Optimising ore recovery with coarse particle flotation

Implementing coarse particle flotation

The use of coarse particle flotation technologies is gaining momentum in various mining applications. It’s particularly suited to base and precious metals processing, including copper, molybdenum, gold, silver, lead, and zinc applications, and industrial mineral beneficiation, such as phosphate, potash, and feldspar.  

Another promising area for coarse particle flotation deployment is in the retreatment of tailings, which often contain a coarse ore fraction lost in conventional flotation processes. Coarse particle flotation can be used to scavenge these valuable materials, recovering material that would otherwise go to waste while reducing the volume of material sent to tailings.  

As the mining industry faces mounting environmental and regulatory pressures, implementing coarse particle flotation offers a pathway to a more sustainable future. By reducing energy consumption, enhancing water recovery, and recovering valuable materials that would otherwise be lost to tailings, coarse particle flotation will be crucial in aligning mining operations with environmental and production goals.  

These benefits place coarse particle flotation at the heart of FLS MissionZero Mine flowsheets of the future, allowing mining operations to operate in a challenging global market, optimising resource utilisation while meeting enhanced ESG commitments and powering the transition to a greener economy. 

The limitations of conventional flotation 

Conventional flotation circuits rely on grinding feed to a fine particle size distribution to liberate the valuable ore and facilitate efficient separation. Coarser particles are not well recovered in such circuits and are frequently lost to tailings. Mines thus tend to over-grind material to avoid such losses, increasing mill wear and energy consumption. By increasing the particle size at which acceptable flotation recovery is possible, coarse particle flotation changes the equation, allowing the mill to operate at a coarse grind, with multiple benefits for mill operation and downstream separation processes.  

The benefits of coarse particle flotation are becoming increasingly apparent as mines are forced to process lower-grade deposits and, thus, a greater volume of material to maintain production levels. Coarse particle flotation can improve the efficiency of processing these low-grade deposits, allowing mines to tap into previously uneconomical reserves to help meet the growing demand for metals and minerals.