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Lecture 10 MINE 292 2013
Free Settling Ratio Free Settling Ratio
5 . 0
f l
f h
) (
) (
. R . S . F

=


If F.S.R is greater than 2.5, then effective separation can be achieved
If F.S.R is less than 1.5, then effective separation cannot be achieved
For fine particles that follow Stokes Law (< 50 microns)
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Free Settling Ratio Free Settling Ratio
) (
) (
. R . S . F
f l
f h

=
If F.S.R is greater than 2.5, then effective separation can be achieved
If F.S.R is less than 1.5, then effective separation cannot be achieved
For coarse particles that follow Newtons Law
Free Settling Ratio Free Settling Ratio
Always aim to achieve separation at as coarse a size as possible
If significant fines content, then separate and process separately
1. Consider a mixture of fine galena and fine quartz particles in water
F.S.R. = [(7.5 1)/(2.65 1)]
0.5
= 1.99
So a fine galena particle will settle at the same rate as a
quartz particle that is about twice as large in diameter
2. Consider coarse galena and coarse quartz particles in water
F.S.R. = (7.5 1)/(2.65 1) = 3.94
So a coarse galena particle will settle at the same rate as a
quartz particle that is about four times as large in diameter
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Free Settling Ratio Free Settling Ratio
General Guideline:
If F.S.R. = 3.0, one can assume an efficiency of about 100%
If F.S.R. = 2.5, one can assume an efficiency of about 80%
If F.S.R. = 1.5, one can assume an efficiency of about 20%
If F.S.R. = 1.0, one can assume the efficiency will be 0%
where efficiency of separation = f (conc. grade, %recovery)
Gravity Separation Devices Gravity Separation Devices
Sedimentation Dependent:
Jigs
Heavy media (or Dense media DMS or HMS)
Flowing Film Methods:
Sluices
Reichert cones (pinched sluice)
Tables
Spirals
Centrifugal concentrators
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Sluices Sluices
Sluices Sluices
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Sluices Sluices
Sluices Sluices
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Sluices Sluices
Sluices Sluices
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Sluices Sluices
Sluices Sluices
Mean Size %Recovery
(microns)
10,000 100
2,600 100
1,200 100
800 67
500 56
200 37
120 13
90 12
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Jigs Jigs
Primary stage to recover coarse liberated minerals > 2mm
Feed slurry enters hutch beneath lip into slurry
Moving slurry bed located above a screen
Hutch fluid is subjected to a pulsating motion
Upward hutch water creates dilation and compaction
Pulses caused by a diaphragm or vibration of screen
Separation assisted by ragging (galena, lead, magnetite, FeSi)
High S.G. particles pass through ragging and screen
Low SG particles discharge over hutch lip
Feed size ( 1 inch to 100 mesh)
Jigs Jigs
Floats can be tailings or concentrate depending on
application (coal floats > concentrate / gold floats > tailing)
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Jigs Jigs
Jigs Jigs
Idealized jigging particle distribution over time
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Jigs Jigs
Idealized water flow velocities
Jigs Jigs
Idealized water flow velocities
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Jigs Jigs
Idealized water flow velocities
Jigs Jigs
Particle separation - conventional
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Jigs Jigs
Particle separation saw-tooth pulse
Jigs Jigs
Baum Jig (coal)
Air used to create pulsation
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Jigs Jigs
Batac Jig (coal)
Air used to create pulsation (note multiple chambers)
Jigs Jigs
Operating variables:
Hutch water flow
Pulsation frequency
Pulsation stroke length
Ragging SG, size and shape
Bed depth
Screen aperture size
Feed rate and density ( 20 tph / hutch at 40% solids)
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Jigs Jigs
Applications:
Gold recovery in primary grinding
Coal separation from ash
Tin recovery (cassiterite)
Reichert Cone Reichert Cone
Can recover iron minerals down to 400 mesh (in theory)
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Reichert Cone Reichert Cone
Can recover iron minerals down to 400 mesh (in theory)
Reichert Cone Reichert Cone
Can recover iron minerals down to 400 mesh (in theory)
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Dense Media Separation Dense Media Separation
Coal DMS Partition Curve
Free Settling Ratio Free Settling Ratio -- DMS DMS
In the lab, we can use liquids;
in the plant we use fine slurry of a heavy mineral (magnetite)
1. Consider a mixture of fine galena and fine quartz particles in water
F.S.R. = [(7.5 1)/(2.65 1)]
0.5
= 1.99
So a fine galena particle will settle at the same rate as a
quartz particle that is about twice as large in diameter
2. Consider coarse galena and quartz particles in a liquid with S.G. = 1.5
F.S.R. = (7.5 1.5)/(2.65 1.5) = 5.22
Note that the use of a fluid with higher density produces a
much higher F.S.R. meaning separation efficiency is enhanced
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Dense Media Separation Dense Media Separation
Procedure for Laboratory DMS Liquid Separation
Dense Media Separation Dense Media Separation
Heavy Liquids
a. Tetrabromo-ethane (TBE) - S.G. 2.96
- diluted with mineral spirits or carbon tetrachloride (S.G. 1.58)
b. Bromoform - S.G. 2.89
- diluted with carbon tetrachloride to yield fluids from 1.58-2.89
c. Diiodomethane - S.G. 3.30
- diluted with triethylorthophosphate
d. Solutions of sodium polytungstate - S.G. 3.10
- non-volatile/less toxic/lower viscosity)
e. Clerici solution (thallium formate thallium malonite)
- S.G. up to 4.20 @ 20 C or 5.00 @ 90 C (very poisonous)
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Dense Media Separation Dense Media Separation
Heavy Liquid Analysis (tin ore)
S.G. Weight% Cum. Assay Distribution
Fraction Weight% %Sn % Cum. %
- 2.55 1.57 1.57 0.003 0.004 0.004
+ 2.55 - 2.60 9.22 10.79 0.04 0.33 0.334
+ 2.60 - 2.65 26.11 36.90 0.04 0.93 1.27
+ 2.65 - 2.70 19.67 56.57 0.04 0.70 1.97
+ 2.70 - 2.75 11.91 68.48 0.17 1.81 3.78
+ 2.75 - 2.80 10.92 79.40 0.34 3.32 7.10
+ 2.80 - 2.85 7.87 87.27 0.37 2.60 9.70
+ 2.85 - 2.90 2.55 89.82 1.30 2.96 12.66
+ 2.90 10.18 100.00 9.60 87.34 100.00
Total 100.00 - 1.12 100.00 -
Dense Media Separation Dense Media Separation
Heavy Liquid Separation (coal sink/float)
S.G. Weight% Ash Cum. Floats (Clean Coal) Cum. Sinks (Residue)
Fraction % Wt% %Ash Wt% %Ash
- 1.30 0.77 4.4 0.77 4.4 99.23 22.3
+ 1.30 - 1.32 0.73 5.6 1.50 5.0 98.50 22.4
+ 1.32 - 1.34 1.26 6.5 2.76 5.7 97.24 22.6
+ 1.34 - 1.36 4.01 7.2 6.77 6.6 93.24 23.3
+ 1.36 - 1.38 8.92 9.2 15.69 8.1 84.31 24.8
+ 1.38 - 1.40 10.33 11.0 26.02 9.2 73.98 26.7
+ 1.40 - 1.42 9.28 12.1 35.30 10.0 64.70 28.8
+ 1.42 - 1.44 9.00 14.1 44.30 10.8 55.70 31.2
+ 1.44 - 1.46 8.58 16.0 52.88 11.7 47.12 34.0
+ 1.46 - 1.48 7.79 17.9 60.67 12.5 39.33 37.1
+ 1.48 - 1.50 6.42 21.5 67.09 13.3 32.91 40.2
+ 1.50 32.91 40.2 100.00 22.2 0.00 -
Total 100.00 22.2 - - -
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Dense Media Separation Dense Media Separation
Rotating Drum DMS (50 200 mm)
Dense Media Separation Dense Media Separation
Rotating Drum DMS (50 200 mm)
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Dense Media Separation Dense Media Separation
Drum DMS Raw Coal Capacities
1.22 m ( 4-ft) diameter drum = 45 tonnes/hr (50 tons/hr)
1.83 m ( 6-ft) diameter drum = 91 tonnes/hr (100 tons/hr)
2.44 m ( 8-ft) diameter drum = 159 tonnes/hr (175 tons/hr)
3.05 m (10-ft) diameter drum = 249 tonnes/hr (275 tons/hr)
3.66 m (12-ft) diameter drum = 363 tonnes/hr (400 tons/hr)
Dense Media Separation Dense Media Separation
DMS Cyclone (1 150 mm)
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Dense Media Separation Dense Media Separation
DMS Cyclone (1 150 mm)
Dense Media Separation Dense Media Separation
Magnetite Slurry Particle Size (media S.G. = 1.4)
Size Cum. Wt%
(microns) Passing
-300 99.6
-150 97.5
- 75 94.5
- 38 86.9
- 15 43.0
Magnetite Consumption = 1.2 kg/t
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Dense Media Separation Dense Media Separation
DMS Mass Balance Example
Wt% Assays Distribution
%Solids Solids %Fe3O4 %Coal %Fe2O4 %Coal
O/F 31.0 28.03 30.15 69.85 11.75 71.34
U/F 67.2 71.97 89.07 10.93 88.35 28.66
DMS Feed 50.2 100.00 72.55 27.45 100.00 100.00
Dense Media Separation Dense Media Separation
DMS Separator Performance
Ash in feed 33.1%
Ash in clean coal 15.6%
Ash in refuse 72.0%
Yield of clean coal 69.0%
Combustible recovery 87.0%
Ash rejection 67.5%
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Tables Tables
Tables Tables
Particle action in a flowing film
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Tables Tables
Tabling Tabling
Shaking Table
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Tabling Tabling
Shaking Table Flowsheet (note feed is classified)
Tabling Tabling
Stacked Shaking Tables (to minimize floor space)
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Tabling Tabling
Operating variables include:
Tilt angle
Splitter positions
Stroke length
Feed rate
Spiral Separator Spiral Separator
Spirals
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Spiral Separator Spiral Separator
Double Start Humphrey Spirals
Spiral Separator Spiral Separator
Spiral Concentrator Circuit at Quebec Cartier Mining
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Spiral Separator Spiral Separator
Spiral Concentrator Recovery by Size at QCM
Spiral Separator Spiral Separator
Operating variables include:
Feed rate (1 to 6 tph/spiral start depending on ore)
Feed density (25 - 50 %solids depending on duty)
Splitter positions
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Centrifugal concentrators Centrifugal concentrators
Falcon (Sepro)
Knelson (FD Schmidt)
Centrifugal concentrators Centrifugal concentrators
Falcon C and Knelson CVD continuous units
Initial units were SB types (semi batch)
Extensive use in the gold industry
Falcon U/F is a batch machine spinning at extremely high speeds (up to 600G)
All units exploit centrifugal force generated by spin to enhance gravity separation
Apply to fine gold particles (down to 400 mesh)
Slurry enters centrally and is distributed outwards at the base of the cone by centrifugal force
Slurry /flows up inclined surface of bowl with high SG particles on the outside closest to the bowl surface
and low SG particles on the inside which discharge over the lip at the top of the bowl.
Falcon C spins generates a G force up to 200
Features a positioning valve for continuous concentrate discharge
Knelson CVD operates at lower G force (up to 150G)
Uses an injection water system to fluidize the bed and collect gold particles in rings
Operating variables include:
Spin
Concentrate valve pulsing frequency and duration (Knelson)
Injection water flow (Knelson)
Concentrate valve position (Falcon C)
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Centrifugal concentrators Centrifugal concentrators
Falcon C and Knelson CVD continuous units
Applications
Cyclone underflow in primary grinding circuit
Flotation feed
Tailings recovery
Placer gold fines
Centrifugal concentrators Centrifugal concentrators
Cyclone Partition Curves (GRG = Gravity Recoverable Gold)
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Centrifugal concentrators Centrifugal concentrators
Knelson lab unit
Centrifugal concentrators Centrifugal concentrators
Knelson SB unit
Knelson CVD unit
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Centrifugal concentrators Centrifugal concentrators
Falcon SBunit
Falcon Cunit
End of Lecture End of Lecture
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Magnetic Separation Magnetic Separation
Dry High Gradient Magnetic Separator
Electronic Sorting Electronic Sorting
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Filtration Filtration
Filter Plate Press