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By Brian Lindner, Lidia Auret, Niel Knoblauch

In this paper, a fault detection and identification framework based on feature extraction and topology extraction methods is proposed, and evaluated on a simulated base metals refinery high pressure leaching process. Feature extraction methods included linear and kernel principal component analysis, while process topology information was extracted with linear cross-correlation, partial cross-correlation and transfer entropy. Connectivity maps were constructed to identify possible fault propagation paths to aid root cause analysis. The results indicate that process topology can enhance the fault identification capability of data-based process monitoring methods. The study of the considered base metals refinery pressure leaching process is ongoing, with future work including the creation of a fault library which would lead to further critical evaluation of the proposed fault detection and identification framework.

Jan 1, 2014

By Thenepalli Thriveni, Seong-Young Nam, Nam-Il Um

New modern water treatment technologies required for arsenic removal from waste waters contaminated extensively by various background sources from mining, industrial waste, agricultural waste, painting industry and natural geological bed rock system etc. Arsenic is a widely dispersed element in the earth's crust and exists at an average concentration of approximately 5 mg/kg. Arsenic (As) and heavy metals may be released from the mine wastes to the ground and surface water systems, as well as the geological environment due to their solubility and mobility. This research focuses on the effect of accelerated carbonation process for successful removal of heavy metal arsenic anions from artificial waste water and mining waste waters. This accelerated carbonation process is a simple and novel method with 85 ~ 88% removal efficiency. Carbonation has been studied as a process to further improve immobilization of solidified/stabilized waste and granular waste. After successful removal of arsenic anions from solid mining waste and its potential benefits for producing construction materials. Besides, the industrial and urban management systems are generating bulk solid mining wastes, and most often dumping them in open fields. To prevent the landfilling with mining waste, many efforts are being made for the recycling of different types of mining solid wastes with a view to utilizing them in the production of various construction materials.

Jan 1, 2014

By Anuttam Patra, Romain Bordes, Andreas Fredriksson, Tommy Karlkvist, Krister Holmberg, Kota Hanumantha Rao

The present investigation aims to develop and distinguish mineral specific reagents with two functional groups for use in flotation of calcium containing minerals. For this purpose, a series of dicarboxylate-based surfactants with varying length between the carboxylate groups (one, two or three methylene groups) were synthesized. As reference, a surfactant with the same alkyl chain length but with only one carboxylate group in the polar part was synthesized. The adsorption behavior of these new reagents on pure apatite and calcite mineral surfaces was studied using Hallimond tube flotation, FTIR and ? potential measurements. The relation between the adsorption behavior of a given surfactant on a specific mineral surface and its molecular structure over a range of concentration and pH values, as well as the region of maximum recovery were established. It was found that one of the reagents, with a specific distance between the carboxylate groups, was much more selective for a particular mineral surface than the other homologues synthesized. This selective adsorption of a given surfactant to a particular mineral surface relative to other mineral surfaces as evidenced in flotation studies is substantiated by ? potential and infra-red spectroscopy data.

Jan 1, 2014

By J. Shibata

The behavior in electric field of fine particles present in aqueous solution was measured in order to apply to the classification of fine particles. The sample particles used are spherical polystyrene particles with the average diameter of 0.03 µm, 0.1 µm, 1.0 µm, 4.3 µm and 9.6 µm. Electrophoretic mobility and zeta potential of various particles are measured by an instrument based on the principle of the laser Doppler effect. The influence of temperature, electrolyte concentration on the electro-phoretic mobility was investigated for various polystyrene particles. The electrophoretic mobility increases with increasing pH and temperature of suspensions. The measured electrophoretic mobilities are different from electrolyte concentration and particle size. The electrophoretic retardation effect and relaxation effect are considered to explain the behavior of fine particles in electric field by applying the electro kinetic theory of Wiersema et al. For all particle size, the electrophoretic mobility decreases rapidly in high concentration of KNO3 such as 0.1 mol/dm3due to the compression of electric double layer The forces acting the particles in electric field are considered to be electrical force, friction force and some other forces like relaxation effect and electrophoretic retardation effect which appear in ionic behavior. It is considered that the particle moving velocity depends on the particle size. When the particle size is less than 1µm, the velocity increases with increasing the particle size. On the oth-er hand, the velocity deceases with increasing in particle size, when the particle size is larger than 1µm. This phenomenon is considered to be interesting from the viewpoint of classification for fine particles. We found that the electrophoretic mobility of 1.0µm particles is larger than that of 0.1µm particles, and that it is possible to classify fine particles by using the difference of electrophoretic mobility by many experimental results. The phenomena can be explained by the forces acting the fine particles in the electric field. We can apply the behavior to classification of fine particles.

Jan 1, 2014

By I. H. Mukhametshin, E. N. Baranova, I. B. Fadina, E. A. Ashirbaeva

The purpose of the research is the development of a complex of solutions for the maximum extraction of non-ferrous and precious metals from persistent mineral raw materials by heap bioleaching from spent heap leaching (HL) stacks. Methodical recommendations for assessing the suitability of primary and technogenic refractory mineral raw materials for heap bioleaching are developed. Active associations of microorganisms have been created for the conversion from various types of ores to the solution of S, Fe, As, Sb, Cu, Zn, Mn, Ni, Mg, P and other elements, as well as methodologies for their storage, immobilization and preparation of bioreagents in industrial conditions. On a pilot scale, tests were carried out on samples weighing 15-17 thousand tons of refractory gold-sulphide ores (more than 50% of gold is associated with sphalerite), gold-quartz ores with colloidal gold (74% associated with quartz and pyrite) and gold-silver ores with elevated copper and zinc content (1.5 and 3,5%, respectively), as well as man-caused material lying for 4-5 years of spent quarry material of oxidized gold-silver ores. In the pilot-industrial tests of heap bioleaching of gold-sulfide ores, gold recovery of 84-85% and silver was achieved to 89-90%, the possibility of obtaining high-yield solutions of copper and zinc, suitable for hydrometallurgical processing, from gold-silver ores, and the possibility of obtaining waste with a dump content of valuable components, suitable for deep disposal in the construction industry. When comparing two technologies for processing refractory ores after biooxidation under HL conditions, when 1000 tons of ore processed by the bioreagent were re-milled from a size of 40 mm to 0.1 mm and cyanated under the conditions of the factory process, the same results were obtained for gold recovery (85%) and silver (90%), as with the heap version. The copyrights of the development are protected by a patent.

Jan 1, 2018

By L. M. Wang

Chengmenshan Copper Mine Concentrator adopts the new process of preferential?bulk stage floatation and utilize reground, largely increase the mineral processing index of the copper and the sulphide concentrates. In addition, the paper describes the remarkable economic benefit of the new process through the comparison of the new and the old processes.

Jan 1, 2014

By F. Concha

A robust theory of sedimentation-consolidation evolved and was accepted by researchers world-wide in the last two decades of the 20th century. This theory provides a reliable method of thickener design and simulation. However, a process model, simple or sophisticated, empirical or phenomenological, is useful only if it is possible to determine, in an objective way, its experimental parameters. Research workers at the University of Concepción, together with Cettem Mineral Technology Center, created an integrated system of thickener design, simulation and control, including instrumentation, algorithm and software, which can be used by personnel in industry without specialized knowledge of thickening theory. In the paper, the development of three instruments for the measurement of pulp concentration, solid flux density and sediment compressibility is described. Each instrument uses software for data input, parameter calculation and results display. The paper also describes software for the optimization of the experimental parameter and for the design and simulation of industrial thickeners. Finally, mathematical algorithm and control strategies based on the phenomenological model are presented and compared with classical feedback control.

Jan 1, 2014

By Kaioeng Wang, Qi Liu, Yahui Xiang

"In the differential metal sulfide ore flotation it is desirable to replace the toxic inorganic depressants with environmentally benign chemicals. Chitosan, as a natural and non-toxic polymer, has been proven to be an efficient depressant for chalcopyrite while allowing galena to be floated by xanthate collectors. However, the poor solubility of chitosan limits its potential applications as the flotation could only be carried out at about pH 4 where chitosan is soluble. A carboxymethyl derivative of chitosan, named N-carboxymethyl chitosan (N-CMC), was synthesized by substituting the amino groups of chitosan with carboxymethyl groups. The substitution significantly improved the solubility of chitosan. The structure of N-CMC was studied and compared with chitosan via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Flotation tests were performed on single minerals and mineral mixtures (with weight ratio of 1:1) with the addition of appropriate amount of potassium ethyl xanthate (KEX) and N-CMC. The solution pH was varied from neutral to alkaline. The flotation concentrates and tailings were collected and analysed for the contents of copper and lead. FTIR measurements showed that new peaks of C=O stretching of -COOH and N-H deformation of -NH- appeared in N-CMC, which indicated that the carboxymethyl groups were introduced and the amino groups were the sites for the substitution. Flotation results indicated that N-CMC could depress either chalcopyrite or galena depending on the pH. The results were not affected by the sequence of KEX and N-CMC addition. Therefore, N-CMC is potentially useful in Cu-Pb sulfide separation following a bulk Cu-Pb flotation. The N-CMC was also found to have surface cleaning functions, and was able to remove contaminating copper ions from galena surfaces. Therefore, its application in sulfide ore flotation is expected to be more robust than the original chitosan."

Jan 1, 2014

By J. Menuge, G. Barker

"Liberation (QEM-SCAN) and surface chemical (time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry -ToF-SIMS) analyses have been undertaken on plant Pb circuit flotation samples with the aim of defining the factors resulting in sub-optimal recovery. Lead flotation circuit feed, cleaner concentrate and tails samples were examined on a size-by-size basis using QEM-SCAN. Sulfide minerals accounted for approximately one third of the flotation feed with pyrite making up 16 wt.%, followed by sphalerite (13 wt.%) and galena (3 wt.%). Non-sulfide gangue minerals comprised calcium carbonates calcite (26 wt.%), dolomite (14 wt.%) with quartz, feldspars and barite all contributing > 5 wt.%. QEM-SCAN analysis indicated that liberation was not the primary cause of the poor flotation response. Principal component analysis was applied to the ToF-SIMS data derived from five samples (as for QEM-SCAN plus rougher concentrate and tails) to enable identification of correlated surface chemical components. Although a significant range of correlations were observed we focus here on those that show a discernible pattern throughout the float circuit. It was found that for the flotation feed the surface of galena were largely obscured but where Pb was observed there was a strong correlation to surface Fe. For the rougher and cleaner concentrates the galena surfaces were relatively clean with no correlation to Fe for the rougher concentrate and minor correlation in the cleaner concentrate. However, in the rougher and cleaner tails the clear correlation of galena with Fe was again apparent. These results suggest, in combination with prior studies of pyrite morphology, that the principal factor effecting grade is the rapid oxidation of the framboidal pyrite resulting in the contamination of the galena surface with a high loading of hydrophilic oxidised Fe species, thus depressing flotation."

Jan 1, 2014

By H. J. Liang

In this study, zeta potential and contact angle measurements of pyrite before and after interacting with Thiobacillus ferrooxidans are carried out to investigate the changes in its surface properties. The results show that, after pyrite interacting with Thiobacillus ferrooxidans and its metabolite, the surface electricity of pyrite changes obviously, resulting in a notable shifting of isoelectric point to lower pH value, but the contact angle varies little. Bacterial protein plays the most important role in the interaction. This work is helpful to disclose the mechanisms of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans de-pressing pyrite flotability.

Jan 1, 2014

By Jim Petrie, Mary Stewart, Damien Giurco

This paper describes a generic approach to analysing the environmental and economic performance of a global mineral/metal value chain, with the express view of improving the quality of prospective decision-making within the industry in order to ensure more sustainable outcomes. The starting point for this analysis is the development of a global stocks flows and transformations model, for the metal of interest. Any aspect of the value chain, e.g. “metals refining, “goods manufacture”, “use and disposal”, can be assessed, either relative to other stages in the value chain, or in more detail by focusing on the technologies used within that stage. The use of this model as a decision support tool is explored here for the case of copper. Both primary and secondary production routes are enumerated, covering a range of processes, for seven distinct geographic regions round the globe. The value of the modelling approach is explored for different energy mixes. In particular, the case study examines the impact of increased recycling on the (re) distribution of global and regional environmental impacts for technologies-in-place in these different regions.

Jan 1, 2003

By P. Hatefi, O. Rahmani, M. Noor-Mohammadi, A. Tohry

"Depressants play an important role in the selective separation of impurities from iron minerals by direct or inverse flotation. In this paper, sodium co-silicate (SCS) with chemical formula of Na4SiCO6, as a depressant with pH modifier features, has been synthesized and used for phosphorus bearing iron ore in anionic reverse flotation. In this process, phosphorus is floated while the iron oxides are depressed, using fatty acids as collector in an alkaline medium. Batch and pilot flotation tests were carried out to investigate the influence of SCS on the separation selectivity of phosphorus from iron oxides. Also the depression mechanism of SCS on hematite surface was investigated by microflotation tests and FTIR spectroscopy measurements. The flotation results indicated that without using a pH modifier, the pH of pulp could reach up to 10, when SCS was used as depressant. In this condition, a better depression performance was observed compared to sodium silicate (SS). Using the SCS, phosphorus and total iron content in iron concentrate was 0.046% and 66.29%, respectively, compared to SS where these values were 0.06% and 65.75%, respectively. As a result the weight recovery of iron concentrate was increase by around 4%, compare to SS. It was also found that 238 g/t of SCS could be used instead of 3 types of reagents collectively, including 32 g/t of NaOH, 151 g/t of Na2CO3 and 400 g/t of SS gel.INTRODUCTIONThe phosphorous presents in iron ore minerals is mainly in the form apatite mineral. The apatite is separated from iron ore minerals by magnetic and flotation methods (Ma, 2012). The reverse anionic flotation of iron is one of the most common method for removing phosphorus from iron concentrate (Araujo et al., 2005).Usually apatite minerals are readily floated using anionic collectors such as fatty acids (Ma, 2012). In this conditions the iron minerals are depressed and by modifying the pH in alkaline conditions, selective separation of phosphorus from iron concentrate can be achieved. Depressants including; sodium silicate (SS), starch, dextrin, guar gum and humic acids play an important role in the reverse flotation of iron ore (Kar et al., 2013; Ma, 2012; Turrer and Peres, 2010; Araujo et al., 2005). Studies have shown that SS has a better effect on iron recovery and phosphorous reduction, compared with other depressants (Tohry and Dehghani, 2016; Qi et al., 1992, Dho and Iwasaki, 1990). In most flotation processes, modifiers are used to adjust the pH. To achieve alkaline conditions, mainly pH modifiers such as carbon dioxide and sodium carbonate are used."

Jan 1, 2018

By Darryel Boucher, Raymond Langlois, Neil Rowson, Kristian Waters

The Knelson Concentrator is a centrifugal gravity concentrator composed of a high speed rotating bowl into which a mineral slurry is fed. The rotational motion creates a centrifugal acceleration up to an equivalent of 200 G. Under this acceleration, particles enter fluidised riffles along the side of the bowl, with the fluidisation allowing for the substitution of dense material for less dense. The separation mechanism is not fully understood and questions remain on the optimal residence time, slurry feed parameters and bowl surface profile to achieve a better separation. The positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) technique has been applied to record the motion of a -1700+1180 µm particle of a quartz-gold matrix, labelled with 18F radioisotope while it undergoes concentration inside a 3" laboratory scale Knelson Concentrator (KC-MD3) operated at 60 G. The slurry used was composed of quartz and magnetite. Particle trajectories during the first stage of the concentration process where the heavier particles centrifuge through the increasingly dense slurry towards the riffles of the bowl are shown with respect to time. This work reveals new information on particle motion inside the Knelson Concentrator and the results will be used for validation of developed separation model as well as optimisation of a centrifugal concentrator’s performance.

Jan 1, 2014

By V. E. Vigdergauz

The work presented shows results of electrochemical study of pyrite hydrophobicity evaluated by air bubble induction time (IT) measurements. On the basis of measured IT?s an average thickness of the thin liquid film prior to its rupture has been evaluated, which confirms long-range character of the interactions between air bubbles and hydrophobic surfaces. Obtained data are discussed in the frame of recent studies of structures of solid-liquid interface based on molecular dynamics simulations and results of surface force measurements.

Jan 1, 2014

Copper nickel separation is performed by mineral processing techniques both pre and post smelting in Copper Cliff at Vale Canada?s Operations. The separation at Clarabelle Mill takes advantage of the ore mineralogy to affect a separation on the rougher concentrate where chalcopyrite and pentlandite exhibit high liberation and high recoveries thus their separation is simple although incomplete. The copper concentrate comprises only 50% of the copper in ore with the remaining copper being separated post smelting in the Matte Separation plant where the slow cooled Bessemer Matte is again treated by mineral processing operations using flotation to separate the chalcocite and heazlewoodite and magnetic separators to remove a metallic nickel alloy. This paper discusses the mineralogy, separation processes and work currently underway to improve the separation of copper from nickel in these plants.

Sep 1, 2012

By V. I. Ryaboy, I. V. Ryaboy, E. D. Shepeta

"The problem of separation of copper minerals and arsenopyrite remains relevant because of environmental requirements. The selective action of reagents with the thioamide group (thioamides) is known in iron sulfide’s flotation of pyrite and pyrrhotite. The aim of this study was to reduce the arsenic content in the copper concentrate when using thioamides by reducing the flotation of arsenopyrite in the flotation of the sulfide part of the skarn scheelite-sulfide ores. We have chosen the most widely used thioamides for the study, such as Z-200. We also synthesized new reagents with the thioamide group. The most selective and the most powerful thioamide copper collector were used for further studies. Reduction of arsenic content in copper concentrates is achieved in the following way: You need to apply a strong thioamide collector with a selective but weak dialkyldithiophosphate collector, or vice-versa, a selective, but a weak thioamide collector should be used with the dialkyldithiophosphate reagent with strong collective properties. The proposed combination presents industrial interest because of its accessibility. The application of thioamides in copper minerals and arsenopyrite selection has showed that these reagents have fewer selective properties than dialkyldithiophosphates. To achieve the comparable recovery of copper using dialkyldithiophosphates requires markedly greater consumption of thioamides, due to their lower hydrophobic ability. The application of a composition of thioamides and dialkyldithiophosphates allows to increase the recovery of copper and to obtain a lower arsenic content in copper concentrates compared to their individual use. The lowest arsenic content in the copper concentrate is obtained in the composition consisting of the newly synthesized thioamide with strong collective properties and selective dialkyldithiophosphate. The addition of even small amounts of xanthate to the composition of thioamides and dialkyldithiophosphates causes a sharp increase in the arsenic content in the copper concentrate without a notable increase in copper recovery."

Jan 1, 2018

By L. Weitkämper

The big challenge at present and in the future is the economization of resources. This is applied for the whole industry but particularly in fields of mineral processing. The most important resources are energy and water. The shortage and price advance of energy is worldwide noticeable whereas the shortage of water is regionally limited at present. However due to the increasing world population, associated with a rising standard of living, water will become more and more important. Studies of the Unesco from 2001 indicate that the total water consumption raised seven times since the last 100 years at a growth of population of just three times. (UNESCO-Currier, 10/2001). This trend is going to be increased. While today more than 90 % of the humanity has access to clean water, in 2050 just about 50 % will be in the same situation. These figures indicate the importance of a gentle handling with the resource water. Further more the disposal of fine products, containing most of the water, is an environmental concern and in the future the mining and processing of raw materials will become important and necessary in desert, arid or permafrost areas. In these areas just efficient dry cleaning technologies will allow an economical beneficiation or better enable the processing at all. Most of the separation technologies with high throughput rates in mineral processing are based on wet processes. This applies especially for the separation of fines. Though there are some dry technologies available for the separation of coarse materials, like pneumatic gravity separation [air jigs and air tables], magnetic separation and not least sensor based sorters. Dry separation of fines is bounded mostly on cost intensive and low throughput technologies. The pneumatic separation undergoes at present a renaissance, mainly due to the development of the all air jig by the German supplier Allmineral. This newly developed sorting device yields good results in the separation of coarse to medium size material. All these facts and figures show the potential and motivation for developing an efficient dry separation device for fines. The following article delineates the development, performance and chance of a new dry separation technology for fines.

Jan 1, 2014

By P. Prusti

An air dense medium fluidised bed separator (ADMFBS) is the efficient process for dry beneficiation of coal. Magnetite powder is used as medium to make required pseudo-fluid density in the fluidised bed. The dynamics behavior of coal particle with reference to its position changes from ideal solution to pseudo-fluid condition in different bed densities depending on its shape, size and density. In this study, three set of projected areas of coal particles were taken. Each set contains four different shapes i.e., cubical, rectangular prism, spherical and triangular prism with different density starting from 1.3 to 1.8 gm/cc. It is observed that coal particles having density less than the bed density, floats in different positions in the dense medium fluidised bed. Higher projected area particles float in deeper height in comparison with smaller projected area. The difference in position of coal particles in the bed increases (nearly 1 to 4 cm) as the coal density approaches towards bed density irrespective of the different shapes. Different shapes of coal particles behave in different ways based on the operating parameters like bed density, coal density and projected area of coal particle. Empirical model equations are proposed to predict the position of coal particle of each shape in the air dense medium fluidised bed system. Keywords: ADMFBS, particle dynamics, projected area, shape

Sep 1, 2012

By Ray Everson, Henry Kasaini

"We carried out adsorption experiments in chloride media to study the adsorption characteristics of Pd (II) anions on the surface of activated carbon. Throughout the experiments, we used commercial activated carbon pellets (0.8 Norit). The adsorption process was interpreted by using the ionisation and adsorption model. This implies that palladium anions were adsorbed physically on a protonated surface of activated carbon either as anionic complex species (PdCl4 -2) or aqua chloro-complex species [PdCl3(H2O)-] in acidic media. Furthermore, we established that adsorption of Pd (II) species was reversible at high chloride [Cl-1] concentration. The maximum adsorption capacity (Qsat) of Pd (II) anions averaged 27 mg/g. The Toth adsorption isotherms fairly predicted the equilibrium adsorption of Pd (II) species and the associated surface coverage.The effect of temperature and acid strength of the feed solution on the adsorption of Pd (II) ions were quantified. The adsorption kinetics was limited by external mass transfer since the effect of pore diffusion on the overall rate constant was negligibly small. A pseudo first-order kinetics model was used to describe the adsorption kinetics."

Jan 1, 2003

By Venugopal Tammishetti

One of the important technological challenges facing the iron ore industry in India is to find commercially viable technologies to process alumina rich iron ore fines and slimes. The key to solving this problem lies in developing selective reagents for the separation of iron oxide minerals from associated gangue minerals like quartz, gibbsite, kaolinite and montmorillonite. We present in this paper our successful results on the dispersion-flocculation of three different natural iron ore slime samples from mines in India using the reagent combination of PVP dispersant and corn starch flocculent. All the three samples contained hematite, goethite, kaolinite and gibbsite minerals as confirmed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis. The effect of various process parameters such as pH, dosage of reagents, settling time and pulp density was studied. We were able to produce a concentrate assaying 66.2% Fe and <2% Al with a yield of 67.4% by weight (with a recovery of 77% of iron values) using PVP (1 ppm dosage) and corn starch (20 ppm) for one of the slime sample (Sample I) assaying 58.2% iron (Fe) and 3.8% aluminium (Al). The XRD analysis of settled and dispersed fractions revealed that alumina-containing minerals like clay and gibbsite mostly remain in the dispersed phase while iron-bearing minerals tend to concentrate in the flocculated fraction. Keywords: iron ore, slime, flocculation, dispersion, beneficiation, starch, polyvinylpyrrolidone

Sep 1, 2012