Sampling and flotation testing of Sudbury Basin drill core for process mineralogy modelling

• Published in: Minerals engineering Vol. 16; no. 9; pp. 857 - 864
• Main Authors: Lotter, N.O, Kowal, D.L, Tuzun, M.A, Whittaker, P.J, Kormos, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2003; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Flotation kinetics; Flotation. Enrichment. Beneficiation; Liberation analysis; Metals. Metallurgy; Mineral processing; Ore mineralogy; Ores; Process optimisation; Production of metals; Flotation kinetics; Ore mineralogy; Liberation analysis; Mineral processing; Process optimisation; Flotation; Process improvement; Mineralogy; Ore treatment; Kinetics; Experimental study; Ore concentration; Release; Optimization
• ISSN: 0892-6875; 1872-9444
• DOI: 10.1016/S0892-6875(03)00207-3

The area of flotation testing of drill core is important in the business plan of most mining companies. Metallurgical information derived from this practice can be used to advantage in strategic decision-making. Sampling, flotation testing and subsequent QemSCAN (Quantitative Evaluation of Minerals by Scanning Electron Microscopy) analysis of a mineral resource is one example of this approach. A new resource, located in Sudbury, Ontario, is being assessed for the Sudbury Operations of Falconbridge Limited, which includes the Strathcona Mill. In this case, it was possible to improve the value of information from sampling and flotation testwork by using an improved, statistically-based test design, by sampling the resource by generic end-member ore type, and by integrating the Mineral Processing and Mineral Science disciplines into a Process Mineralogy team. In addition to producing standard metal grade and recovery information, this new approach provides more reproducible information from representative samples and flotation testing in a replicate format. QemSCAN technology is used to produce a size by size mineral balance, including both modal percentages and liberation, from which flotation models for each ore type can be developed. As a result, a key understanding of the potential behaviour of a given ore type, if mined and then processed at the current mill operation, is gained at the 95% confidence level. The three ore types of this mineral resource were shown to have different flotation characteristics. Quantifying the mineralogy and liberation in each of the three ore types, has shown that this difference is due to changes in modal percentages of ferro-magnesium and magnesium silicate minerals such as pyroxene, talc and serpentine. Liberation across the three ore types is very similar and is therefore not responsible for variation in flotation performance.