Evaluation of Scale-up Model for Flotation with Kristineberg Ore

Sammanfattning: The objectives of this project were to survey the flotation circuit of the Boliden concentrator, mass balance collected data and evaluate a scale-up model for laboratory flotation results. The model assumes that half of the recovery to cleaner middlings in a standard laboratory test would report to the final concentrate if it were done in closed circuit, as is the case in a full-scale plant. It has been used by Boliden Mineral AB since 1982 but its accuracy had not been studied since 1986. The model can be categorised as of open circuit type with scale-up factors. The project was based on a complex Ag-Au-Cu-Pb-Zn sulphide ore from the Kristineberg mine. Laboratory tests were done to produce concentrates of CuPb, Cu, Pb and Zn with pulp samples from the concentrator as feed material. The software HSC 9.3 was used to mass balance data from the plant survey. It was decided that the model would be deemed usable if it was able to predict the plant results with the same accuracy as in the survey of 1986. A simulated locked cycle test with split factors (Agar & Kipkie, 1978) was identified as an alternative scale-up model. The results showed that the model was able to predict the plant results with the same accuracy as in 1986. It was especially good at predicting grade and recovery of the main element in a concentrate. For example, it predicted an 18 % higher grade and 11 % lower recovery of Cu to the CuPb concentrate, while a 3 % lower grade and 11 % lower recovery of Zn was predicted to the Zn concentrate. The locked cycle model gave much worse predictions on grades, but more accurate recoveries. It was also better at predicting the behaviour of minor impurity elements such as As and Bi. A recommendation is to combine the two alternatives in a type of "mixed cycle" model. In this study, it would have predicted an 18 % higher grade and 7 % lower recovery of Cu to the CuPb concentrate, as well as a 3 % lower grade and 1 % higher recovery of Zn to the Zn concentrate compared with plant results. Such a model seems to give better figures, but should be put to the test on more samples and ores to confirm this belief. It could at the very least be used to check the reliability of results predicted by the current scale-up model.