Track 2: Process Innovation, Circularity and Recovery

1. INTRODUCTION Flotation is a crucial stage in mineral processing circuit, used to separate valuable minerals from gangue material (Liu et al. 2022). The flotation process is divided into two main zones: the pulp zone, also called collection zone, and the froth zone. In the pulp zone, the slurry is mixed with dispersed air, generating air bubbles that provide attachment sites for valuable minerals. These mineral-laden bubbles rise to the top of the tank due to buoyancy, where the pressure is lower (Corona-Arroyo et al. 2021). The froth zone has a crucial role in efficient recovery of these mineral-laden bubbles, as the amount of recovered minerals directly correlates with profitability in the mineral processing circuit. Attention must be paid to both the froth and the collection zones to ensure optimal performance. (Yianatos et al. 2008) Even if the collection zone operates effectively, poor optimization of the froth zone can create a bottleneck in the operation. Therefore, optimizing the parameters of the froth surface area with correct launder design is crucial to ensure efficient froth collection, minimizing the risk of bubble bursting and therefore reducing the loss of valuable minerals to the bottom of the tank. (Bermudez et al. 2021) A two-zone model illustrating two subprocesses is described by Falutsu and Dobby (1989). Fig. 1 describes the relationship between collection and froth zone recoveries, as defined by Eq. 1 (Finch and Dobby. 1990). = 1− (1− ) (1) where represents the total recovery, is the froth recovery, and denotes the collection zone recovery. Figure 1 – Overall recovery based on froth and collection zone recoveries. 2. FROTH ZONE OPTIMIZATION IN LARGE FLOTATION CELLS The significant increase in flotation cell sizes has introduced new challenges to efficient froth management. To address these challenges, larger cells require effective solutions to optimize froth stability and transport, ensuring efficient operation. This section examines the current issues arising from larger froth surface parameters and explores how the innovative design of the center

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