Dewatering of Copper Flotation Tailings: Effect of Feed Dilution on the Thickener Performance

ABSTRACT

Aqueous slurries’ dewatering using gravity-driven thickeners is an essential unit operation in mineral processing. Thickener feed dilution is often used for enhanced flocculation and sediment compressibility. This work investigated the effect of feed dilution on thickener performance for copper flotation tailings. Furthermore, the performance of the feed dilution system (eductor) was investigated from theoretical and practical perspectives. The results indicated that reducing eductor discharge solid loading increased thickener underflow solid loading. Higher thickener feed flow rate also affected eductor performance, reducing its discharge solid loading by 4 wt.%. Finally, a smart thickener dilution system was proposed to maintain optimum dilution.

KEYWORDS:

• Thickener
• slurry dilution
• eductor
• copper flotation tailings
• dewatering

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank National Iranian Copper Industries Co. (N.I.C.I.Co.) for supporting this research.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Iranian Copper Industries Co.