The Application of a Nitrile-based Collector in the Flotation of a Platreef PGM Ore

Figures & data

Table 1. Structures of Tecflote S10 and S11 collectors (Lewis et al. 2018)

Collector	Hydrophobe (R)	Typical structure
Tecflote S10	C12-18
Tecflote S11	C ≈ 36

Table 2. Assay of the Platreef PGM ore

Pt	Pd	Au	2E+Au	Cu	Ni	Fe	S
(g/t)	(g/t)	(g/t)	(g/t)	(%)	(%)	(%)	(%)
1.99	1.55	0.29	3.82	0.24	0.35	9.28	0.85

Table 3. Staged addition of reagents in the ‘standard’ test

	Reagents (g/t)					Time (min)
Stage	Flomin C7160	SIPX	Aero 3477 (DTP)	Senfroth 522	Sendep 30E (Depressant)	Mill	Condition	Float
Mill	-	-	-	-	-	78	-	-
Mill	5	-	-	-	-	5	-	-
Rougher 1	-	-	-	35	-		1	1
Rougher 2	-	60	60	-	100		3	6
Rougher 3	-	20	20	-	150		3	13
Rougher 4	-	-	-	-	-		0	10
Total	5	80	80	35	250	83	8	30

Figure 1. Standard flowsheet used in this study.

Table 4. Final mass pull, recoveries and grades under different reagent conditions

		Grade (g/t for 3E) and (% for the rest)						Recovery (%)
Reagent condition	Mass pull (%)	3E	Cu	Ni	Fe	S	Si	3E	Cu	Ni	Fe	S	Si
Tecflote (80 g/t)	16.2 ± 0.8	18.6	0.93	1.53	10.9	3.0	22.4	85.3	90.5	72.9	18.8	57.9	15.0
Tecflote (160 g/t)	17.5 ± 0.3	20.2	0.87	1.56	11.6	3.5	22.1	79.4	69.9	78.6	22.0	69.7	16.4
PAX (80 g/t)	11.7 ± 0.4	23.1	1.40	2.4	14.4	6.4	21.6	87.0	78.7	70.8	17.9	85.5	13.5
PAX (160 g/t)	18.6 ± 0.9	18.0	0.79	1.6	12.9	4.6	20.7	93.7	78.4	82.1	25.9	95.4	17.2
SIPX + DTP	18.3 ± 0.8	20.3	0.87	1.77	13.0	4.6	22.1	92.3	82.9	91.9	25.0	91.9	16.3
Tecflote + DTP	18.4 ± 0.9	17.3	0.83	1.50	10.4	2.7	23.7	90.1	79.0	77.6	21.6	60.2	16.8
Tecflote + DTC	16.1 ± 0.3	24.1	1.10	1.70	11.5	3.3	22.2	92.2	54.6	78.2	19.3	61.3	15.3
Tecflote + PAX	17.0 ± 0.8	21.3	0.91	1.63	12.7	4.8	20.9	94.0	80.9	89.2	23.4	89.2	15.6

Figure 2. 3E grade-recovery profiles under different reagent conditions.

Table 5. Grain mode of occurrence in the tailings

Liberation characteristic	PGM Vol %
	Tecflote	Tecflote + PAX
Liberated PGMs	29.0	0.0
PGMs associated with liberated BMS	0.8	0.0
PGMs associated with BMS locked in silicate or oxide gangue	0.0	0.0
PGMs attached to silicate or oxide gangue	13.7	28.8
PGMs associated with BMS attached to silicate or oxide gangue	46.2	38.5
PGMs locked within silicate or oxide gangue	10.3	32.7
Total	100	100

Lewis, A., M. Svensson, M. Widell, A. Movahedi, and H. Nordberg. 2018. Nitrogen-based collectors for sulfide flotation – Tecflote™. Proceedings of the International Mineral Processing Congress (IMPC), Moscow, Russia.

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