A continuous pilot-scale flotation rig for the systematic study of flotation variables

A pilot-scale flotation apparatus has been developed for the purpose of determining floatability parameters for an ore. It has the capability to vary many of the important flotation variables allowing them to be investigated independently. Adjustable factors include: cell size, froth depth, feed, tailings and air volumetric flow rates and reagent addition rates.The flotation rig was commissioned successfully at BHP Billiton’s Cannington mine in North-West Queensland, Australia. It was found to supply a stable feed stream with air well distributed across the cell. At the test conditions, the relative standard deviation of the calculated galena overall recovery was found to be only 1%.Such an apparatus could prove invaluable in flotation research, allowing live streams from an operating industrial flotation plant to be processed continuously. The versatility of the design and accuracy of performance allow the investigation of most major flotation variables with confidence.