Fluorine Removal From Ok Tedi Copper/Gold Concentrates
D W Lauder1, M Mavotoi2 and J W Glatthaar3
ABSTRACT
The occurrence of fluorine in the copper/gold concentrates produced by
Ok Tedi Mining Limited has provided a series of challenges to
metallurgists since 1988.
Although fluorine is distributed throughout the gangue minerals
contained within Ok Tedi ores, its presence in talc and phlogopite
(naturally floating fluorosilicates) has proven to be the predominate
sources of fluorine in the final concentrate.
Initial treatment for the fluorosilicates consisted of the use of a
carboxy-methyl cellulose depressant added to the flotation cleaners. This
was superceded in 1998 with the installation of a fluorine reverse
flotation process for the removal of naturally floating fluorosilicates from
the final concentrate when the fluorine content of the final concentrate
exceeds smelter-defined trigger points.
The fluorine reverse process is similar to by-product molybdenite
concentrate production in that sodium hydrosulfide is used to depress
copper/gold flotation whilst allowing the fluorosilicates to float. The
process was installed in two parallel modules (to match the existing
grinding/flotation modules at Ok Tedi), each consisting of a closed
rougher/cleaner circuit configuration. Both rougher and cleaner cells are
Jameson Cells from MIM Process Technologies, with the selection based
on both processing characteristics and available construction space.
This paper discusses both the nature of fluorine in-, and its removal
from-, Ok Tedi copper/gold concentrates.
INTRODUCTION
Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) produces custom copper/gold
concentrates from the porphyry and skarn ores contained within
the Mount Fubilan intrusive system. All production facilities are
contained with the North Fly district of the Western Province of
Papua New Guinea.
Officially located by geologists of the Kennecott Copper
Corporation in 1968, operations commenced in 1984 with
cyanide leaching to produce gold metal from the leached cap
above the copper bearing ores. After producing 1 712 952 ounces
of gold, the processing operation was altered in 1987 to treat
copper/gold ores and produce a copper/gold concentrate.
Brief overview of OTML operations
Since OTML processing operations have been amply described
in previous publications, (eg England, 1991), no attempt will be
made in this work to provide any detail on the mining, crushing,
grinding or flotation circuitry.
Simply, the Concentrator produces copper/gold concentrates
from two parallel grinding/flotation units, each with a rated
capacity of 41 500 tonnes of ore per day. A simplified flowchart
of the grinding and flotation circuitry is shown in Figure 1.
Typical annual production results are provided in Table 1.
1. MAusIMM, Independent Metallurgist, Southern Downs Metallurgy
P/L, PO Box 237, Yungaburra FNQ 4872. E-mail:
davelauder@austarnet.com.au.
2. MAusIMM, Senior Metallurgist, Ok Tedi Mining Limited, PO Box
1, Tabubil, WP, Papua New Guinea.
E-mail: mellie.mm@oktedi.com.
3. FAusIMM, Formerly Manager Mill Technical Services, Ok Tedi
Mining Limited. Currently: PO Box 380, Broken Hill NSW 2880.
E-mail: jglatthaar@bh.perilya.com.au.
Eighth Mill Operators Conference Townsville, QLD, 21 - 23 July 2003
The concentrate from the two flotation units is combined
within the flotation building and gravitated to two concentrate
thickeners for dewatering. The concentrate thickeners are
situated on a ridge named Gundagai. Thickened slurry is pumped
to the companys filters at the Port of Kiunga.
Fluorine in copper concentrates
The element fluorine does not pose a problem in the custom
concentrates of any more than a handful of mines or deposits
around the world. Of these, BHP Cannington (Ag/Pb/Zn) and Ok
Tedi (Cu/Au) are probably the most well known.
The fluorine content of most traded copper concentrates is less
than 200 ppm F. At Ok Tedi, concentrates of shipment size could
vary between 400 and 1500 ppm F if left untreated for the
removal of fluorine.
TABLE 1
Typical Ok Tedi Mining Limited annual production results.
Content Distribution
Stream Tonnes %Cu Au (g/t) Cu Au
Feed 30 295 000 0.88 0.79 100 100
Concentrate 727 080 30.5 23.5 83.2 71.3
Tailing 29 567 920 0.15 0.23 16.8 28.7
The problem with fluorine is that it volatilizes during the
smelting process, ultimately forming hydrofluoric acid in the
acid plant. Apart from attacking the stainless steels of the acid
plant, it also requires removal from the acid with sodium silicate,
a cost that is passed to the vendor as a penalty payment. Fluorine
penalty payments therefore traditionally consist of two trigger
points. The first trigger point (dependant upon the individual
smelter-vendor negotiation) is typically around 350-400 ppm F
and represents a payment for the cost of the sodium silicate at a
rate of $x per 100 ppm F per tonne of concentrate. The second
trigger point varies from 850 1200 ppm F and may take the
form of either a higher penalty per 100 ppm F per tonne of
concentrate and/or a right to reject on behalf of the smelter.
FLUORINE AT OK TEDI MINING LIMITED
Ok Tedi oretypes and fluorine
The Ok Tedi orebodies consist of two porphyritic intrusions,
essentially ringed by skarns. Named by massive lithology, the
porphyry ores are a monzonite and a monzodiorite porphyry.
Skarn lithotypes are calcium silicate, a variable magnetite to
pyrite sequence and an endoskarn. Mineralised host rock to the
intrusions is siltstone.
Historically, all oretypes could present to the mill in either a
sulfide (with or without secondary sulfide enrichment) or
oxidized form. In recent years, however, the proportion of
oxidised ore has fallen to almost nil.
203
D W LAUDER, M MAVOTOI and J W GLATTHAAR

Screen Oversize
650mm
CAVEX
Cyclones

New Feed

To High Flash
Grade Circuit Flotation SAG MILL
Skim Air Allis Chalmers Allis Chalmers
SK500 3.7m x 8.5m Low
Head Screen 10mm 9.8m x 4.3m

2 x Ball Mills
4.8m x 8.8m

(Rougher Cells are 2 Parallel Rows of 15 x OK38 Flotation Cells)

Final Tailings
Rougher Cells 1-3 Rougher Cells 4-9 Rougher Cells 10-15

3.7m x 12.7m
Column Cell

High Grade
Regrind Circuit

Low Grade
Regrind Circuit

Cleaner Cells 1 - 2 Cleaner Cells 3 - 5

Final Concentrate
OK100
Tank Cell
Cleaner
Recleaner Cells

(Cleaner & Recleaner Cells are 16 &

8 Denver DR500 Flotation Cells)

FIG 1 - Simplified grinding and flotation module.

204 Townsville, QLD, 21 - 23 July 2003 Eighth Mill Operators Conference

 FLUORINE REMOVAL FROM OK TEDI COPPER/GOLD CONCENTRATES
Copper mineralisation consists primarily of chalcopyrite,
although with significant rimming by digentite and related
secondary sulfides. Bornite is also present in significant
quantities within the orebody, though it tends to be localised
rather than as a consistent distribution.
The predominant gangue sulfide, pyrite, is ubiquitous, but
presents a problem for processing only when either rimmed by
digentite (as in the monzodiorite porphyry) or is proportionally
great in the mill feed (as in the pyrite skarn).
Elemental fluorine occurs throughout the Ok Tedi orebodies in
a range of mineralisations. Specifically, the following fluorine
containing minerals have been observed (Pangum, 1999); talc,
phlogopite, biotite, apatite, clay, epidote, garnet, actinolite,
tremolite, and titanite. Since all significant observations of
fluorine content have been, with the exception of apatite, in
silicate minerals, it is customary to refer to the fluorine bearing
minerals as fluorosilicate minerals. Noticeably, the traditional
mineral source of fluorine, fluorite, is absent from the observed
fluorine-bearing minerals within the Ok Tedi ores.
Since different fluorosilicates can occur in all the oretypes,
OTML mill feed normally assays at 2000 ppm +/- 1000 ppm F.
This tends to negate the ability to locate fluorine-rich ores by
assay mapping the orebody. Indeed, since it has been determined
that fluorinated talc (or fluorotalc) is the cause of high fluorine in
OTML concentrates, it is the mapping of the presence of talc that
assists in locating problem fluorine ores.
The flotation response of the fluorosilicate minerals is divided
into three groups. The first group contains only talc, which is
strongly hydrophobic. The second group consists of the micas,
which by virtue of their sheet structure are weakly hydrophobic.
The third group contains the remaining fluorosilicate minerals
which are hydrophilic.
When treating only porphyry ores, the concentration of
fluorine in the final concentrate is typically 250 400 ppm F.
This fluorine concentration is due to the presence of only the
second and third group minerals (ie no talc). Since these minerals
are predominately hydrophilic, they are not concentrated by
flotation and the net result is a rejection of approximately 98 per
cent of the fluorine content of the mill feed.
When treating skarn ores, in the absence of any attempt to
limit talc flotation, fluorine concentration can vary from 400 ppm
(in the absence of talc) to 3000 ppm, dependant upon :
1. the proportion of talc in the skarn ore;
2. the degree of fluorination of the talc;
3. the proportion of skarn ore in the mill feed; and
4. the ratio of fluorinated talc to recoverable sulfide species in
the mill feed.
Skarn ores are never treated individually in the Concentrator,
due to their high copper content (>1 per cent Cu) which exceeds
the design of the flotation circuit.
Analysis of fluorine in concentrate
Two methods of analysis are available for the determination of
the fluorine content of a concentrate.
The principal method of determining sample fluorine content
is to sinter the sample with a zinc oxide and sodium carbonate
flux at 890C for 30 minutes followed by a hot water leach for
the (now) soluble fluorine. The filtrate is adjusted to pH 5 with
nitric acid, and after the addition of a total ionic strength buffer,
the fluorine concentration is determined using a fluorine specific
ion electrode.
Since this former method is somewhat time consuming, a
quicker, albeit less accurate, analysis may be made by
Eighth Mill Operators Conference Townsville, QLD, 21 - 23 July 2003
determining the MgO content of the concentrate by XRF and
using a regression equation to determine an approximate F
content. Although quicker, the unreliability of this method shows
when the Concentrator experiences an ore change, for the
regressed relationship between F and MgO is mineral dependent.
Hence the regressed MgO analysis is conducted every two
hours (together with an XRF copper determination), whilst the
principal method is used every twelve hours to both verify the
value and calibrate the regression equation.
Mode of mill operation with respect to fluorine
With the high variability of Ok Tedi oretypes, particularly with
respect to copper and gold content, hardness, fluorine, pyrite and
(historically) oxidation, the matching of production targets to
yield concentrate quality from available oretypes has demanded a
higher degree of flexibility than required at many other
operations. The OTML Production Team therefore conducts two
blending operations (firstly ore and secondly concentrate),
effectively external to the Concentrator process, with the
Concentrator able to focus on the actual treatment of ore.
Hence, the primary methods of fluorine in concentrate control
are feed and concentrate blending. Feed blending aims to adjust
the proportion of high talc bearing skarn ore in the feed so as to
limit the production of high (greater than 650 ppm) fluorine
concentrates. Where this is not possible, the blending of filtered
concentrates at the Port of Kiunga assists in the sale of
concentrates with acceptable fluorine contents.
Even with these two external methods of fluorine control, the
increasing proportion of skarn ores in mill feed over time
demands an intra-Concentrator method of fluorine removal from
the concentrates.
From a broad-brush point of view, there are three possible
methods of fluorotalc removal within the Concentrator, viz.;
1. as a naturally floating concentrate in a separate stage prior
to normal flotation;
2. as a reverse concentrate from the otherwise final
concentrate from the Concentrator; and
3. suppression (depression) of fluorotalc flotation during the
sulfide flotation processes.
The first possibility was eliminated with the installation of
Superflo SK500 flash flotation cells in the grinding circuit in the
mid-1990s, since the requirement for both collector and frother at
the start of the process eliminates the possibility of naturally
floating the fluorotalc without also floating the collected sulfides.
The second possibility is the main subject of this paper, whilst
the third possibility was operated within the Folomian
Concentrator from 1990 until 1997 and is now discussed.
Carboxy methyl cellulose depression of talc
Following the discovery that fluorine accumulated in the final
concentrate when high proportions of skarn ore were treated, a
large range of organic depressants (particularly carboxy methyl
celluloses (CMC) and guars) were tested in the laboratory
(Vanderdoes, 1990) to examine the applicability for depression of
talc. The best product found was a commercial CMC named
Majol PSX (later called Finnifix BDA), which was matched at a
later date by a Hoechst product denominated as Tylose 2895A.
The CMC was mixed to a strength of one per cent and then
added when required to the flotation cleaner feed at a rate of 100
grams per tonne of rougher feed. Since the ratio of cleaner feed
to rougher feed at the time was typically 104/2200, the addition
was typically equivalent to 2000 g/t of cleaner feed, or 6000 g/t
of final concentrate.
205
D W LAUDER, M MAVOTOI and J W GLATTHAAR
Since the occurrence of concentrate requiring treatment for
fluorine is occasional rather than continuous, CMC addition was
commenced after two two-hourly XRF fluorine estimates
exceeded 1000 ppm F and discontinued after two two-hourly
XRF fluorine estimates were less than 700 ppm F.
Due to the variability of Ok Tedi feeds, the actual effect of
CMC was extremely difficult to quantify. That the CMC
impacted fluorine recovery was definite, however, the effect on
copper and gold recovery was much more difficult to gauge. For
example, consider Table 2, containing the results of two
laboratory flotation tests on a sample of plant cleaner feed. The
two tests consist of a control test, ie a laboratory cleaner
flotation test conducted under conditions similar to that
experienced in the plant, and a +CMC test where the control
conditions are maintained, but with the addition of 2000 g/t of 1
per cent CMC solution prior to flotation. The addition of CMC
can be seen from Table 2 to limit the recovery of fluorine by 20
per cent at the expense of seven per cent of copper and eight per
cent of gold recovery within the cleaner stage. Although the
kinetics are not shown, the significantly lower recovery of copper
and gold is evident throughout the flotation test. Quantification
of this cleaner behaviour on total plant recovery is difficult, since
plant cleaner tail was recycled to rougher feed. However, with
the plant circuitry in place during the years of CMC operation,
all rougher concentrate passed through the cleaner stage. This,
coupled with the loss of cleaner retention time due to the volume
of the CMC solution (200 litres per tonne of cleaner feed),
suggested that it was worth examining possible reverse processes
to determine if a better processing route could be found (Lauder,
1995).
TABLE 2
Laboratory tests on plant cleaner feed : with and without CMC.
Test Concentrate grade Recovery (%)
%Cu Au g/t F ppm Cu Au F of this work was that it was irrelevant if nitrogen was used or not,
Control 28.5 15.9 1384 97.7 92.3 55.3
+ CMC 30.8 16.5 1065 91.0 84.4 35.5
REVERSE FLOTATION OF TALC WITH SODIUM
HYDROSULFIDE
The depression of collector assisted flotation with sodium
hydrosulfide (NaHS) or sodium sulfide (Na2S) is well known in
the production of by-product molybdenite concentrates from
copper concentrates, particularly in the porphyry deposits of
Chile and Arizona.
In essence, the object is to add sufficient hydrosulfide or
sulfide ion to a previously floated flotation pulp (normally
otherwise final copper concentrate) to totally remove any oxygen
from the pulp and reduce the electrochemical potential to around
360 mV with respect to a Standard Hydrogen Electrode (SHE)
at a high alkaline pH (11-12). The process is generally applicable
to most sulfide minerals with the notable exception of
molybdenite which has naturally floating properties due to its
unique crystal structure.
Since talc is both naturally floating and not a sulfide mineral,
the applicability of the molybdenum reverse process to a talc
reverse process is obvious. (It is worth noting that since at Ok
Tedi fluoride ion replaces hydroxide ion on the surface of a talc
particle with up to 50 per cent substitution, and hence five per
cent of talc mass, the fluoride content doubtlessly impacts the
flotation kinetics of the fluorotalc. Whether this is beneficial or
detrimental has never been examined to the knowledge of the
authors. It has certainly been the subject of speculation.)
206 Townsville, QLD, 21 - 23 July 2003
Recognising that general plant practice may include the use of
nitrogen as a flotation gas when using NaHS, laboratory tests
were conducted using a Radiometer TTT80 Automatic Titrator
equipped with a magnetic valve for NaHS addition to an E(Pt)
set-point, and nitrogen as the flotation gas to limit NaHS burn-off
from excess oxygen.
Laboratory rougher results typically used 15 kg/t of NaHS to
achieve a 74 per cent recovery of fluorine, but with around 15 per
cent recovery of both copper and gold to the talc-rich concentrate
(Mavotoi, 1995).
Application of Jameson Cell to pilot scale talc
reverse flotation
Since the initial use of NaHS for copper/gold depression in the
laboratory had been conducted with nitrogen as the flotation gas
to limit hydrosulfide burn-off during the flotation stage reaction
time, MIM Process Technologies were requested to supply a
pilot Jameson Cell (J300) equipped with a gas recycle bonnet to
allow the use of nitrogen. The selection of a Jameson Cell was
made due to the low footprint availability on the Folomian
Plateau and the necessity to shoe-horn any additional process
equipment into the not very great available space. The J300 Pilot
Plant Jameson Cell is a single downcomer, 300 mm diameter
cell. The pilot work was conducted near the Gundagai final
concentrate thickeners for ease of tapping a sample from one of
the thickener feed pipes.
Initial pilot work consisted of using the Jameson J300 cell to
make a rougher concentrate. It was quickly determined (Mavotoi,
1997a) that in a rougher stage, a talc-rich rougher concentrate
could be made with an addition of 4 kg/t of NaHS to yield an
E(Pt) of 600 mV (equivalent to 360 mV SHE). From an
otherwise final concentrate containing 1900 ppm F, the talc-rich
rougher concentrate contained 8700 ppm F, 7.6 per cent Cu and
19.4 g/t Au, representing recoveries of 65 per cent of F, 3.3 per
cent of Cu and 13.5 per cent of Au. The second major discovery
as the use of nitrogen as a flotation gas did not impact the NaHS
consumption. Although the gold recovery was high, it was
decided to obtain a second pilot plant Jameson Cell (a J100 cell)
and construct a pilot plant closed rougher/cleaner circuit (see
Figure 2) to examine if a throw-away product could be
produced.
Pilot Plant results from the closed rougher/cleaner circuit are
contained in Tables 3 and 4 for a medium and high fluorine
feed (Lauder 1997b). The salient points to be observed from the
two Tables are:
1. reduction of final concentrate fluorine by an average of 45
per cent;
2. 1.0 per cent copper recovery loss (0.82 per cent loss with
respect to mill feed);
3. 2.1 per cent gold recovery loss (1.5 per cent loss with
respect to mill feed); and
4. improvement in copper concentrate grade by 1.55 per cent.
These results led to the installation of the fluorine reverse
rougher/cleaner circuits within the Folomian Concentrator, one
for each flotation line.
Plant scale installation, operation and control
The Jameson Cells installed in the Folomian Concentrator
consist of two closed circuit rougher/cleaner reverse flotation
installations, one for each Concentrator module. The installation
was completed in 1998.
Eighth Mill Operators Conference
 FLUORINE REMOVAL FROM OK TEDI COPPER/GOLD CONCENTRATES

A schematic elevation of one rougher/cleaner reverse module

TABLE 3
is shown in Figure 3.
Pilot Plant results : medium fluorine feed.
The rougher cells are Jameson Cell Model R2534/6,
Stream Assay Recovery
comprising six downcomers with 38 m.m. orifice plates and an
internal recycle mechanism, the latter to allow both a constant
%Cu F (ppm) Cu Au F volume feed and installation of the cell on the ground (as
Otherwise Final Con 32.5 1841 100 100 100 opposed to suspension in the air). The internal recycle
Throw-Away F Con 4.9 10780 0.8 2.3 49.9 mechanism uses recycled tailings through a slot in the wall
New Final Con 34.1 933 99.2 97.7 50.1
separating the feed and tailing boxes to make-up feed volume so
as to allow a fixed speed pump to deliver a constant volume (and
hence pressure) flow to the six orifice plates.
Talc rougher concentrate is collected and pumped to the
TABLE 4
cleaner cell for cleaning. Original difficulties with handling the
Pilot Plant results : high fluorine feed.
sticky talc-rich froths were overcome by replacing the original
Stream Assay Recovery horizontal pumps with Svedala VF100 froth pumps.
%Cu F (ppm) Cu Au F
The cleaner cells are suspended on a platform above the
rougher cells to allow gravitation of the cleaner tail to the
Otherwise Final Con 28.9 2418 100 100 100 rougher feed as well as gravitation of the talc cleaner concentrate
Throw-Away F Con 5.4 11975 1.2 1.9 41.5 (the throw-away concentrate) through another, dedicated,
New Final Con 30.4 1366 98.8 98.1 58.5 AMDEL ISA zone. The cleaner cells are Jameson Cell Model
J1750/3, with three downcomers, each containing 28 mm orifice
plates. These cells use an external recycle mechanism due to the
Feed to each rougher/cleaner reverse module consists of necessity of having the feed pump at floor level (below the
otherwise final concentrate, which is roughed to produce a talc rougher concentrate launders), but the cleaner tailing valves
rougher concentrate and a talc rougher tailing. The talc rougher above the feed box of the rougher cell whilst leaving sufficient
tailing constitutes the new final concentrate from the reverse head for the cleaner concentrate to gravitate through the AMDEL
module. Talc rougher concentrate is cleaned in a cleaner stage, ISA zone before addition to the plant tailings stream.
with the cleaner concentrate constituting the throw-away talc Control loops on the rougher cells consist of level, density and
concentrate. Cleaner tailing is recycled to the feed of the rougher NaHS control. Level control consists of an Outukumpu float
stage. level transmitter controlling the operation of two tailings dart
When the Jameson Cells are not in use (ie the fluorine content valves which maintain the pulp/froth interface 250 mm below the
of the final concentrate is naturally acceptable) final concentrate cell lip. Density control to 20 per cent solids is achieved with a
originating from the final stage of flotation flows down a long Ramsey density gauge on the rougher cell feed to control water
pipe past the site of the Jameson cells into an AMDEL In-Stream addition to the pump box. NaHS addition is controlled with an
Analysis (ISA) zone. When required, the final concentrate from Ionode IH30 redox electrode to an E(Pt) set point of 600 mV
the long pipe is bypassed to the rougher cell feed box (under (-360 mV SHE).
gravity) so that the rougher tailing may be returned to the same
Automatic control on the cleaner stage is limited to level
AMDEL ISA zone, also under gravity. Hence each
control in a manner similar to the rougher level control, save that
rougher/cleaner reverse module utilizes only two pumps; one for
the control actuator is a pinch valve, rather than a dart valve.
each of the rougher and cleaner flotation stages.
Washwater control on the cleaners is manual.

Otherwise Jameson Cell New Final Concentrate

Final Con Rougher Talc Rougher Tailings

Talc Rougher
Talc Cleaner Concentrate
Tailing

Jameson Cell
Cleaner

Talc Cleaner Concentrate or

Throwaway Concentrate

FIG 2 - Closed rougher/cleaner configuration used in Pilot Plant and concentrator for fluorine reverse process.

Eighth Mill Operators Conference Townsville, QLD, 21 - 23 July 2003 207

D W LAUDER, M MAVOTOI and J W GLATTHAAR

Final Talc Concentrate Outlet

Cleaner Tailing Return
to Feed Box of Cleaner Cleaner Cell Control Valve
Rougher Cell Cell

Cleaner Cell Tailing Splitter Box

Feed Launder-
direct to side of Cleaner Pump Box Level Control Valve
Feed Box

Cleaner Cell Pump Box

Rougher Cell
Cleaner Cell Pump
Talc Rougher
Feed Pump

Talc Rougher Final Copper

Concentrate Launder Concentrate Launder
(Rougher Cell discharge)

FIG 3 - Schematic elevation of OTML fluorine reverse circuit module.

One final control loop comprises an intelligent supervisory in the pilot plant. Recent work suggests that this high NaHS
control loop. Since the pulp treated in the reverse circuit consumption is a feature of recycling the tailing within the
comprises a high value stream, ie the final concentrate, it is internal recycle mechanism and that a better result could be
important not to discharge any or part of this stream to tailings achieved by recycling a portion of the feed. Imminent testwork
through operational malfunction. Hence, when the cleaner will address this issue.
concentrate (throw-away concentrate) is analysed in the Table 6 shows the results of a mineralogical examination
AMDEL ISA zone, if the copper content is greater than an (England, 2002) of the principal feed and products from the plant
operator-determined set-point (typically five per cent Cu), the reverse circuitry. The results were obtained by point counting
stream is not thrown away, but is returned to the normal final samples of each of otherwise final concentrate, talc rougher
concentrate. Only if the copper content (and the gold content concentrate, talc cleaner concentrate and the new final
may be assumed to follow) is acceptable is the talc cleaner concentrate. Talc, which contains the majority of the troublesome
concentrate discarded to final tailing. Naturally, the fail-safe fluorine, makes up only 1.3 per cent of the otherwise final
setting on this loop is to final concentrate. concentrate as produced by the normal flotation circuit, but
As for the plant usage of CMC, the fluorine reverse process is makes up 70.5 per cent of the talc cleaner concentrate stream that
only utilized when necessary, ie commenced after two is discarded. The talc content of the new final concentrate is
two-hourly XRF fluorine estimates exceed 1000 ppm F and reduced to 0.1 per cent. Note that the talc recovery is much
discontinued after two two-hourly XRF fluorine estimates are higher than the fluorine recovery since the talc is not the only
less than 700 ppm F. source of fluorine in the otherwise final concentrate.
Not surprisingly, molybdenite is also upgraded in the talc
Plant results reverse process. The 0.3 per cent molybdenite in the otherwise
final concentrate is increased to 6.5 per cent of the talc final
Since installation, reverse process operating time has been
concentrate, whilst reducing to 0.1 per cent of the new final
limited to 13.4 per cent, ranging from an annual high of 17.6 per
concentrate.
cent to an annual low of 8.0 per cent
Typical operating results for the Jameson Cell circuit are
shown in Table 5 for the month of July 2002. With a lower feed TABLE 5
fluorine than in the pilot plant, fluorine recovery is naturally Talc reverse circuit operating results (July 2002).
lower, but still producing a more blendable concentrate. The
lower fluorine recovery is reflected both in a lower copper and Stream Assay Recovery
gold loss to the throw-away F concentrate and a smaller %Cu F (ppm) Cu Au F
increase in the upgrading of the copper content of the final
concentrate from the mill. Otherwise Final Con 27.9 1322 100.0 100.0 100.0
NaHS consumption has been typically high at 10 kg/t of final Throw-Away F Con 7.4 11075 1.1 1.0 36.0
concentrate treated, more than twice the consumption predicted New Final Con 28.4 848 98.9 99.0 64.0

208 Townsville, QLD, 21 - 23 July 2003 Eighth Mill Operators Conference

 FLUORINE REMOVAL FROM OK TEDI COPPER/GOLD CONCENTRATES

TABLE 6 Apart from the authors, significant contributions to the

Mineralogical composition of process streams (England, 2002). installation and operation of the fluorine reverse process were
made by many people, most notably Mr Joe Mohe (former
OTML installing engineer) and Mr Andrew Murphy (former
% Mineral Otherwise Talc rougher Talc cleaner New final
final con con con con MIM Process Technologies Engineer). Thanks also to
Mr Dickson Ikis for constructing the diagrams used in this paper.
Talc 1.3 44.6 70.5 0.1
Chalcopyrite 72.2 39.5 13.6 71.4
REFERENCES
Cc group 12.2 2.3 0.7 14.2
England, B M, 2002. Quantitative mineralogy of Ok Tedi Jameson Cell
Pyrite 10.2 1.7 1.4 11.2 Test Samples, BHPBilliton Newcastle Technology Centre. Report
Molybdenite 0.3 3.1 6.5 0.1 dated 8 January 2002.
England, J K, 1993. Copper concentrator practice at Ok Tedi Mining
Other 4.1 8.8 7.3 3.0
Limited, Ok Tedi, Papua New Guinea, in Australasian Mining and
Metallurgy, The Sir Maurice Mawby Memorial Volume (Eds: J T
Notes: Woodcock and J K Hamilton), pp 661-665 (The Australasian
1. Mineralogical composition estimated from point counting. Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).
2. Cc group = sequence of copper sulfides from chalcocite through Lauder, D W, 1995. Economics of CMC Utilisation, OTML Internal
digenite to covellite. Report Dated 12 April 1995.
3. Other includes magnetite, quartz, sphalerite. Lauder, D W, 1997a. Prediction of fluorine content in Ok Tedi
concentrates, OTML Internal Report Dated February 1997.
Copper losses associated with the throw-away talc cleaner Lauder, D W, 1997b. Capital expenditure proposal for installation of a
fluorine reverse flotation circuit, OTML Internal Report Dated June
concentrate are composed primarily of chalcopyrite (as is the 1997.
copper in the ore, generally), but, as noted in previous Tables,
Lauder, D W, 2002. Sensitivity of the Jameson Cell Fluorine Reverse
comprises only one per cent of the mill feed copper. Process, OTML Internal Report Dated May 2002.
Mavotoi, M, 1995. Fluorine reverse status report #2 OTML Internal
CONCLUSIONS Report Dated 7 November 1995.
Mavotoi, M, 1997a. Fluorine reverse flotation project status report #4 -
1. The installation of the fluorine reverse process was a Jameson Cell Trials, OTML Internal Report Dated 20 May 1997.
success in that it resulted in less fluorine in final
Mavotoi, M, 1997b. Summary of closed circuit pilot plant tests on the
concentrate than the cmc depression process. Fluorine Reverse Project, OTML Internal Report Dated 30 June
2. The installation of the fluorine reverse process was a 1997.
success in that it provides a continuing insurance policy Pangum, L S, 1999. Process mineralogical response of fluorine-bearing
against unsaleable concentrates. minerals in Ok Tedi Ores, PhD Thesis (unpublished), The University
of Queensland.
3. The installation of the fluorine reverse process was a Pangum, L S, Manlapig, E V, Mackinnon, I D R and Lauder, D W, 1997.
success in that it recovered the proportion of fluorine Flotation process response of Ok Tedi fluorine bearing minerals, in
predicted by the pilot scale work . Proceedings PNG Geology, Exploration and Mining Conference,
(The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).
4. The higher than predicted NaHS consumption of 10 kg/t of Vanderdoes, C A, 1990. Fluorine depressants, OTML Internal Report
final concentrate is the focus of continuing work. Dated 7 August 1990.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The permission of the management of Ok Tedi Mining Limited
to publish this paper is gratefully acknowledged.

Eighth Mill Operators Conference Townsville, QLD, 21 - 23 July 2003 209