MineraL~ Engineering, Vol. 7, No. 12, pp.

1473-1486, 1994

Pergamon
0892--6875(94)00085-9

Elsevier Science Ltd

Printed in Great Britain
0892--6875/94 $7.00+0.00

COLUMN FLOTATION CIRCUITS IN

CHILEAN COPPER CONCENTRATORS

G. SCtIENA and A. CASALIS"

University of Trieste, DINMA, Division of Georesources and Environment, 34127 Trieste, Italy
t Department of Mining Engineering and Mineral Processing,
University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
(Received 4 March 1994; accepted 17 July 1994)

ABSTRACT
This paper reviews the cohmm flotation practice in the largest Chilean copper-moly
concentrators where this process unit has been increasingly chosen to replace multi stage
cleaning circuits in new and existing operations. Process flowsheets incorporating columns
are presented fi~r selected concentrators. Procedures for sealing up, attd process control
are also illustrated.
Keywords
Flotation columns, flotation circuits, processing costs

INTRODUCTION
The Chilean mineral industry has always been ready to accept novel and alternative process technology;
it suffices to mention the large impact that semi-autogenous (SAG) milling has had since the early 80's
and the on-going full scale testing of innovative hyperbaric-filtering technologies. In the last ten years
colunm flotation has been increasingly accepted in the process circuits of the Chilean concentrators [1]
and it may be expected that in the near future on going R&D will contribute to make this novel technology
suitable to more applications. Certainly the low price of copper in 1993 (75 cents/lb, for high grade
copper) has caused a short term general decline in re-investments and in the expenditure for pilot plant
testing and R&D but has stressed the need to contain production costs. At the moment economy of scale
and enhanced processing technology can contribute to better the economic performance of copper
operations. A number of concentrators are considering capacity expansion (Andina & Disputada) and
enhanced metallurgical recuperation projects have also been implemented (Andina, PARM) [2]. Column
flotation can contribute both to cost saving and to increased revenues by improving the metallurgical
performance of concentration circuits. Most of the column flotation experience in Chile is restricted to
Cu-Mo bulk concentration and Cu/Mo separation. Table 1 summarizes colunm tlotation installations to
date. In the copper industry the level of knowledge and experience is such that today columns can be
considered in flotation flowsheets with increased confidence.

PROCESS FLOWSllEETS INCORPORATING COLUMNS

Column flotation has contributed to simplify copper flotation circuits, decreasing the number of units with
the related benefits. Probably the most successful application has been in the flotation cleaning sections
where the industrial column application began by replacing the third stage and evolved to substituting three
stages of cleaning. Herewith selected tlotation circuits adopting colutlms are illustrated in some detail.
7:lz-s

1473

CHUQU1CAMATA/
CODELCO
ESCONDIDA/
RTZ - BHP

EL SALVADOR/
CODELCO

EL TENIENTE/
CODELCO

ANDINA/
CODELCO

Rencagua

il Region Antifag-gta
Escondida Antofagasta

La
concentrator

Chuqui concentrator

as above

cleaning
m 1
Cu/Mo sep.
cleaning in the
1
Chalcopyrite
Cu-Mo
bulk
(0.9% Cu ca.)
flotation
cleaning in
2
Chalcopyrite
Cu/Mo sep.
i (1.3% Cu ca.)
8
Calcosina and cleaning in the
Cu-Mo
bulk
covelina
(2.12% Cu ca.) flotation

Chalcopyrite
(I .13%Cu ca.)

VI

Region

Chalcopyrite
(I.25- 1.3% Cu)

V RegionLos Andes

El
Salvador I11 Region
concentrator

Andina
grindingflotation plant
(3000m.a.s.I.)
Coletonas
concentrator
Mo circuit
as above

San Francisco plant

Los Bronces-

Number
of column
units

bulk cleaning:
iI
3rd and sole
cleaner
cleaning in the
2
Cu-Mo
bulk
flotation
1
cleaning un
Cu/Mo sep.

as above

as above

as above

LOs BmncesSan Francisco plant

cleaning in the
Cu-Mo
bulk
flotation
as above

Las Tonolas flotation R. Metropolitana Chalcopyrite

plant (800 m.a.s.I.)
-Colina
( 1.2% Cu ca.)

DISPUTADM
EXXON-CHILE

Application

Site of the installation

Company

Mineral/s
Chilean
region & main >rocessed
(main species)
city

16

14.3x4.0x4.0

industrial

industrial

3.5

pilot

pilot

ind~hlal

13.6xl .83xl.83

0.81

0.71

13

pilot

229

179.4

industrial

pilot

pilot

Indtts;, ial

Indu.shial/
pilot plant

10x0.76 (30")

13.3x0.9x0.9

15x0.9

12
Ixl.08

6.5

13.85x3.71xl.76

13.8x2x6.5

0.65

12x0.91(36")

Total
section
area
[m2]
16

0.17

N. Buff. Total
Ix w
volume
[m]x[m] ~ unit
[m31
16
232

13.5x0.46 (18")

14.5 x2x8

Column size
HxLxW or
HxD [m.l

TABLE 1 Some industrial and pilot plant applications of flotation columns in Chile.

Cominco
and
Minnovex

USBM/CII
Turbo-Air

1992-

19901991-

+
+

as
above
+

1989+

19871991
1991-

f.cloth and
USBM/CII

as
above

19851987

Yeas
of start
up and
end
1992-

filt~r cloth

USBM/CII
Tmbo-Air

h,+.-ffece
level

USBM/CII
Turbo-Air +
Minnovex

Bias
+/-

~;ira cloth

Type og
control
strategy

Type of
bubble
gene~or

.>

>

U'3

.o

.-.d
4~

Column flotation circuits

1475

Disputada de Las Condes - Las Tortolas concentrator.

Flowsheet
The concentrator is located at 800 m. above see level near Colina and one hour by car from Santiago.
It is fed through a 56 km. long pipeline with the product of the Los Bronces grinding plant at 3600 m.
above sea level (m.a.s.1.). The feed (37000 tpd; 80% -65 mesh or (212 am), 1.2% Cu) is mainly
chalcopyrite (Cu-34.6 %) but chalcocite (Cu-79.8%) is sometimes present. It is treated in two parallel
flotation lines with a common 3.8 x 8.2 m. (12.5 x 27 ft.) regrinding ball mill for the combined rougher
concentrates (Figure 1). The rougher stage consists of two parallel sections of nine 85 rrra (3000 cu. ft.)
Wemco cells. The rougher concentrate is ground to 80% -325 mesh (45/zm) in a ball n'fill circuit closed
by ten 0.50 m. (20 in.) diameter Vulco cyclones. The overflow joined to the scavenger concentrate is fed
to two parallel flotation colunms with cross section 16 m 2 and 14.5 m. high. The colunm Cu-Mo
concentrate is de-watered and filtered in two 48 m2 hyperbaric Andritz filters that produce a cake
humidity of 8%. The scavenger stage consists of two parallel sections of seven 42.5 m3 (1500 cu. ft.)
Wemco cells each.

_ =-=_-=
~ ~
'~ ~ ', z~-~ ' " t ~ s ~
~ o , ,

. t ~ ~ / . .

' -I

%ter~,~, I

[LasTrtlas'regrindingandl
I
flotation plant
[

~OU,~,..OT,,~O~,~L,

L _

"
L~

,
WATER

F W:-LOO
REAGENTS I I
i
~
I~l

~ WATER

Fig. 1 Las Tortolas Cu-Mo concentrator flowsheet (1992-)

Cohtmn flotation practice

Each column treats 200 tph of mineral at 20% solids. Copper recovery in the column is 60% . The
overall copper recovery of the circuit is 86 %. The grade of the column concentrate varies between 2830%. but may be as high as 38% when the mineral is mainly chalcocite.
The 14.5 m. column is fed 2.5 m. from the top. The pulp-froth interface is kept between 0.6 m. and 1.5
m. from the colurnn top by the interface level control system. The sprays tbr an eventual washing water
addition are above the froth surface. However wash water is rarely needed to upgrade the concentrate and
the column operates prevalently with negative bias. The baffles divide the 2 x 8 m. section (16 m 2) in 16
sub-columns of 1 m2 area each. The baffling work starts 0.1 m above the bubble generator.

1476

G. SCHENA and A. CASALI

The two columns are equipped with two different external bubble generation systems. One unit uses the
USBM/CII Turbo-Air device. The other unit uses a bubble generator marketed by Minnovex-Canada. The
two bubble generation systems allow comparable metallurgical results. They are tested in parallel to
compare their wearing performances. The Minnovex bubble generator device made from steel lasted a
few days, a carbon-tungsten steel device has worked for several weeks without need of maintenance.
Water addition to sparger air for bubble generation is kept at minimum values and frother is not required.
The colunm feed and products flow rates are measured on-line. Wash water and air flows are also
measured. Pulp-froth interface level is calculated from multiple pressure measurements. The column
control system is used to keep the interface level within suitable limits by adjusting the tailing discharge
valve. However, on line measurements can be used to adjust the washing water addition as well. A
display in the control room allows visual control of the top of the column.
The new 36000 tpd Las Tortolas flotation circuit was conceived and designed on the basis of the industrial
and colunm pilot plant experiences in the previous Los Bronces-San Francisco concentrator (3600 m.
above sea level). The earlier San Francisco conventional circuit (Figure 2) was successively modified to
a configuration similar to that of Las Tortolas. The initial treatment capacity of San Francisco was 4800
tpd (1978), rising to 8400 tpd in 1981 and was 12000 tpd in 1988. The plant was put out of service and
finally substituted by Las Tortolas in 1991. One 0.45 m. (18") and one 0.90 m. (36") flotation columns
have been tested at San Francisco since 1985. Based on the finding from pilot testing in 1987 a full scale
3.91 x 1.76x 13.85 m. colunm was put in service as third cleaner (Figure 3). Later the cleaning section was
fully converted to columns - that is replacing three stages of cleaning with one unit (Figure 4). The
experiences are thoroughly reported by Villanueva and Vergara [3]. The flowsheet of Figure 1 used today
at Las Tortolas and sketched in Figure 5 is indeed a further evolution of the Los Bronces flowsheet in
Figure 4.

FEED
TAIL

I REGRINDING

iI
t

FINALCONCENTRATE
Fig.2 San Francisco flotation plant - earlier conventional circuit (1978-87)

Future developments
A flotation plant for the treatment of the bulk concentrate for copper/naolybdenuna separation is under
construction and will be operating early in 1994. The new flowsheet incorporates column flotation and
is shown in Figure 6.
Currently the expansion of the treatment capacity from 36000 to 50000 tpd is also being investigated.

Column flotation circuits

1477

FEED

TAIL

RF.GRINDING

II

FINAL CONCENTRATE

Fig.3

Evolution of San Francisco flotation plant - column as third cleaner

in the conventional cells circuit (1987-88)

FEED

TAIL

REGRINDING
FINAL CONCENTRATE

Fig.4 Evolution of San Francisco flotation plant - column cleaning circuit (1988-92)

1478

G. SCHENAand A. CASALI
FEED

'rAIL

REGRINDING

FINAL C O N C E N T R A T E

Fig.5 Further hypothetical evolution from San Francisco flotation plant to that in use at Las Tortolas.
u~Mo

CONC. Cu

CONC. Mo

Fig.6 Las Tortolas Cu/Mo separation tlowsheet (1994-)

Andina concen[rator
Flowsheet

The operation is located in Los Andes 120 Km from Santiago leading north. The grinding-flotation plant
is in a cave at 3000 m. a.s.1.. The concentrator can be reached by tbur-wheel drive in spring and summer
but in winter with severe climate conditions the access is possible only by snow-mobiles. The mill treats

C o l u m n flotation circuits

1479

33500 tpd of ore mineralised by chalcopyrite. Average feed grades vary between 1.25-1.3 % Cu. The
feed is treated in three parallel grinding circuits. Each grinding line has one 3.7 x 4.9 m. (12 x 16 ft.)
Marcy rod mill and the discharge is split in three secondary 3.8 x 4.9 m. (12.5 x 16 ft.) ball mills in
close circuit. The rod mill discharge feeds three batteries of cyclones each consisting of three 0.4 m.
cyclones. The underflow of a battery of three cyclones feeds one ball mill. The 80% - 270/am (60 mesh)
overflow of the nine cyclones goes to five rougher flotation lines each with nine cells. There are 4 parallel
lines with 90utokumpu-36 (1350 of.) cells and 1 line and with 9 -42.5 m 3 (1500 cf.) Wemco cells. The
combined rougher concentrate is reground in closed circuit with one 2.75 x 3.96 m. (9 x 13 ft.) and seven
0.4 m (15 in.) cyclones. The overflow, along with the re-ground cleaner-scavenger concentrate, feeds the
two parallel rectangular 6.5 x 2 m. columns 13.8 m. high. (Figure 7). The scavenger is a bank of 13
Outokumpu-36 cells. The re-grinding of the scavenger concentrate is in open circuit. The bulk concentrate
is treated in a copper moly separation circuit. Copper is depressed and molybdenite floated. The Me
concentrate has 49 % Me and less than 3 % Cu. The separation is carried out by roughing and six cleaning
stage in counter-current sections.
FEED
TAlL

REGRINDING
FINAL CONCENTRATE

Fig.7 Andina Cu-Mo bulk flotation flowsheet.

Column flotation practice

The column feed is 80% - 63 #m (230 mesh) and 20% solids. In Table 2 a tentative mass balance is
reported for the flotation - regrinding plant of Figure 7. Each cohmm is divided by baMes in 12 sections.
The device is operated with positive bias and tile washing water kept to 10%. of the feed flowrate. The
USBM/CII Turbo air system is in use. In the past (1986-87) pilot plant tests have been carried out in a
1.0 m. diameter, 13 m. high column. Different flowsheet configurations were tried with the column in
parallel with other conventional flotation banks. This circuit has been operating since the recent
completion early in 1992 of the marginal project termed PARM (Proyecto Aumento de Recuperacion
Metalurgica) that succeeded in bringing the copper concentrate grade to 30 % from the average values of
28 % and increasing the overall copper recovery by 3 %.

Future developments
A major expansion, almost doubling the actual treatment capacity, has just received approval (November
1993); treatment capacity will increase from 32000 to 64000 tpd. Column flotation has been inclt, ded in

G. SCH]ENAand A. CASALI

1480

the new Cu-Mo bulk flotation plant and also in the Cu/Mo separation plant. Here roughing and cleaning
stages will use columns, and mechanical cells will be used in the scavenger section. A probable flowsheet
of the integrated process is shown in Figure 8.
TABLE 2 Tentative mass balance around the columns operating at Andina
solid tph

Cu %

F.ed
1400.00
1.28

Me %
solid %
pulp inch
solid s g

Iv ~

R.t.ill

0,02
036
2947.20
2,80

Rconcentrates

346,00
4.60
O,O9
28,98
967,24
2,90

watar

c..... ,,,,e

3,5
o,4o

solid tph

Cu %
Me %
solid %
pulp inch
solid s g

td % -

~,,..3

~0-~'q'

0,44
29.23
134,03
4,20

COLUMN
CLEANER

I ~ S C

4,96
0,55
19,42
2279,55

Cu %
Me %
solid %
pulp inch
solid a g
rougher

Yield
Cu recover'/
Me recovery

24,71
88.82
87.20

column

9,86
60.92
7,54

460,50
2.15
0.59
O.19
2145.52
3,00
scavenger

35.81
95.01
97.60

F "

3,60

h= T.il.
Iv
1349,60
0,19

T
IS
.tails
|
=

II

5,70
1,61
26,33
507,19

3.20
avenger feed

solid tph

0,004
39,87
1979,96
2.7

164.80 ~

,t'.,.d ....
I
I
t

1084
O.19013283

295,60
O,17
0,02

0,01
28,43
3890.00
2,70

14.o8

'

b,~[SCAVENGER =did% I~ ~

lY

overall

3.60
86,06
67,33

FEEl
TAIL
>

CONCCu

l,

BULKCu-Mo]

CONC.Mo

Fig.8 Probable Andina flowsheet after expansion.

Cu-Mo bulk flotation and Cu/Mo separation plants (1996-)

Column flotation circuits

1481

El Teniente - Col6n concentrator

Cu/Mo separation by column flotation

At E1 Teniente colunms have been evaluated since from for application in the Cu/Mo separation circuit
where copper is depressed and Mo is floated. The objective is a radical simplification of the counter
current cleaning molybdenum circuit that is in use today. Two pilot plant column were used for the
evaluation : one circular unit 15 m. high and 0.9 m. diameter and one square unit 13.3 m. high and 0.9
m. wide.
The conventional circuit has a rougher stage and 6 cleaning stages. The rougher stage consists of 5
parallel banks of 13 - 2.83 m 3 (100 ft 3) Wemco cells. The first cleaning section has 4 banks of 12 - 1.7
m 3 (60 ft3) Wemco cells each. The banks operate in counter-current mode with a 4-4-4 arrangement. The
second has 5 banks of 6 - 1.1 m3 (40 ft3) Denver 21 arranged 4-2. The third cleaning section has 3 banks
of 6 - 0.68 m 3 (24 ft3) ceils. The 4th, 5th and 6th cleaning section each consist of 2 parallel banks of 6 0.68 m 3 (24 ft3) Denver 18 cells in counter-current. In these sections the cells are counter-current
arranged according 4-2, 4-2-3, 2-1 respectively.
Tile Mo grade in the Cu-Mo bulk concentrate feeding tile conventional Mo rougher-cleaning circuit is in
the range 0.45-0.5 % and in the final concentrate 42-45 %. Since molybdenite has 60 % Mo the mineral
grade of tile concentrate is 70-75 %. The Cu content in the Mo concentrate is kept below 4%. Concentrate
production is in tile range 10-15 tpd. The rougher tail that is tile Cu concentrate has 30% Cu. The grade
of the rougher concentrate that is the cleaning circuit feed is 0.8-1.0% Mo.
The separation results obtained by operating tile pilot cohmms in parallel to different sections of the
complex existing conventional circuit have demonstrated that 4 stages of cleaning will produce a
concentrate with a Mo grade averaging 50 % whereas the conventional circuit gave grades of 45 %. The
final column circuit that will probably enter operation in 1995 is shown in Figure 9. Basically the carrying
capacity was the variable used to scale up the full-scale columns and superficial velocities were kept close
to optimum values found during pilot plant testing.
Walhwater

From rougher

Wash water

Wa#hwatcr

WaJh water

To rougher

Mo Cone,

Air

Air

Fig.9 El Teniente Cu/Mo probable counter-current columnar circuit (1996-)

?:IZ-C

1482

G. SCHENA and A. CASALI

Chuquicamata - Cu/Mo circuit.

At Chuquicamata columns are used in the molybdenum circuit. The bulk copper- moly concentrate is
thickened and fed to the Cu/Mo separation circuit that is schematically shown in Figure 10. The final
moly concentrate averages 54 % Mo and less than 0.2 % Cu. The copper concentrate averages 35 % Cu.
Tile rougher stage consists of two parallel lines with 8 Denver (500 cf.) cells each. The first cleaner stage
has 12 Agitair (48 cf.) followed by 8 Denver (300 cf.). The second and third cleaner stage are carried
out in two square section (1.83xl.83 m.) columns operating in parallel; that is one column flotation stage
instead of two conventional cleaning stages. The fourth cleaner consists of two benches of 12 Agitair (48
cO. Regrinding is in two stages: 4 x 100 mm Krebs cyclones are followed by 2 Marcy (4x8 ft.) ball mills.
The second re-grinding stage is closed with 8 x 100 mm Krebs cyclones.
The fifth and sixth cleaning stage are two parallel benches of Agitair (48 cf.) in a 8-3 counter-current
arrangement.
The final molybdenum concentrate is leached to reduce copper content, thickened and filtered and dried.
Bulk Cu-Mo

Canc. Cu

Fig. 10 Chuquicamata Cu/Mo separation circuit.

Escondida concentrator
Tile processing plant was design for a nominal capacity of 35000 tpd. The initial reserve exploited should
have an average copper grade 2.12 % and total reserves 1.6 %. The projected life is 52 years. However
the average feed grade for the first years is 2.85 % Cu. Concentrate production is 760000 tpy with
320000 tpy of copper (42% Cu). Moly plant is not in operation and its activation is not expected in the
short run due to low Mo grade of the concentrate currently produced. Grinding is carried out in two
identical lines. Each line includes a 8.5 x 4.3 m (28 x 14 fi) SAG mill and a battery of 10 Krebs D-26
cyclones. Tile underflow is re-ground in a 5.5 x 7.5 m (18 x 24 ft) ball mill and re-classified. The cyclone
overflow is pumped to a rougher flotation bank. Flotation llowsheet is shown ill Figure 11; the two
parallel rougher tlotatiort banks include 40 (2 x 20) 44 m3 (1500 cf.) Dorr Oliver cells and are designed
to provide 22 minutes retention time with a pull~ solid content of 30%. The rougher COllcentrate of each

Column flotation circuits

1483

line is classified in two parallel batteries of ten Krebs D-15 cyclones and the underflow re-ground in 4.3
x 8.1 (14 x 26.5 ft) ball mills. The overflow is fed to the cleaning columns. A total of eight 4 x 4 x 14.3
columns provide a cleaning retention time of 20 minutes. The column tails are re-treated in a scavenger
bank of 20 44 m 3 Dorr Oliver flotation cells; the tailings are de-watered and finally rejected and the
concentrate re-classified in the D-15 cycloning batteries. Column concentrates are de-watered in two 52
m diameter thickeners to 65 % solids and delivered by pipeline to the Coloso filtering-storage buildings.
The expansion to a nominal capacity of 55000 tpd by installing a third processing line is under evaluation.
FEED

TAIL

~GR~D~G
FINAL CONCENTRATE
),

Fig. 11 Escondida copper flotation circuit.

COLUMN F L O T A T I O N P R A C T I C E
Scaling up
Scaling up procedures are largely based on experiences in pilot plants. Full scale equipment is scaled-up
by the use of carrying capacities measured in pilot plants and matching ranges of superficial velocities.
However the height of all the columns operating in Chile is between 12-14 m.
Table 3 reports typical values used in copper cleaning. The data were collected from bibliograplly [4,5,6]
and enquiries during plant visits.
Bubble generalors and energy requirement
The Minnovex, the Cominco and the Turbo-Air USBM/CI[ external bubble generators are in use in Chile.
As an example, in a typical copper cleaning operation two 16 m 2 cohmms consume 1200-1500 m3/h of
air at standard - i.e. atmospheric- conditions. The compressed air at 480 kPa (70 psi) of the air network
is ted to the cohmm at 290 kPa (45 psi). Each column has 16 inlet pipes. As a rule of thumb 50 m3/h of
air in standard conditions per square meter of colunm section are necessary. Power requirement for the
application is in the order of 0.1 kWh/m 3 of air in standard conditions, i.e. 1 bar. No applications of the
Microcel bubble generation systems are reported in Chile. With such a system the energy requirement is
higher because about 0.3 kWh per m 3 of feed pulp are probably needed by the re-circulating puml~.

1484

G. SCHENAand A. CASALI

Power consumption is essentially application specific: increasing with decrease in the mineral size and
depending on the recovery. There are experimental indications that air flow rate permits movements along
the recovery-grade curve of the column.
TABLE 3 Typical values of key operating variables and geometry for tlotation columns.
min.- max.
Carrying capacity
(tph. m-Z solid in conc.)
Carrying capacity
(tph .m-2 Cu in conc.)
Treatment capacity
(tph. m-2 solid feed )
Bias : (T-F)/F
Bias ratio : T/F
Superficial velocities
(cm.s-l) :
washing water
air or gas
bias
pulp

Notes: values for Cu-Mo bulk flotation

1.5-2.5
0.5-1.2
5-10

.10-.20
1.1-1.2

(T-F)/F =T/F-1
flowrate/section area

0.2-0.5
2.0-3.0
0-0.3
1.0-1.5

Pulp retention time

in col. zone (minutes)

7-9

Froth height (m.)

0.6-1.5

Gas hold-up (%)

14-18

Pulp weight % solid

19-22

Geometrical ratios:
Overall height / overall width o r 2-3.5
diameter ratio
height / width ratio
10-15

volume of air in standard conditions

collection zone volume / tailing flowrate

estimated figures

Typically a column is 12-14 m. high

Typically the baffling work divides the
column in sets 1 m. wide

Flotation column control in Chile

The lowest level control strategy presupposes the automatic regulation of tile pulp-froth interface position.
It is showed in the sketch 'a' of Figure 12. A constant interface level is achieved by operating the tailing
discharge bottom valve. This simple strategy is conceived to allow a stable operation and not directly
meant to improve metallurgical performance. Washing water and gas tlowrates are kept constant or
manually regulated. A multi-point pressure measurement method is used to eliminate the need of bulk

Column flotationcircuits

1485

density in the pulp and froth zones for the calculation of the interface depth. Floating bobs or bubblingpressure measurement systems are also used. Sonar technology is in use at Escondida,
In many cases positive bias assures better metallurgical performance. The higher levels of control are
based on the bias control. This is achieved either by maintaining a constant positive difference between
tailing flowrate and feed flowrate or by ensuring a constant ratio ( > 1) between the two flowrates.

WHh water

F,,d

kml

Co.~

Air

Tail

SET
LEVEL

a)

b)

c)

d)

Fig. 12 Control strategies : a) interface level with discharge flowrate - fix washing water; b) bias with
flowrate difference and level with washing water addition; c) bias with flowrate ratio and level with
washing water; d) bias with water addition and level with discharge flowrate
Legend : FC: flow controller; FDC: flow difference controller; FRC: flow ratio controller; FI: flow
indicator; FT: flow transmitter; LT: level transmitter; LC: level controller; BC: bias controller
In this class of strategies different possibilities exist. One method is to set a bias value as the difference
in the measured feed and tail flowrates and maintain the (positive) setting adjusting the bottom tailing
valve. An independent control loop operates the washing water addition valve in order to keep a constant
interface level ( Figure 12 - b). The method can be improved by setting the bias as a ratio greater than
one between the measured tailing and feed flowrates (Figure 12 - c). This second strategy is more suitable
for variable feed flowrates.
Another strategy in use controls the interface level that is kept constant by operating the tailing valve and
the bias by adjusting the washing water addition (Figure 12 - d). Therefore the measures of feed and tail
flow rates are used to modulate the water addition in order to keep a given bias setting; the tailing valve
operates to maintain the interface level. The tailing discharge system is regulated by a pinch valve.
All the control strategies reported are used in Chile; however in a number of plants the strategies based
on bias originally implemented were later modified and the simpler control of level is now adopted. It
seelns that to date available instrumentation does not offer the precision sufficient for successful colunm
control. Optimal control is not yet implemented, but is planned.
Research at tile Department of Chemical Engineering of the Technical University of Valparaiso is devoted
to column flotation variable identification and control. Alternative methods for the precise measurement
of the level interface position based on temperature and electrical conductivity profiles obtained along the
colunm are being investigated. The research group works close association with eolunm operators at El
Teniente. These novel methods will permit the estimation ofinterface levels and bias with a precision
superior to that allowed currently by tile use of available instrumentation. This will permit better

1486

G. SCHENAand A. CASALI

performance of the existing control systems and a step forward for the development of optimal control
strategy algorithms that require an improved knowledge of the relationships between variables and
metallurgical results.

CONCLUSIONS
Colunm flotation teclmology has significantly contributed to the simplification of the copper flotation
circuits, allowing a decrease in the number of units and the number of stages, while maintaining or
bettering the overall circuit metallurgical performance. They have also improved the economics of the
concentrators, column technology being less costly than conventional flotation. However, to date colunms
have yet to demonstrate their capability to fully substitute for conventional cells in all applications. Indeed
in modern copper circuits cells must still be used in the rougher section where coarse material is treated
and in tl'te scavenging section of the cleaning flowsheets. There are also important indirect benefits related
to the use of columns such as those related to the automatic control of the circuit. However, the lack of
fundamental knowledge of this novel technology does not allow scaling up of plants with confidence on
the basis of laboratory tests and it is wise to undertake pilot plant tests. Although Chile has much expertise
with sulphide copper ores there is very little experience with other minerals. However experiences
continuously arising from new industrial applications and R&D will contribute to a better understanding
of the technology.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This research was financially supported by CEC-IMPEXFLOTCOL Brite-Euram project.
The authors are grateful for the assistance to Mr. B. Soto and Mr. A. Cristiansen (Las Tortolas),
Mr. P. Molinet and Mr. G.Von Borries (Andina), Mr. D. Riveros (El Teniente), Mr. C. Barahona (C.M.
Disputada de Las Condes), Mr. J. Valdivieso (Chuquicamata), Prof. J. Yianatos (Universidad T6cnica
Federico Santa Maria).

ACRONYMS
CODELCO
USBM
CII

Corporacion del Cobre de Chile

United States Bureau of Mines
Control International Inc.

REFERENCES

I.

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

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