.68 3.8
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Si 4.02 3.26
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au P 0.1148 0.1039
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au S 7.1228 5.189
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au CL ND ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au K 0.2204 0.1912
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Ca 3.5983 3.0846
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Ti ND ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Cr 0.0319 0.0206
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Mn 0.1035 0.0698
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Fe 23.6 20.14
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Co ND ND
Premium 50 kV

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550255 Delta Au Ni 0.444 0.098
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Cu 1.1994 0.1307
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Zn 0.0156 0.0097
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au As ND ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Se ND ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Rb 0.0013 0.0018
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Sr 0.0044 0.0039
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Y 0.0004 0.0004
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Zr 0.0022 0.0018
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Nb ND ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Mo ND ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Ag ND ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Cd 0.0005 ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Sn 0.0014 0.0017
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Sb ND 0.0012
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Ba ND 0.007
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au La ND ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Ce ND ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Pr ND ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Nd ND ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Ta ND ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au W ND ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Hg ND ND
Premium 50 kV

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550255 Delta Au Pb 0.0029 0.0022
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Bi ND ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au Th ND ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au U 0.0008 ND
Premium 50 kV
550255 Delta Au LE 54.83 63.87
Premium 50 kV
ND means not determined. This means that particular element was absent in the material.

4.1Sample Calculations
 Mass balances for the solids

Solids going into the feed=Solids going to the concentrate+ solids going to the tailings

F= C+T

1kg= 135.886g+811.516g

 Calculation for Weight of feed( F )

Solids : liquids

0.32solids: 0.68liquids

Mass of solids= 1kg

32/100) X (x)= 1kg

(x)= 3.125kg

F=1kg solids

 Calculation for Weight of Concentrate( C)

Mdry concentrate = 135.886g

 Calculation for Weight of tailings(T)

Mdry tailings=811.516g

 Calculation for Ratio of concentration

F c−t
=
C f −t

14
 1000 g
=7.359
135.886 g

 Calculation for %Metal Recovery

Cc c ( f −t )
X 100=
Ff f ( c−t )

f=1%Cu,Ni

f=0.01

From the XRF,

c=grade of copper + Nickel in the concentrate

c=1.1994%+0.444%

c= 1.6434%=0.016434 and

t= grade of copper+ Nickel in the Tailings

t=0.098%+0.1307%=0.2287%

( 135.886 ) ( 0.016434 )
% Metal Recovery= Hence % Metal recovery=22.3%
( 1000 ) ( 0.01 )

 %Weight Recovery

C f −t
x 100= x 100
F c−t

135.886 g
x 100=13.59
1000 g

Hence weight recovery =13.59%

 Calculation for final grade of the Copper Nickel Concentrate

Final grade of Concentrate as determined from XRF is Cu,Ni=1.6434%

15
5. CONCLUSION
After carrying out the filtration process on the concentrate and the tailings from the froth
flotation, it was realized that the thickness of the bed/ filter cake made by the Concentrate was
far much less than the one made by the tailings. The reason for this was because, initially, the
feed had 1% Cu,Ni which is representative of the whole feed, meaning that the Xanthate
collector only floated only the 1% to the tailings stream hence producing a very thin filter cake
upon filtration. Another reason could be the fact that not all the ore is in the form of a Sulphide,
which means that since the Xanthate targets the Sulphide minerals, only a fraction of the 1%Ni,
was floated to the concentrate leaving behind some of the minerals which are in oxide form but
could have been recovered.

It was also found out that the overall weight recovery was 13.59%. Meaning that the ratio of the
weight of the concentrate to the weight of the feed was 1359%.

From the experiment it was also found out that the final grade of the Copper Nickel in the
Concentrate was 1.6434%. The conclusion which could be drawn from this is that only a small
fraction of the solids which reported to the concentrate stream contained the mineral of interest.

6.REFERENCES

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Bouamoud, R., 2018. Mineralogical characterization and preliminary assessment of the. [Online]
Available at: file:///C:/Users/MM17000196/Downloads/697-2767-2-PB.pdf

Crawford, C. B., 2017. Science Direct. [Online]

Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/flotation-froth

J, N., 2000. Mineral characterisation of industrial mineral deposits. [Online]

Available at: https://www.ngu.no/FileArchive/102/Bulletin436_19.pdf

Raf, M., 2018. Study of Adsorption Mechanism of Congo Red on. [Online]
Available at:
file:///C:/Users/MM17000196/Downloads/Study_of_Adsorption_Mechanism_of_Congo_Red_on_Grap.
pdf

Singh, R. a. M., 2007. FROTH FLOTATION AND ITS APPLICATION TO CONCENTRATION TO LOW GRAD
IRON ORES. [Online]
Available at: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/297714789.pdf

Wills, B. A., 2006. Mineral rocessing Technology. 7th Edition ed. Burlington: Elsevier Ltd.

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