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A Posteriori Analysis of Analytical Models for Flotation Circuits Using Sensitivity Analyses

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Proceedings of Fourth International Conference on Inventive Material Science Applications

Part of the book series: Advances in Sustainability Science and Technology ((ASST))

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Abstract

The flotation of minerals is a multivariate physicochemical process that consists of applying the affinity of some mineral particles to the air, and also the affinity of other mineral particles for water, with the aim of obtaining a commercial product called concentrate, in addition to nonvaluable minerals called gangues. The flotation circuits, in charge of enriching the concentrate, generally consist of 3 stages, rougher, cleaner, and scavenger, which are made up of one or more cells, either in series or in parallel, depending on the architecture of the operational circuit. In this research, a local sensitivity analysis is developed for studying the behaviour of the stages that compose different flotation circuits. It is evaluated the concentrate grade quantifying the effect that circumstantial alteration has in the transfer rate of the concentration stages. The sensitivity analysis allows identify operation conditions that optimizing the concentrations offered by the flotation circuits. The results indicate that in simple circuits, the greatest impact on the concentration corresponds to rougher and cleaner cells, while in complex circuits (with additional cell banks), the sensitization of the rougher and cleaner cells, along with the early stages of the cleaner–scavenger cells have a greater impact on concentrate grade.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Metallurgical and Mining Engineering, Universidad Católica del Norte, Avenida Angamos 0610, 1270709, Antofagasta, Chile

    Edelmira Gálvez & Javier González

  2. Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Universidad Arturo Prat, Almirante Juan José Latorre 2901, 1244260, Antofagasta, Chile

    Luis Ayala

  3. Department of Computing and Engineering Systems, Universidad Católica del Norte, Avenida Angamos 0610, 1270709, Antofagasta, Chile

    Manuel Saldaña

Authors
  1. Edelmira Gálvez
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  2. Luis Ayala
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  3. Javier González
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  4. Manuel Saldaña
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Manuel Saldaña .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. PPG Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, India

    V. Bindhu

  2. Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal

    João Manuel R. S. Tavares

  3. The Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Ştefan Ţălu

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Gálvez, E., Ayala, L., González, J., Saldaña, M. (2022). A Posteriori Analysis of Analytical Models for Flotation Circuits Using Sensitivity Analyses. In: Bindhu, V., R. S. Tavares, J.M., Ţălu, Ş. (eds) Proceedings of Fourth International Conference on Inventive Material Science Applications. Advances in Sustainability Science and Technology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-4321-7_24

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