COMPARISON TEST OF MIBC AND DSF105 USING DSP007 AS

COLLECTOR

Glory Jane Vanguardia, Sheila Mae Gardon, Ronben Baute

Intern of FCF Mineral Corporation

Abstract
The objective is to determine if DSF105 can still be used in the flotation circuit of the
plant. Sample from the feed tank of flotation circuit was tested using the batch laboratory
flotation testing for comparison test of DSF105 and MIBC with the DSP007, the current
collector used in the flotation circuit. Another test was also conducted with the use of PAX. Four
setups were used: MIBC with PAX, MIBC with DSP 007, DSF 150 with PAX and DSF 150 with
DSP 007. There are 5 rougher concentrates collected using collector PAX and six rougher
concentrates with collector DSP 007. The concentrates were filtered and were sent to Intertek for
the analysis of the grade of elements. The results showed that MIBC and DSF105 used with
DSP007 have no significant difference hence DSF105 can be used in the flotation circuit of the
plant. Results also showed that MIBC has a better performance than DSF105 when the collector
used is PAX.

I. Introduction
Flotation is a development discovered in 20th century to remove very fine mineral
particles that formerly wasted in gravity concentration plants. This method inhibits the use of
reagents such as collectors and frothers that render hydrophobicity to the mineral particles and
stability of froths. The hydrophobic particles which is mostly the concentrate attach to the froths
and is separated from the hydrophilic solution which is the gangue. One of the techniques in
determining the best set up for flotation is the Batch laboratory flotation testing. This technique
is much utilized in developing a flotation circuit of a given ore. The results of the test work
dictate the choice of reagents, the size of the plant with a given throughput, the flowsheet and
peripheral data. And aside from conducting it before the commencement of plant operation,
batch flotation test is also utilized to improve the procedures of the existing plants and to carry
out development of new reagents.
The collectors utilized in this test works are PAX AND DSP O07. They are made with
different chemical formula and with different characteristics to the ore that they are going to
coat. PAX or Potassium Amyl Xanthate is a collector made of salts consisting of a non-polar
hydrocarbon group, which provides the hydrophobicity to a sulphide mineral pointing outward
from the mineral to the solution and a polar group that adsorbs onto the sulphide mineral surface.
PAX is unselective collector with 5 carbon molecules in its chain which is strong and is ideal for
sulphide gold operations where all sulphides minerals in need to be recovered. DSP 007 is a
dithiophosphate collector which is a most widely used collectors after xanthate. It is more
selective than xanthate and is designed to collect gold.
There are a wide range of frothers to create an ideal froth. The froths are designed to be
stable enough to float minerals until they make it to the launder but weak enough to allow
gangue minerals to drain back down into the pulp and out to the tailings. Once the mineral is
collected in the concentrate launder the frother must breakdown easily. The frothers to be tested
with the collectors are MIBC and DSF 150.
Significance of the Study
The significance of the analysis is to establish a difference of MIBC and DSF105 using
DSP007, and also to determine if the DSF105 can still be used in the plant and if it has a
significant effect on the flotation circuit. Another test was also conducted using PAX as collector
for future reference.
Limitation of the Study
The test is limited to six roughers for DSP007 and for PAX, five roughers. Each roughers
were given a residence time of 2 minutes except for rougher 5 of the setup which uses PAX as a
collector. Four minutes was given to compensate for the rougher six. The reagents used were
MIBC, DSF105, DSP007, and PAX.

II. Methodology
Preparation of Materials
The sample from the feed flotation was diluted to 40% solids using the Marcy Scale. Six
rougher trays were prepared to contain the mass pull – out of the six roughers. A 20%
concentration of PAX, DSP007, MIBC AND DSF105 were readily prepared for use.
For filtration, two vacuum filter were assembled using two vacuum pump, two Buchner
funnel and two Buckner flask. Note that, the vacuum pumps were continuously tripping during
filtration hence another 2 Buchner funnel and flask were used without the vacuum pumps to
speed up the filtration process.
Procedure
There were 4 setups used: PAX used with MIBC, PAX used with DSF105, DSP007 used
with MIBC and DSP007 used with DSF105. Same procedure was used for the 4 setups.
The sample with the unknown percentage of solids was diluted to 40% solids. The
flotation cell was filled with 18 L of the prepared sample. Thereafter, it was agitated to
homogenize the slurry and to prevent it from settling. Meanwhile, a readily prepared 20% of
MIBC, DSF105, DSP007 and PAX were transferred into syringe; 10 ml for MIBC and DSF105,
8 ml for PAX and 4 ml for DSP007.
A collector was dosed to the flotation cell and was conditioned for 2 minutes. For PAX, 2
ml was added and for DSP007 3 ml was added. Stage addition was done at roughers 3 and 5. The
stage addition of the collector was given 1 minute of conditioning time. The addition of the
reagents depends on the qualitative analysis of the froth.
For the test using PAX, only 5 roughers were made but the flotation time used at rougher
5 was 4 minutes to compensate the rougher 6’s retention time. After the batch flotation test, the
concentrates were filtered.

III. Results and Discussion

Addition of frothers is supposed to improve the rate of flotation kinetics. With respect to this
role, two terms of “selective” and “powerful” are used to characterize frothers. The former refers
to the attachment of a hydrophobic particle to an air bubble, which can be used in flotation of
very fine particles, whereas the latter which indicates the frothing capacity of the frother, will
provide higher recoveries and better performance in floating of coarser particles [2].
There are 4 reagents used in this test. MIBC and DSF105 are used as a frother. MIBC and
DSF105 are both alcohols, PAX is a xanthate and DSP007 is a dialkyl diphosphate. Four setups
were used in this experiment: PAX used with MIBC, PAX used with DSF105, DSP007 used with
MIBC and DSP007 used with DSF105. Same procedure was used for the 4 setups. These were
the conditions used for each test:
DSP007 and MIBC DSP007 and DSF105
Stages DSP007 MIBC Stages DSP007 DSF105
ml drops ml drops
conditioning 3 0 conditioning 2 0
R1 0 5 R1 0 10
R2 0 5 R2 0 5
R3 0 10 R3 1 5
R4 0 0 R4 0 0
R5 0 0 R5 0 0
R6 0 0 R6 1 0
Total 3 20 Total 4 20
Table 1: Conditions of MIBC and DSF105 with DSP007
 PAX and MIBC PAX and DSF105
Stages PAX MIBC Stages PAX MIBC
ml drops ml drops
conditioning 4 0 conditioning 4 0
R1 0 25 R1 0 35
R2 0 5 R2 0 0
R3 2 5 R3 2 0
R4 0 11 R4 0 5
R5 2 5 R5 2 0
Total 8 51 Total 8 40
Table 2: Conditions of MIBC and DSF105 with DSP007

A small volume of DSP007 was added compared to the PAX because DSP007 has a
frothing effect and due to that, small volume of the frother was used. Addition of reagent is
dependent on qualitative analysis.
The data were used to determine the correlation of the elements. For example, iron and
sulphur are correlated because they coexist as pyrite. Figure 1 show that the gold and sulphide
has a linear correlation, as the gold increases the sulphide also increases linearly. Apparently, this
is due to encapsulation of gold into the sulphides. The grade and the recovery of gold from
sulphide minerals cannot be compared with each other since the grade varies from the recovery;
the grade can increase even if the recovery is low and vice versa.

Gold and Sulphide Correlation

Sulphide Concentration, ppm

35
30
25 R² = 1
20
15
10
5
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Gold Concentration, ppm

Figure 1: Linear correlation of gold with sulphide

 unit Au, ppm S_S2, %

R1 24.685 30.42
R2 11.107 13.16
R3 5.684 6.4
R4 2.899 2.96
R5 2.129 2.11
R6 1.543 0.9
Tails 0.141 0.08

Table 3: Concentration of Sulphide and Gold

Table 1 show that both setups using the DSP007 had the same volume dosed and results in
figures 1 and 2 shows that there is no significant difference. In tables 4 and 5 it can also be
observed that there is a small discrepancy between the two. Both frothers had the same
performance with DSP007 in same conditions (pH, tap water, collector, conditioning time etc)
hence comparison of the two is irrelevant.

Figure 2: Comparison of MIBC and DSF105 with DSP007

(flotation time vs %cum. Recovery)
 Time, % Au cum. %Au cum. % S_S2 % S_S2
min Recovery Recovery cum. cum.
(DSF) (MIBC) Recovery Recovery
(DSF) (MIBC)
2 70.6% 73.3% 80.9% 78.4%
4 81.4% 81.1% 89.9% 86.5%
6 85.3% 86.3% 92.9% 91.5%
8 87.4% 89.3% 94.8% 94.2%
10 89.4% 90.7% 96.0% 95.4%
12 91.0% 92.9% 96.7% 96.5%
Table 4: Flotation time and %cum recovery data of gold and
sulphide using of MIBC and DSF105 with DSP007

Figure 3: Comparison of MIBC and DSF105 with DSP007

(mass pull vs %cum. Recovery)
 Mass Mass %Au %Au % S_S2 % S_S2
pull Pull Recover Recover cum. cum.
(MIBC (DSF) y y (DSF) Recover Recover
) (MIBC) y y (DSF)
(MIBC)
5.1% 5.3% 73.3% 70.6% 78.4% 80.9%
6.3% 8.2% 81.1% 81.4% 86.5% 89.9%
7.9% 9.2% 86.3% 85.3% 91.5% 92.9%
9.7% 10.3% 89.3% 87.4% 94.2% 94.8%
10.8% 12.1% 90.7% 89.4% 95.4% 96.0%
13.3% 13.7% 92.9% 91.0% 96.5% 96.7%
Table 5: Mass pull and %cum recovery data of gold and
sulphide using of MIBC and DSF105 with DSP007

Figure 4 show that using PAX, MIBC provides a faster floatation rate than DSF105. At 2
minutes the MIBC was able to float 72.3% of sulphides while the DSF105 only floated 54.3%.
(butang fast floating constant). At 6 minutes both the frothers converged with a close sulphide
recovery of 94%. The optimum flotation time is between 5 to 6 minutes where maximum
recovery is attained. After 6 minutes, it’s starting to reach its plateau where the discrepancy
between the two is small. (butang ang slow floatation consant)
Figure 5 shows that the mass pull of MIBC is lesser than the mass pull of DSF105 but
with a greater recovery which means that MIBC entrains less gangue hence there is a greater
recovery with less mass pull. (unsay significance ani?)

Figure 4: Comparison of MIBC and DSF105 with PAX

(flotation time vs % cum. Recovery)
Time % Au Au cum. %Au Au cum. % S_S2 % S_S2
, min cum. Assay Recover Assay cum. cum.
Recover (DSF), g y (MIBC) Recover Recover
y (DSF) (MIBC) ,g y (DSF) y
(MIBC)
2 39.6% 24.332 56.5% 26.78 54.3% 72.3%
4 56.7% 24.0686 67.0% 27.15 76.1% 83.5%
8
6 79.6% 25.6926 82.3% 24.84 90.2% 93.9%
8
8 85.4% 25.2568 84.2% 24.07 93.6% 96.1%
7
12 91.4% 22.6873 87.7% 21.46 97.4% 98.5%
Table 6: Flotation time and %cum recovery data of gold and
sulphide using of MIBC and DSF105 with PAX

Figure 5: Comparison of MIBC and DSF105 with PAX (mass

pull vs % cum. Recovery)
 Mass pull Mass %Au % S_S2 % S_S2
(MIBC) Pull Recovery cum. cum.
(DSF) (MIBC) Recovery Recovery
(DSF) (MIBC)
2 39.6% 56.5% 54.3% 72.3%

4 56.7% 67.0% 76.1% 83.5%

6 79.6% 82.3% 90.2% 93.9%

8 85.4% 84.2% 93.6% 96.1%

12 91.4% 87.7% 97.4% 98.5%

Table 5: Mass pull and %cum recovery data of gold and

sulphide using of MIBC and DSF105 with PAX

IV. CONCLUSION
Flotation is undoubtly the most important and versatile mineral processing technique. It is
able to recover low grades and complex ores which would be regarded as uneconomic. Reagents
have been a huge part of flotation because it paved a way for improvement. However, in
operating mills understanding the ore is essential because not all the time theoretical foundation
works. In short, occasionally these reagents are not able to do its work due to the property of the
ore. In this test, DSF105 was tested if it can still be used in the plant. Comparison was made
between the MIBC and DSF105 using the DSP007 as a collector. DSP007 is the collector that is
currently used in the flotation circuit of FCF. Results show that there is no significant difference
between the two frothers.
Another test was also conducted using the PAX and results states that PAX partnered
with MIBC as frother has a better performance than using DSF105 with PAX. Flotation circuit in
the plant is only limited to 6 rougher tanks with a residence time of….. hence a faster flotation
kinetic is required to recover its maximum with a residence time of….. With this regard, if PAX
is the collector used in the plant, MIBC would be the best choice if comparison is between MIBC
and DSF105 only.