Flotation column
In mineral processing plant , The column flotation concept has been around for nearly 40 years, but it attracted attention with the lead-zinc mining and iron ore processing problems of the early 1980s. The column flotation technique uses the countercurrent principle to improve separation by reducing entrapment of particles. A schematic diagram of column flotation cells is shown in Figure 8.53. The important operating difference from mechanical flotation cells is the lack of an impeller, or any other agitation mechanism, which reduces energy and maintenance costs. The other major difference is that for most ore-processing applications, wash water is sprayed into the froth at the top of the column, which is impossible to accomplish in a mechanical cell as it can kill the froth. The amount of wash water added is a major factor in determining flotation selectivity and recovery as well as column operation stability. In column flotation, the ore is fed into the column via a dist...