Abstract

Flotation is one of the most widely used separation methods in mineral processing, and its performance is strongly influenced by complex physicochemical and hydrodynamic conditions. Flotation behaviour is commonly described using kinetic models. This study investigates the application of laboratory-derived flotation kinetic models for the simulation of a pilot-scale flotation circuit treating a polymetallic sulfide ore containing critical raw materials. Laboratory flotation experiments were conducted using Denver flotation cells, and kinetic parameters were determined by fitting first-order, two-component, and three-component kinetic models. The obtained parameters were implemented into an HSC SIM process model to evaluate the influence of flotation circuit configuration and residence time on process performance. The simulation indicated that the optimum circuit configuration consisted of two rougher and two scavenger flotation cells with an overall residence time of 28 min. The multi-component kinetic models provided a substantially better description of flotation behaviour than the classical first-order model and enabled a more realistic prediction of flotation performance. The simulation results were subsequently validated using a continuous pilot-scale flotation experiment. The simulated cleaner concentrate Cu grade (9.02 wt.%) was in good agreement with the experimental value (9.27 wt.%), confirming the capability of the proposed methodology to predict pilot-scale flotation performance. Although minor differences in product composition were observed, the overall flotation trends were reproduced successfully. The remaining discrepancies were mainly attributed to scale-up effects and differences in hydrodynamic conditions. The proposed methodology demonstrates that laboratory-derived kinetic parameters can be successfully applied to pilot-scale flotation process simulation and provides a practical tool for flotation circuit design and process optimization.

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