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Presented byPresented by

Frank CappuccittiFrank Cappuccitti

PresidentPresidentFlottec Inc.Flottec Inc.

McGill UniversityMcGill University

Development of New Frothers UtilizingDevelopment of New Frothers Utilizing

Hydrodynamic Characterization ofHydrodynamic Characterization ofFrother ChemistryFrother Chemistry

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Presentation Outline

Provide Background on Frother Properties and

Flotation Cell Pulp Hydrodynamics

Discuss 3 Clues that the Study on HydrodynamicCharacterization of Frothers Provided

Review the Results of the Hydrodynamic, Laboratoryand Plant Tests Conducted on the New Frother

Conclusions and Acknowledgements

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FrothFroth

ZoneZone

PulpPulpZoneZone

Post RemovalPost Removal

ZoneZone

Bubble

Size

(CCC)

Gas Hold Up

Bubble Loading

Thickness of Bound

Water Layer

Bubble Flux

Collector/Frother

Interactions

kinetics and

selectivity

Longevity in Pulp

Froth

Loading

(grams/litre)

Water

Content

Bubble

Coalescence

Froth

Drainage

Froth

Persistency

Froth

MobilityFroth (Air)

Recovery

De-aeration

Time (collapse)

Functions of Frothers Relevant to FlotationFunctions of Frothers Relevant to Flotation

Chemical

PersistencyFrother Height

Frother Chemical Properties: solubility, vapor pressure, flash point, stability, etc.

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Frothers and Pulp Zone Hydrodynamics

Measurement Technology Gas Rate (Jg), Gas Holdup (g), Bubble Size (Db)

Measurement Technologies Have Greatly Improved in Last Few Years

New Techniques Could Be Used To BetterCharacterize Frother Effects On Hydrodynamics

Better Use of Frothers to Optimize Hydrodynamics Develop Frothers that Have Specific Hydrodynamic Properties

Joint Research Program On Frother Characterization

Was Undertaken And Sponsored By: Mcgill (Hydrodynamics Measurement Techniques)

Flottec (Frother Chemistry and Flotation Application Expertise)

Sasol NA (Manufacturing and Chemical Synthesis Expertise)

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Pulp Zone: Hydrodynamic Parameters

air rate

cell

bubbles

area

Jgair ratearea

cm/s

gvolume of bubbles

volume of cell%

Db bubble diameter mm

Parameter Definition Unit

Gas Rate (Jg), Gas holdup (g), Bubble Size (Db)

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Focus on Two Prime Functions

Control of Bubble Size in Pulp and Hence Pulp ZoneHydrodynamics

Control of Froth Properties

Approach to Frother Characterization

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Hydrodynamic Characterizationof Frother Chemistries

Past Work

Characterize the Major Frother Families in Two PhaseSystems

Gas Hold Up, Froth Height, Bubble Size and Overflow Rates byConcentration At Various Gas Rates

Critical Coalescence Concentration (CCC) The Standard Frothers

MIBC, DF250 (Glycol Ether), F150 (PPG)

Others

C4 To C8Alcohols, Co Products, Modified C6Alcohols, Other PPGEthers, Pine Oil, TEB, etc.

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Basic Test Rig Setup

Solution

Make-up

Tank

pump

h

Jg

overflow

rate

P

}

area

g

Db

g

{froth

height

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Gas Holdup and Bubble Size

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

0 10 20 30 40 50

FROTHER CONCENTRATION (ppm)

GASHOLDUP(%

)

0

1

2

3

4

5

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

0 10 20 30 40 500

1

2

3

BUBBLE

SIZE(mm

)

4

5

Observation: Gas holdup can substitute for bubble size Easier to measure

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Characterizing Frothers

0

4

8

12

16

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6

FROTHER CONCENTRATION, mmol/L

GASHO

LDUP,%

Flottec F150 DF 250

Octanol Heptanol

DF200 Hexanol

MIBC Iso-Pentanol

Pentanol

1. Gas Holdup vs. Concentration

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Gas Hold up vs. Frother Concentration

Frothers Can Be Classed by Gas Hold Up

Low Order Alcohols Were Once Thought to Be Neutral asFrothers (Did Not Contribute Any Frother Properties)

Lower Alcohols Did Increase Gas Hold Up But Did Littleto Generate Froth

(Clue Number 1)

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0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

10 15 20 25 30 35

Pentanol

Hept, Hex, MIBC, DF200Octanol, Ethoxy, DF250

Flottec F150

O

VERFLOW

PERUNIT

AREA,cm/s

GAS HOLD UP, %

Characterizing Frothers

2. Overflow versus Gas Hold Up

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Overflow Rate vs Gas Hold Up

This Showed that the Rate of Water Floated Was

Different for Each Frother Family Frother Families Could Be Grouped by the Amount of

Water In the Froth

Also, a Chemical Could Be Modified So that it ChangedFrom One Family to the Next

C6 Alcohol Was Modified and it Performance Moved to a Higher

Overflow Class Clue Number 2

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Past work on Coarse Particle Flotation

Work Done by R. Klimpel Showed that by Alkoxylation ofKnown Frother (Either Alcohols or Glycol Ethers), theFrothers Became Stronger and Could Recovery MoreCoarse Particles Clue Number 3

This Was Probably Due to the Higher Water Content orThicker Bound Water Layer

There Was Evidence that Frothers Could be Created WithSpecific Characteristics

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Coarse Particle Flotation from Klimpels Prior Work

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Observations Frothers Can Be Classed By Gas Holdup, Overflow

Rate

Non Frothing Materials Can Change Gas Hold Up

Effects Of Chemistry Clear; e.g.: MIBC Similar to Hexanol

Frothers Can be Modified to Change Class

C6Alcohol Modified to Higher Class

Klimpel Had Made Similar Point Chemical Reactions Made Frothers Stronger

Lets Add Froth Property, e.g., Height

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Developing New Flottec Frothers

Target: Substitute for MIBC

Strong Frothers Made in the Past But Not WeakFrothers

Approach:

Take a Non Frothing, Short Chain Alcohol andModify

Create a Family of Frothers Around this Chemistry

Better Weaker Frothers Needed Literature Search Showed Very Little Work in this Area

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Testing of New Frother ChemistryThe Proposed New Frother Chemistry Was Synthesized

Hydrodynamic Testing Was Carried Out Gas Hold Up Vs. Concentration

Froth Height Vs. Concentration

Several Versions Tested

Conclusion Was that New Chemistry Gave SimilarPerformance to MIBC

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Initial Hydrodynamic Testing of NewFrother Flottec FX130-01 Frother

Jg 0.5

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Frother Concn, ppm

Eg,

FX120

MIBC

FX130-01

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Flottec FX130 Frother Chemistry

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

CONCENTRATION (ppm)

GASHOL

DUP(%) MIBC

MIBC

FX130-02

FX130-02

FX130-03

FX130-03

Jg1

Jg2

1. Gas Holdup vs. Concentration

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0

5

10

15

20

25

0 5 10 15 20

CONCENTRATION (ppm)

FROTHHE

IGHT(cm)

MIBC

FX130-02

FX130-03

Flottec FX130 Frother Chemistry2. Froth Height vs. Concentration

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Laboratory Flotation Testing of NewFlottec Frother Chemistry

Laboratory Flotation Tests Completed Doe Run Buick Mine (Lead/Zinc Operation)

Canadian Gold Ore (Gold/Copper Flotation)

Results Indicated that the Metallurgical PerformanceWas Very Similar

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Results of Lab Testing of Flottec FX130-01

Frother at Doe Run Buick Mill

Lead Grade vs. Recovery Curve Comparisons

40.00%

45.00%

50.00%

55.00%

60.00%

65.00%

84.00% 89.00% 94.00% 99.00%

% Pb Recovery

%

PbGrade

Average Test 1 & 4 : FX 120-01


Copper Grade vs. Recovery Curve Comparisons

3.00%

3.50%

4.00%

4.50%

5.00%

50.00% 55.00% 60.00% 65.00% 70.00% 75.00% 80.00% 85.00% 90.00%

% Cu Recovery

%

CuGrade



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Results of Laboratory Flotation TestsFlottec FX130-01 Frother onCanadian Copper/Gold Ore

67550.0600.23125FX130-01

63560.0590.22125MIBC

73610.0460.21125FX130-01

71590.0480.21125MIBC

CuAu% CuAu (g/t)

% RecoveryTails GradeDose

(g/t)Frother

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Plant Testing of NewFlottec Frother Chemistry

Short Plant Test Was Conducted at the Doe RunBuick Mill in Missouri, USA

Results Indicated that the Frother Performed Well but

Gave Slightly Higher Kinetics than MIBC

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Results of One Hour Plant Test ofFlottec FX130-02 Frother at Doe Run Buick Mill

(12:00 1:00 PM)

Observations:

20 Minutes After Switching to

FLottec FX130-02 Frother:

No Visible Change

It Appears that the Product WORKED!

At The End Of The One Hour Test:

No Alcohol Smell

Flotation Kinetics Appeared toIncrease in Both Pb and Zn Circuits

Zn Circuit Appeared Slightly MoreFoamy

7057.31.96Zn con

961.578.2Pb Con

0.811.3Mill Feed

Zn RecPb RecZn%Pb%OSA

1 Hour After Test: MIBC at 85 mls/min2:10 PMTime:

65600.44Zn con

971.478.4Pb Con

0.911.1Mill Feed


End of Test: FX130 at 82 mls/min1:00 PMTime:

7857.32.1Zn con

950.5377Pb Con0.99.9Mill Feed


Before Test: MIBC at 85 mls/min11:50 AMTime:

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Further Synthesis and

Testing of New Frother Family

The Chemical Modification Used to Create this NewFamily can Make a Spectrum of Products

5 Products Were Characterized Flottec Fx130-01 Frother through Fx130-05 Frother

Results Indicate that the Chemistry can Provide DifferentPulp Hydrodynamics and Froth Characteristics withinSpecific Ranges

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Foam Height vs. Gas Holdup, 5 litres per minute

0

10

20

8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Gas Holdup (%)

F

oamHeight(cm)

FX130-03 FX130-04

FX130-05 TEB

F100 FX130-01x x

MIBC FX130-02xx

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Conclusions

A New Frother Chemistry Has Been Developed Based on the ResearchWork Done by the Hydrodynamic Characterization of Frothers

The New Family of Frothers Perform Similar to MIBC but can be Madeto be Slightly Weaker to Slightly Stronger

The New Family of Frothers May Be Able to Substitute for FrotherFamilies Such As TEB and Pine Oil but it is Unlikely they Will Be

Strong Enough to Perform Like the Standard Glycol Or Glycol Ethers

The New Frother is Different than Other Alcohol Type Products in thatthey are Water Soluble. This Presents its Own Set of Advantages andDisadvantages

Further Plant Tests are Being Planned to Fully Understand and Exploitthis New Frother Chemistry

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Acknowledgements McGill University

Pamela Moyo, Fariba Azgomi,Michel Leroux, Prof. Jim Finch

Sasol North AmericaPaul Filler

The Doe Run CompanyBrian Mangogna, Adam Steimel

Flottec Inc.Randy Nix

Amtel

Stephen Chryssoulis, Daniela VenterAMTEL

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