APLICATION OF FLOTATION PNEUMATC CELLS IN IRON ORE CONCENTRATION PROCESS AT SAMARCO MINERAÇÃO S.A.

Abstract

The Samarco Mineração, located between the cities of Mariana and Ouro Preto (MG), Brazil, has been studying alternatives and/or more efficient equipments for their unit operations of Iron Ore Concentration Plants – such as the flotation pneumatic cells. With the following advantages: higher productivity, no moving parts, lower retention time and generating smaller bubbles. Pilot scale tests were performed at L.C.P (Laboratório de Controle de Processo) - Laboratory Process Control, a laboratory of Samarco. It was used the same samples that it is used in the mechanical flotation process – Wemco cells – in Concentrator I (CI) for these tests. The goals to be achieved with the essays were: quartz content in the concentrate below 4% in terms of iron content in the tailings below 10% - data normally obtained in industrial scale in the stages rougher, cleaner, recleaner and scavenger – CI. For the pilot-scale pneumatic cell, the best result achieved was: 2,52% of quartz in the concentrate and 12,67% of iron in the tailing. This indicates that, after optimization, the desired especifications can be achieved.

Keywords

• located between the cities of Mariana and Ouro Preto (MG)
• Brazil
• has been studying alternatives and/or more efficient equipments for their unit operations of Iron Ore Concentration Plants – such as the flotation pneumatic cells. With the following advantages: higher productivity
• no moving parts
• lower retention time and generating smaller bubbles. Pilot scale tests were performed at L.C.P (Laboratório de Controle de Processo) - Laboratory Process Control
• a laboratory of Samarco. It was used the same samples that it is used in the mechanical flotation process – Wemco cells – in Concentrator I (CI) for these tests. The goals to be achieved with the essays were: quartz content in the concentrate below 4% in terms of iron content in the tailings below 10% - data normally obtained in industrial scale in the stages rougher
• cleaner
• recleaner and scavenger – CI. For the pilot-scale pneumatic cell
• the best result achieved was: 2
• after optimization
• Flotation pneumatic cells.