On the collection of valuable minerals along rougher flotation banks

• A new approach to evaluate the flotation process evolution using the top of froth grades was tested.
• The industrial tests were accomplished along rougher flotation banks.
• The grade of particles attached to bubbles did not change significantly through the froth phase.
• The TOF grades allowed evaluating the liberation effects on the flotation performance.
• A comparison between the Cu and Mo collection processes was also evaluated.

The collection of valuable minerals along rougher flotation banks was evaluated using top-of-froth measurements, which consist of sampling the froth surface. Considering non-selective froths observed in rougher flotation circuits, it was found the top-of-froth grades were similar to the bubble load grades, which allowed for a direct estimation of the collected mineral characteristics (size distribution, mineralogy, and grade). Thus, the flotation process evolution can be characterized by analyzing the collection of valuable minerals by true flotation instead of the classical mass balances approach, which strongly depends on the reliability of the tailings grade data. In addition, comparison among different valuable minerals was observed without significant sampling disturbances caused by solid entrainment.It is expected the top-of-froth measurement will be a useful tool for evaluating the effect of operating variables such as pulp conditioning, air flowrate and solids percentage on the true collection process along a flotation bank.

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