Flotation Circuit Simulation as a Tool to Evaluate Benefits of

Flotation Cell Modernization

Toni Mattsson, Antti Remes, Miika Tirkkonen
Minerals Processing - Flotation, Outotec (Finland) Oy, Espoo, Finland

stages are defined. The kinetic rate constants

Abstract and mass portions of different floatability classes
are used in the simulation to scale-up from the
laboratory batch test to the continuously
The scope of supply for an existing commercial operating industrial flotation circuit. The main
flotation cell modernization consists typically of outcomes of the simulation are residence times
flotation cell drive mechanism, mixing of flotation stages, flotation cell sizes and types,
mechanism, dart valves, cell automation and/or the number of flotation cells and banks, element
launders modernization. The objective of the grades and recoveries, and a mass balance of
modernization is to enhance both the the complete circuit - all of which are present in
mechanical and metallurgical performance of the a full-scale continuously operating circuit.
flotation cell, and simultaneously increase
availability and energy efficiency. When a simulation is used as a tool to evaluate
the performance of an existing flotation circuit,
In order to evaluate the possible metallurgical the flotation model is build on the basis of
benefits of flotation cell modernization, a new laboratory scale kinetic hot flotation tests. Feed
approach to simulate the circuit is presented in samples for the laboratory tests are collected
this paper. In this approach the flotation circuit directly from the process streams. Overlapping
model is implemented based on kinetic flotation the laboratory tests process survey is carried out
test data from an on-site laboratory ‘hot flotation’ giving current performance of the circuit.
test work. *Test work is carried out with a
process sample, thus giving equal feed From the simulation grades and recoveries in
properties for the model and industrial circuit the full-scale flotation circuit, retention times of
during the sampling period. In the kinetic tests, existing cells can be estimated, and plant
the floatability kinetics of the main minerals are capacity required to achieve metallurgical
defined for each flotation stage. The kinetic targets can be assessed. The measured and
parameters are used as a basis to simulate the simulated performance comparison can be used
existing flotation circuit characterized by the as a tool to evaluate metallurgical benefits of
current flotation cell performance. In other flotation cell modernizations.
words, the number and size of flotation cells,
throughput and solids content can be input to the
Flotation modernizations
simulator from the existing flotation circuit.
Finally, the achievable circuit performance with
mechanically proper working flotation cells is
evaluated on the basis of the modeled and Flotation is a key process in concentrator plants.
measured performance. If it is not operating at the optimum level due to
old or outdated technologies, overall plant
Introduction performance can suffer, which has significant
financial implications. Similarly, changes in ore
deposits may require flowsheet reconfiguration,
Traditionally, flotation circuits have been and constant improvement and optimization of
designed on the basis of kinetic laboratory tests, the flotation process which can lead to vast
where results are confirmed from pilot scale test economic and environmental benefits.
work. From the kinetic laboratory tests, the
kinetics of main minerals for different flotation

1
Figure 1 Flotation modernization options

The scope of existing commercial flotation cell assessment is the first step towards improved
modernizations can consist of updating drive beneficiation and better equipment control. A
mechanisms, mixing mechanisms, dart valves, flotation assessment is an expert evaluation of
cell and process automation and launders (see the current process and flotation equipment
Figure 1). The objective of the modernization is conditions, including auxiliary equipment. The
to enhance both the mechanical and goal is to identify the most appropriate
metallurgical performance of the flotation cell, modernization path for each process and piece
and simultaneously increase the availability and of equipment. A decent assessment covers
energy efficiency of the cell. In an ideal case the process metallurgical, process controls and
modernization can lead to improved automation and also mechanical condition
metallurgical performance, better availability, assessments. The disciplines or flotation
shorter residence times and a decrease of assessment are presented in Figure 2.
energy consumption.

Everything starts with a decent

assessment

There is no “one size fits all flotation

modernization” available because setups,
conditions and targets vary from concentrator to Figure 2 Flotation assessment disciplines
concentrator. Therefore possible improvement
areas should be assessed case by case. Proper

2
When the metallurgical performance of the plant A laboratory batch flotation test is an important
is investigated, an on-site test campaign needs tool to screen and evaluate optimum grind sizes
to be performed. The on-site test campaign and reagent schemes for a certain ore sample.
consists of a plant survey and laboratory hot This helps to determine the most beneficial
flotation tests. The objective of this stage is to flowsheet to process the ore, and most
simultaneously study how the plant is currently importantly, to assess feasibility of processing
performing and generate the kinetic laboratory the ore. The main outcomes of batch laboratory
test data required for the flotation circuit flotation tests are grades and recoveries of both
simulation. From the on-site survey and valuables and gangue minerals, residence times
simulation, possible benefits of modernization of flotation stages, and flotation kinetics of main
are estimated. Based on the estimation return of minerals, often expressed as flotation rate
investment and other economical figures can be constant and proportion of mineral in different
calculated to back-up investment decision floatability classes.
making. A step-by-step modernization procedure
is presented in Figure 3. A common method to assess the floatability of
an operating flotation circuit is “hot flotation”
tests. The objective of the hot flotation tests is to
transfer process slurry properties to a laboratory
scale flotation cell by collecting a test feed
sample directly from the process stream. The
main outcomes of hot flotation tests are
recoveries, grades and kinetics of the main
minerals from a certain flotation stage. The
kinetic parameters can be used for performance
comparison, and also to evaluate flotation
behavior of the ore on operating industrial scale
circuit.

Laboratory flotation cells

There is a vast variety of commercial laboratory

flotation cell designs. These designs vary from
round to square cell, from self to force aerated,
and from bottom to top driven mixing
mechanism. Each laboratory flotation cell design
produces unique test data and therefore test trial
need to be carried out throughout with the same
design by using a standardized test procedure
Figure 3 step-by-step path to modernize flotation and operating parameters (Mattsson et al. 2013,
circuit through assessments, modeling and O’Connor et al. 1987, Runge, K. 2010).
evaluation of most economic options.
An example of a laboratory flotation machine is
Process survey and laboratory presented in Figure 4. The presented Outotec-
flotation testing GTK LabCell laboratory flotation cell is equipped
with automatic froth scrapers adjustable
according to the size of the rectangular cell. With
A process survey gives the analysis of the this machine, the froth scraping cycle, impeller
current process performance. The survey speed and air flow rate can all be adjusted.
consists of sampling of process streams, sample
treatment and chemical analysis, data
reconciliation and mass balancing. On the basis
of the established solids and water balances,
process performance can be evaluated and the
process bottle-necks identified.

3
 rate and solids contents in the feed at each
stage continuously operating industrial scale
circuit can be simulated.

Simulation based evaluation

The flotation circuit is modeled with HSC

Chemistry© Sim process flowsheet simulation
module. The HSC-Sim module consists of
graphical flowsheet and spreadsheet type
process unit models. In minerals processing
simulation mode the unit operation calculations
are based on particle distributions. This
enables versatile simulation of all
concentrantrator unit processes. The flotation
circuit model is based on the laboratory flotation
testwork. The feed material is defined as
particles, consisting of minerals. The laboratory
model fitted flotation kinetics is assigned for
each particle. Here, a three component flotation
model is applied. The particles are defined to be
fast-, slow- and non-floating components. The
recovery 𝑅 of a mineral is calculated from the
following laboratory batch (1) or plant continuous
time (2) formulas:

(1)

Figure 4 Outotec-GTK LabCell equipped with

automatic froth scraping mechanism
(2)

Hot flotation test procedure Where k is kinetic flotation rate constant (1/min)
Kinetic hot flotation tests describe flotation and t is residence time (min), m is a mass
behavior of the slurry sample at sampled fraction of floatability component; subscripts F, S
flotation stages. During the test, typically 5 to 7 and N stands for the fast- slow and non-floating
separate concentrate samples are collected in a floatability components. In continuous time the
cumulative time series. The collected average cell residence time (min) is calculated
3
concentrates and tailings are dry weighted and based on the effective cell size V (m ) and the
3
analyzed for the main elements enabling volumetric input flow rate Q (m /h). The effective
element to mineral conversion according to the size V is obtained from the modernized flotation
feed mineralogy. As a result of kinetic laboratory cell geometry and gas dispersion characteristics.
tests, recovery profiles of different minerals at
different flotation stages can be defined. V
T = Q ∙ 60 (3)
From the laboratory test data, kinetic parameters
can be derived with mathematical models. The Also, the froth recovery R f and entrainment Ent
kinetic parameters, rate constants and mass parameters are taken into account, thus the
portions of different floatability classes, generate continuous time flotation recovery equation of a
ground for the simulation with feed mineralogy. single floatability class of a mineral has the form
On the basis of the kinetics of main minerals at (Savassi, 2005),
different flotation stages, feed mineralogy,
flowsheet, sizes of modernized cells, feed flow

4
 ktR (1−R )+EntRw
w measured performance can be observed – the
R = (1+ktRf )(1−R (4)
f w )+EntRw relative error median for Cu grade and Cu
recovery were 6.6 % and 3.6 %, respectively. In
In addition, to take into account the Outotec Figure 6, modeling based on the process slurry
® hot flotation test work and the corresponding
FloatForce mixing mechanism gas dispersion
characteristics, the kinetic flotation factor is plant sampling mass balance for a rougher-
further decomposed to mineral floatability P and scavenger bank are compared. The model
bubble surface area flux Sb (1/min): prediction accuracy is very good; here the bank
3
consists of six 160 m TankCells modeled with
k = PSb . TankCell simulation characteristics and scale up
(5) methods.

Sb is calculated using superficial gas velocity Jg

and bubble Sauter diameter d32, which are
a) Cu Grade %
specific for the TankCell characteristics in the 25
plant operating conditions:
20
6J
Sb = g
d 32 . 15

Simulated
(6)

10
Metallurgical evaluation
5
A step-by-step modernization assessment
provides mechanical and metallurgical 0
information from the circuit. The final outcomes 0 5 10 15 20 25
of the hot flotation tests, metallurgical sampling
Plant Measured
and simulation are recoveries and grades of
main minerals from each flotation stage for both
the operating circuit and simulated circuit. On b) Cu Recovery %
the basis of the measured and simulated
100
performances it can be assessed whether the
plant is operated at optimal metallurgical
parameters and whether the performance can 80
be enhanced through modernization.
60
Simulated

The accuracy of a simulation is evaluated in

Figure 5 and Figure 6. The data plotted to these
figures is from a certain Cu circuit survey. The 40
surveyed Cu circuit consists of a rougher,
scavenger and four cleaning stages. The
20
laboratory hot flotation test data, on which basis
the simulator was build, was produced with
Outotec-GTK LabCell simultaneously with the 0
process survey. The modeled flotation cell was 0 20 40 60 80 100
an Outotec TankCell© equipped with a
Plant Measured
FloatForce© mixing mechanism.
Figure 5 Measured correlations between
In Figure 5 correlations between simulated and simulated and measured a) Cu grade and b) Cu
measured grades and recoveries at different recovery
process stages are shown. From this figure
positive correlation between simulated and

5
 100
Cell 4 Cell 5 Cell 6
90
Cell 3
80 Cell 2
Cumulative Recovery (%)

70
Cell 1
60
50
Continuous Model
40
Plant Mass Balance
30
20
10
0
0 5 10 15 20 25
Cumulative flotation time (min)

Figure 6 Cumulative Cu recovery of a rougher bank; simulation and mass plant measured mass balance

Note that the accuracy of the simulation is visual observations and previous on-site
strongly dependent on the quality of the experiences.
laboratory and on-site work. Sample treatment,
chemical analysis, sampling points and methods The results of the previous flotation cell
can have significant impact on the results. modernization studies will be reviewed next.
The reviews are divided to cover the equipment
and operating performance of the flotation cell
Modernization benefits so that the equipment performance
encompasses both the mechanical and
operating performance of the flotation cell as
A comparison of the simulated and measured well as operating performance automation and
metallurgical performances gives an indication of control of adjustable parameters.
how well the full-scale flotation circuit performs
and how well it is operated. If a significantly Equipment performance
higher metallurgical performance is reached in
the simulation as compared to the process
survey, hen a higher metallurgical performance Flotation cell metallurgical performance is
could also be achieved in the full-scale circuit. defined by solids suspension, gas dispersion,
This basically means that the cells are not froth transportation distance and cell
working properly or that they are not operating hydrodynamics. In order to enhance the cell
correctly. On the other hand, the comparison performance, typically the cell drive mechanism,
can also show equal or lower performance for mixing mechanism, dart vales and launders
the simulation. This indicates that the plant need to be modernized.
operates well and that the modernization should
focus for example to increase energy efficiency Studies published by Gamez et al., (2011),
or availability of the plant. Cesni, F., (2009) and Yianatos et al., (2012)
compared the performance of a flotation bank
The plant modernization approach on the basis equipped with old insufficiently performing or
of the plant survey and simulation varies from worn mechanisms to the performance of a
concentrator to concentrator. The actions taken flotation bank with an upgraded mixing
after simulation are usually backed-up with mechanism. These studies showed significant
metallurgical improvements when the old

6
mechanisms were upgraded. For example, measurement instrument and process
Gamez et al. (2011) showed a 7 % copper automation system.
recovery increase with the new mixing
mechanism as compared to the old one. In the In 2001 Brown et al. reported a study where
study done by Yianatos et al. (2012) it was FrothMaster™ control solution was used to
observed 0.7-3.6 % higher copper recovery and control level, air and frother dosing according to
1.5-5.5 % higher molybdenum recovery for a the speed of the froth over the lip. In this study
rougher flotation line equipped with an Outotec 5.28 % Cu recovery improvement was measured
®
FloatForce mixing mechanism, as compared to at a 99% confidence level and 2.3 % Au
a line equipped with a traditional mixing recovery improvement at a 95 % confidence
mechanism. level for a line operated by a vision-based
control solution than for a line operated with
The energy efficiency of the flotation cell can human vision and problem solving abilities.
also be enhanced with a mixing mechanism Rantala et al. (2014) reported over 1.3 % Cu
upgrade. The Outotec TankCell 300 test work recovery increase and better selectivity at
carried out at Codelco Chuquicamata has Kevitsa mine when a rougher flotation cell was
proven that with more pumping and by utilizing operated with ACT™ advanced process control
an energy efficient mechanism, there’s as compared to when it the control was turned
possibility to reduce the power input to the off.
flotation cells without affecting metallurgical
performance (Rinne, A. and Peltola A. 2008, and Furthermore, control of large industrial flotation
Colemen, R., and Rinne A., 2011). cells was discussed in paper published by Carr,
D., et al. (2009). This work showed significantly
The flotation cell energy consumption is a very higher operating stability when the cell was
important factor since it represents two-thirds of operated with control applications.
the flotation cell lifecycle costs over a lifespan of
25 years (Grönstrand et al., 2006).
Monetary benefits of modernization
Operating performance
Existing flotation circuit modernization can result
in significant benefits with an extremely short
Level, air and reagent dosing are the adjustable payback period. Figure 7 illustrates an example
operating parameters affecting flotation of economic and environmental benefits that
performance. These variables are usually modernization can bring for an average size
controlled by human vision and adjustment of concentrator (throughput of 400 tons/hour). In
the variable requires problem solving abilities the presented calculation example, 1%
from the operator. Control of these parameters improvement in recovery and 10% reduction in
can also be carried out using a vision-based the mixing-mechanism rotation speed are used.

Figure 7 Economic and environmental Flotation modernization options

7
 Grönstrand, S., Niitti, T., Rinne, A., and Turunen,
Conclusions J. 2006. Enhancement of Flow Dynamics of
th
Existing Flotation Cells. Proceedings of the 38
Annual Meeting of the Canadian Mieral
The flotation plant modernization phase presents Processors. pp. 403-422.
the most significant phase of the plant life span.
This phase can consist of step-by-step Mattsson, T., Grau, R., Leppinen, J. and
approaches basically through the life span of the Heiskanen K. 2013. Effect of Operating
flotation plant to achieve optimal performance. Conditions and Machine Parameters on the
The modernization steps can result in Flotation Kinetics in a New Laboratory Cell.
metallurgical performance enhancement as well Proceedings Flotation Conference 2013 Cape
as reduction in operating costs. Town,

In this paper, a new approach to simulate O’Connor C.T., Dunne, R.C. and Duncan, R.B.,
existing flotation in order to evaluate the benefits Comparison of performance of various
of modernization was presented. The approach laboratory flotation cells. Trans. Intn Min. Metall.
consists of simultaneously carried out process (Sect. C: Mineral Process. Extr. Metall.), 96,
survey and kinetic hot flotation tests with September 1987, pp. C168-170.
process slurry sample. The data produced
generates the basis for simulation and gives Rantala, A., Muzinda, I., Timperi, J.,
performance comparison for measured and Cruickshank, C., and Haavisto, O. 2014.
simulated flotation circuit. On the basis of the Implementaiton of Advanced Flotation Control at
comparison and visual on-site observations next First Quantum Minerals’ Kevitsa Mine. 12
th

steps towards more efficient flotation circuit can Ausimm Mill Operators’ Conference. Townsville,
be taken. QLD, 1-3 September 2014.

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