The Use of Column Flotation in Moly Plants

Why it Works and Why it Doesnt

Peter Amelunxen Director of Metallurgy, Aminpro Chile

Relevance
45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0%

Some Chilean Greenfields or Brownfields Projects with Moly Production Potential Andacollo Andina Phase 2 Caserones Chuquicamata Subterraneo Collahuasi Expansion El Abra Sulfide Escondida Expansion Esperanza & Sierra Gorda District Lomas Bayas Los Bronces Radimiro Tomic Sulfide Relincho Quebrada Blanca Sierra Gorda (Quadra)

Percent of World Mine Production (2009)

Source: USGS Minerals Resource Program, 2009

Moly Flotation in Cu/Mo Columns

12.1 %Cu 2.49 %Mo 23.1 %Cu 0.59 %Mo

Conc. from Rougher Conc

2nd Cleaners
% Cu Rec = 56% % Mo Rec = 7% Ca = 1.7 t/hm2
7.5 %Cu 3.29 %Mo

Cleaner Circuit (Overall)

% Cu Rec = 99.1% % Mo Rec = 92.7%

18.8 %Cu 0.26 %Mo

Tails
0.338 %Cu 0.068 %Mo 9.5 %Cu 3.36 %Mo 7.4 %Cu 2.63 %Mo

from regrind
6.9 %Cu 0.75 %Mo

1st Cleaners
% Cu Rec = 98% % Mo Rec = 97%

to regrind
1.9 %Cu 1.9 %Mo

Mechanical Cells (1st Cleaner)

TPH Cu over Lip
30 25 20 15 10 5 0 3.0 2.5 2.0

TPH Mo over Lip

1st Cell

1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0

10th Cell

3th Cell

4th Cell

5th Cell

6th Cell

7th Cell

8th Cell

2nd Cell

9th Cell

Carry Rate (TPH/m2)

3.5 3.0 2.5

1st Cell

2.0 1.5 1.0

1st Cell

10th Cell

3th Cell

4th Cell

5th Cell

6th Cell

7th Cell

8th Cell

2nd Cell

9th Cell

Crowding of slower floating species in the froth zone of column cell? If so, this would not apply to Cu/Mo Sep!

0.5 0.0

10th Cell

3th Cell

4th Cell

5th Cell

6th Cell

7th Cell

8th Cell

2nd Cell

9th Cell

Copper Moly Separation

Reference Point
Use of NaHS as depressant (no CN, no Nokes) I will refer to a Typical moly circuit
Mechanical roughers, 1st cleaners Column Cells for 2nd-4th cleaners Counter-current cleaners Cleaner-scavenger tails returned to the bulk thickener

Oxygen-depleted air or nitrogen in roughers Air-sparged columns

Redox Potential
Below -450 mV Ag/AgCl, copper sulfides are completely depressed3 Predominant recovery mechanism is entrainment
Mineral Recovery in a Batch Test
100 90 80

Molybdenite Recovery

Recovery (%)

70 60 50 40 30 20 10

Chalcopyrite and Gangue Recovery

0 Rcol = Rmax (1 e-kt) 0 R = RcolRf / ( 1 Rcol + RcolRf )

10

15

20

25

30

35

Time (minutes)

pH
NaHS oxidation drives the pH up, depressing Moly 2NaHS 2Na + 2HS
+ -

2HS- + O2(aq) OH- + S2(s) Global: 2NaHS + O2(aq) OH- + S2(s)

Rmax
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 7

K 3.0 2.5
K (1/min)
MoS2 K CuFeS2 K FeS2 K Insol K MoS2 K CuFeS2 K FeS2 K Insol K

Rmax (%)

2.0 1.5 1.0

MoS2 Rmax CuFeS2 Rmax FeS2 Rmax Insol Rmax

MoS2 Rmax CuFeS2 Rmax FeS2 Rmax Insol Rmax

0.5 0.0

8 9 10 11 12 13 pH (eH=-536 mV; P80=24.3 m)

14

9 10 11 12 pH (eH=-536 mV; P80=24.3 m)

13

P80
Finer P80s depress Moly
2.5 2.0

K (1/min)

1.5 MoS2 Roughers 1.0 MoS2 Cleaners CuFeS2 FeS2 0.5 Insol As 0.0 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 Pb 55 60

P80 ( m)

% Solids
Lower % solids improves kinetics
Shorter residence times at lower % solids
Effect of Flotation Pulp Density on Mo 2nd Cleaner Kinetics
100 90 80

Mo Recovered, %

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
5.6% solids 11% solids 22% solids 32.7% solids

Lab Flot Time, minutes

Simple Moly Circuit

O2-depleted air or N2

Feed
Roughers
NaHS

Tail
O2-depleted air or N2

Cleaner Columns
H2O H2O

1st Cleaners

NaHS Air Air

Moly Section Recovery

Moly Section Recovery
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Jul-98

Mo Section Recovery

Monthly Shift Average

Dec-99

Apr-01

Real, Unfiltered, Historical Production Data Month North American Cu/Mo Porphyry Plant 2.5 kg/ t NaHS Nitrogen roughers, air-sparged columns No pH control in the cleaners

Sep-02

Jan-04

May-05

 so they add more NaHS Operators Increase NaHS to Reduce froth, control spillage

What Can Also Happen

O2-depleted air or N2

Tails % Mo goes up as operators try to control spillage

Poor cleaner performance drives the moly rougher head grade up

Feed
Roughers
NaHS

Tail
O2-depleted air or N2

Maybe they also shut off the wash water Cleaner Columns
H2O H2O

1st Cleaners This pump is not sized properly for froth pumping The pump speed is already at 100%, and the floor is full of concentrate, so the operators cant pull any harder
NaHS Air Air

Increased NaHS leads to higher pH in the columns Operators increase air rate to try to improve column recovery

Higher pH leads to lower column stage recovery

 so they add so more they NaHS add more NaHS so they add more NaHS so they add more NaHS Maybe theyperformance also shut off cleaner PoorPoor cleaner performance %goes Mo goes up as Tails Tails % Mo up as wash water Operators NaHS Increase to NaHS to drives the moly rougher drives thethe moly rougher Operators Increase Operators NaHS to Increase operators try to control operators try to control Reduce froth, Reduce control froth, control grade Operators Increase NaHS headhead grade up up Reduce froth, control spillage spillage to so they add more NaHS spillage spillage Reduce froth, control spillage spillage Tails % up Mo as cleaner goes up as Poor cleaner performan Poor performance Tails % Mo goes up Tails as % Mo goes Operators Increase NaHS to drives the moly rough Poor cleaner performance operators try operators to control try control drives the moly rougher Tails % try Moto goes up as Maybe they also shut off operators control Reduce froth, control Maybe they also shut offto head grade up drives the moly rougher spillage head grade up O2-depleted air or N2 so they add more NaHS operators try to control the wash water spillage spillage thespillage wash water head grade up spillage so they add more NaHS Poor cleaner performance Tails % Mo goes up as This pump is not sized drives the moly rougher Operators Increase NaHS to Tail operators try to control properly for froth pumping Maybe Maybe also shut they off also sh Operators Increase Feed NaHS to head up they Reduce froth, control Maybe they also grade shut off spillage the wash wate Reduce froth, control Maybe theywater also shutthe off wash water O2-depleted air or N2 spillage the wash spillage the wash water The pump speed is already at Poor cleaner perform Roughers Tails % Mo goes up as 100%, Poor cleanerCleaner performance drives the moly rou Tails % Mo goes up as NaHS and the floor is full of Columns operators try to control Maybe they also shut off concentrate, so the operators drives the moly rougher head grade up operators try to control pump issized not sized spillage the wash water This This pump is not H O cant pull any harder head grade up Increased NaHS leads to H O 2 2 spillage properly for froth pumping properly for froth pumping higher pH in the columns 1st Cleaners Operators increase rate The pump speed is already Maybe theyair also shut off The pump speed is already at at This pump is This not pump sized is not sized Maybe they also shut off to try to improve column 100%, and the floor isof full of This pump is not sized the wash water 100%, and the floor is full Higher pH leads to lower properly for properly froth pumping for froth pumping This for pump is sized the wash water recovery properly concentrate, froth sonot pumping the operators concentrate, so the operators column stage recovery properly for froth pull anypumping harder Increased NaHS leads cantcant pull any harder Increased NaHS leads to to higher pH the columns pump The pump is already speed at is in already at NaHS higher pH in the columns The pump speed is The already at speed This pump is not sized 100%, the 100%, floor and is full the of floor is full of The pump speed is already Air increase air rate 100%, and the floor is full and of at properly for froth pumping Operators Operators increase air rate Air concentrate, concentrate, so the operators so the operators 100%, andso the floor is full of concentrate, the operators to try to improve column to try to improve column cant pull any cant harder pull Increased any harder Higher pH leads to lower Increased NaHS Increased NaHS to leads to concentrate, so the operators Higher pH leads toleads lower cant pull any harder NaHS leads to recovery The pump speed is any already at column stage recovery higher pH in higher the columns pH in the columnsrecovery cant pull harder column stage recovery Increased NaHS leads to higher pH in the columns This pump 100%, and the floor is full of is not sized higher pH in the columns This pump is not sized concentrate, so the properly for froth pumping operators Operators increase Operators air rate increase air properly for froth pumping cant pull any harder toair tryrate to improve colu increase Increased NaHS leads to toOperators tryto to improve column Higher pH leads Higher pH lower leads to lower Higher pH leads to lower to try recovery to improve columnrecovery higher pH The pump speed is already at in the columns column column recovery stage recovery Higher stage pH leads to lower stage column recovery recovery The pump speed is already at 100%, and the floor is full of column stage recovery Operators increase air rate 100%, and the floor is full of concentrate, so the operators to try to improve column concentrate, so the operators Higher pH leads to lower cant pull any harder Increased NaHS leads to recovery cant pull any harder column stage recovery Increased NaHS leads to higher pH in the columns higher pH in the columns

Operators Increase NaHS Operators Increase NaHS to to Reduce froth, control Reduce froth, control spillage spillage

Moly Section Recovery

Moly Section Recovery
100 80 60 40 20 0 -20 -40 -60 -80 -100 06-ago-07

25-sep-07

Real, Unfiltered, Historical Production Data 14-nov-07 03-ene-08 22-feb-08 12-abr-08 South American Cu/Mo Porphyry Plant 15 kg/ t NaHS Nitrogen roughers, air-sparged columns No pH control in the cleaners

What is the Solution?

O2-depleted air or N2

Passive pH control in the cleaners, through nitrogen sparging and NaHS reduction

Feed
Roughers
NaHS

Tail
O2-depleted air or N2

Cleaner Columns
H2O H2O

Eliminate the column cells and replace them with mechanical cells operating on N2 or O2-depleted air

1st Cleaners

NaHS

Active pH control in the cleaners through CO2 or H2SO4

Air

Air

Effect of CO2
pH 10.0

pH 12.4

Benefits of Columns
(when operated properly)
MoS2 Upgrading Profile - Column Cells
100 90 100 5 4 3 90

MoS2 Upgrading Profile - Mechanical Cells

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Mechanical y=x Mech Stages 80 90 100

Conc Grade (%MoS2)

Conc Grade (%MoS2)

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

2 Columns y=x Column Stages

90 100

Feed Grade (%MoS2)

Feed Grade, %MoS2

Benefits of Columns
(when operated properly)
100

H2O

Mineral Rmax vs pH

90 Modeled Rmax (%)

80

70
Model Curve

60

MM2 Tests (Sea Water) MM1 Tests (Tap Water)

50 8.0 8.5 9.0 9.5 10.0 10.5 11.0 11.5 12.0 12.5 13.0 pH

Summary
Columns can negatively impact moly recovery when
There is potential for froth crowding by hydrophic non-molybdenum particles (bulk Cu/Mo circuits) They are sparged with air and the cleaner pH is uncontrolled (Cu/Mo separation circuits)

In most other cases, columns will offer superior cleaning performance because they
Eliminate entrainment of other metal sulfides Eliminate entrainment of any salts

Thank You