Flotation arrangement, its use, a plant and a method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11548013-B2
Application number	US-201716484170-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2017
Priority date	Feb 15, 2017
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

A flotation arrangement for treating mineral ore particles suspended in slurry. The arrangement includes a primary line including at least two primary flotation cells, a first secondary line, and a second secondary line downstream of the first secondary line. In the arrangement, underflow from a secondary line is arranged to flow to the last of the at least one primary flotation cells from which the primary overflow was received, or to a primary flotation cell downstream of the last of the at least one primary flotation cells from which the primary overflow was received. The disclosure further relates a use of a flotation arrangement, to a flotation plant and to a flotation method.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flotation arrangement for treating mineral ore particles suspended in slurry, comprising flotation cells for the separation of the slurry into an underflow and an overflow, wherein the separation is performed with the help of flotation gas, and wherein the flotation arrangement comprises:
a primary line comprising at least two primary flotation cells connected in series, wherein each subsequent primary flotation cell of the primary line is arranged to receive underflow from a previous primary flotation cell of the primary line, the at least two primary flotation cells comprising at least one primary flotation cell and a further primary flotation cell downstream of the at least one primary flotation cell;
a first secondary line comprising a secondary flotation cell in fluid communication with the at least one primary flotation cell and arranged to receive primary overflow of the at least one primary flotation cell for the recovery of a first concentrate,
a further secondary line downstream of the first secondary line, the further secondary line comprising a secondary flotation cell in fluid communication with the further primary flotation cell and arranged to receive primary overflow of the further primary flotation cell for the recovery of the first concentrate,
wherein underflow from the first secondary line is arranged to flow to a last of the at least one primary flotation cell from which the primary overflow was received, or to a primary flotation cell downstream of the last of the at least one primary flotation cell from which the primary overflow was received.

2. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary flotation cell of the first secondary flotation line is arranged in direct fluid communication with the at least one primary flotation cell and/or the secondary flotation cell of the further secondary flotation line is arranged in direct fluid communication with the further primary flotation cell.

3. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the underflow from the first secondary line is arranged to flow to a primary flotation cell after which there are at least two more primary flotation cells in the primary flotation line.

4. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the primary line comprises at least three primary flotation cells.

5. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the first secondary line comprises 1-4 secondary flotation cells.

6. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the further secondary line comprises 1-3 secondary flotation cells.

7. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the number of secondary flotation cells in series in the further secondary line is the same or higher than the number of secondary flotation cells in series in the first secondary line.

8. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the further secondary line is arranged to receive primary overflow from 1-3 primary flotation cells.

9. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a first secondary cell of the first secondary line has a larger volume than a first secondary cell of the further secondary line.

10. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a first primary flotation cell of the primary line is at least 100 m3 in volume.

11. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a second primary flotation cell of the primary line is at least 100 m3 in volume.

12. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a volume of a second primary flotation cell of the primary line is equal or less than a volume of the first primary flotation cell.

13. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary flotation cell of the first secondary line in fluid communication with a primary flotation cell is 100-1000 m3 in volume.

14. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the secondary flotation cell of the further secondary line in fluid communication with a primary flotation cell is 100-1000 m3 in volume.

15. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a volume of the secondary flotation cell of the first secondary line in fluid communication with at least one primary flotation cell is 2-50% of the aggregate volume of the at least one primary flotation cell.

16. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein a volume of the secondary flotation cell of the further secondary line in fluid communication with at least one primary flotation cell is 3-30% of the aggregate volume of the at least one primary flotation cell.

17. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the flow of the slurry is driven by gravity, or by one or more low-head pumps, or by gravity and by one or more low-head pumps.

18. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the flow of the slurry to and/or away from any secondary flotation cell is driven by gravity, by one or more low-head pumps, or by gravity and by one or more low-head pumps.

19. The flotation arrangement according to claim 18 , wherein the flow of the slurry to and/or away from any two secondary flotation cells is driven by gravity, by one or more low-head pumps, or by gravity and by one or more low-head pumps.

20. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein primary overflow from any primary flotation cell is driven by gravity, or wherein the primary overflow from the at least two primary flotation cells is driven by gravity.

21. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein overflow from any secondary flotation cell is driven by gravity, or wherein overflow from any at least two secondary flotation cells is driven by gravity.

22. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein overflow from each secondary flotation cell is driven by gravity.

23. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein underflow from a primary flotation cell is driven by gravity, or wherein the underflow from at least two primary flotation cells is driven by gravity.

24. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein underflow from any secondary flotation cell is driven by gravity, or wherein underflow from any at least two secondary flotation cells is driven by gravity.

25. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein underflow from each primary flotation cell is driven by gravity.

26. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein underflow from each secondary flotation cell is driven by gravity.

27. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein primary overflow from a primary flotation cell is driven by a low-head pump, or wherein the primary overflow from at least two primary flotation cells is driven by a low-head pump.

28. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein overflow from any secondary flotation cell is driven by a low-head pump, or wherein overflow from any at least two secondary flotation cells is driven by a low-head pump.

29. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein overflow from each secondary flotation cell is driven by a low-head pump.

30. The flotation arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein underflow from a primary flotation cell is driven by a low-head pump, or wherein the underflow from at least two primary flotation cel

Assignees

• Outotec Finland Oy
• Metso Outotec Finland Oy

Inventors

• Bourke Peter
• Rinne Antti

Classifications

• B03D1/1456

  Feed mechanisms for the slurry · CPC title

• C02F2103/16

  from metallurgical processes, i.e. from the production, refining or treatment of metals, e.g. galvanic wastes · CPC title

• B03D2203/025

  Precious metal ores · CPC title

• B03D1/087

  of the sediment, e.g. regrinding · CPC title

• B03D1/1468

  Discharge mechanisms for the sediments · CPC title