Thesis CONCENTRACIÓN DE ARCILLAS IÓNICAS DESDE RELAVES POR FLOTACIÓN INVERSA
Date
2018
Authors
ORTEGA MORAGA, CRISTIAN EDUARDO
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Abstract
Cantidades significativas de ultrafinos y acillas presentes en las unidades geológicas en las instalaciones de plantas concentradoras de cobre ha obligado a la industria a considerar alternativas para el tratamiento previo del mineral. En esa línea, estudios en la materia evidencian la factibilidad técnica y económica de emplear la flotación inversa como alternativa para remover las fracciones de arcilla más complejas permitiendo a su vez concentrar elementos de valor económico, como son los óxidos de hierro, vanadio, cobalto, uranio y tierras raras, tecnología propuesta a la industria minera por el Departamento de Ingeniería Metalúrgica y de Materiales (DIMM).La presencia de minerales ultrafinos, que incluyen arcillas y filosilicatos, en los minerales chilenos fluctúa entre un 5 y un 25% causando impactos negativos en las diferentes operaciones unitarias de una planta concentradora. En la actualidad la problemática que implica trabajar minerales complejos asociados a gangas problemáticas y con alto contenido de arcillas y otros filosilicatos ha sido ampliamente documentada. Esto último debido a que se busca evitar efectos adversos como la caída entre 2 y 10 puntos porcentuales de la recuperación metalúrgica de cobre y de sus subproductos (oro, plata y molibdeno), disminución de la cantidad de agua recuperada, incremento entre 3 y 5 veces los consumos de reactivos en la flotación, detenciones de equipos y a menudo, detención total de la planta.Estudios previos demuestran que la flotación es un método efectivo para la extracción selectiva de óxidos contenidos en los relaves y la concentración de tierras raras. Además, se observa en estos estudios que una el retiro temprano de estos materiales finos produce un cambio significativo en las propiedades reológicas del relave final, mejorando la recuperación de agua clara debido a un aumento en la velocidad de sedimentación y conducta reológica.La presente memoria de título corresponde a un estudio experimental y teórico que tiene por objetivo complementar el estudio de la flotación inversa de arcillas iónicas proponiendo el uso de una fórmula de reactivos optimizada que contempla coagulación + floculación en combinación con un colector de óxidos, para determinar el efecto sobre la recuperación metalúrgica de las arcillas iónicas y en la conducta sedimentológica y reológica de las colas flotadas.Respecto a los resultados obtenidos se considera que la fórmula de reactivos que permite obtener una mejor respuesta metalúrgica es utilizando una alta dosis de floculante y colector en ausencia de coagulante. Se trata de una fórmula que permite extraer sobre un 40% en peso de arcillas cuyas principales fases minerales reportadas en el concentrado sean aquellas menos cristalinas, (es decir amorfas) y que exhiben un D10 uniforme y menor a 8 µm, repercutiendo de mejor manera en la velocidad de sedimentación y en los parámetros reológicos de las colas flotadas.El retiro preferente de fracciones de tamaño por debajo del D10 es responsable de la mejoría en la conducta sedimentológica de las colas flotadas, pues las partículas pasan a decantar a una velocidad de 8,9 cmh-1, más del doble de la inicial. Por otro lado, una extracción preferente de especies de Moscovita/Illita y feldespato de potasio que aportan a la estabilidad coloidal del conjunto en su totalidad produce un efecto de cambio positivo significativo en la tensión de fluencia de la cola y su viscosidad.Asimismo, se confirma la hipótesis planteada en este estudio pues los resultados obtenidos permiten recuperar un 73,9% del agua total que ingresa al circuito de espesamiento de relaves.
Significant amounts of ultrafine and acilla present in the geological units in copper concentrator plant facilities has forced the industry to consider alternatives for the pre-treatment of the ore. In this line, studies in the field show the technical and economic feasibility of using reverse flotation as an alternative to remove more complex clay fractions while allowing to concentrate elements of economic value, such as iron oxides, vanadium, cobalt, uranium and rare earths, technology proposed to the mining industry by the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (DIMM).The presence of ultrafine minerals, including clays and phyllosilicates, in Chilean minerals fluctuates between 5 and 25%, causing negative impacts on the different unit operations of a concentrator plant. At present the problematic that involves working complex minerals associated with problematic bargains and with high content of clays and other phyllosilicates has been widely documented. The latter because it seeks to avoid adverse effects such as the fall between 2 and 10 percentage points of the metallurgical recovery of copper and its by products (gold, silver and molybdenum), decrease in the amount of water recovered, increase between 3 and 5 Sometimes the consumption of reagents in the flotation, equipment stops and often, total detention of the plant.Previous studies show that flotation is an effective method for the selective extraction of oxides contained in tailings and the concentration of rare earths. In addition, it is observed in these studies that an early removal of these fine materials produces a significant change in the rheological properties of the final tailings, improving the recovery of clear water due to an increase in the speed of sedimentation and rheological behavior.The present title report corresponds to an experimental and theoretical study that aims to complement the study of the inverse floating of ionic clays proposing the use of an optimized reagent formula that contemplates coagulation + flocculation in combination with an oxide collector, to determine the effect on the metallurgical recovery of the ionic clays and on the sedimentological and rheological behavior of the floated tails.With regard to the results obtained, it is considered that the formula of reagents that allows obtaining a better metallurgical response is using a high dose of flocculant and collector in the absence of coagulant. It is a formula that allows extracting about 40% by weight of clays whose main mineral phases reported in the concentrate are those less crystalline (ie amorphous) and which exhibit a uniform D10 and less than 8 µm, having a better effect in the sedimentation velocity and in the rheological parameters of the floated tails.The preferential withdrawal of fractions of size below the D10 is responsible for the improvement in the sedimentological behavior of the floated tails, since the particles pass to decant at a speed of 8.9 cmh-1, more than double the initial one. On the other hand, a preferential extraction of Muscovite / Illita species and potassium feldspar that contribute to the colloidal stability of the whole as a whole produces a significant positive change effect on the yield stress of the glue and its viscosity.Likewise, the hypothesis proposed in this study is confirmed because the results obtained allow recovering 73.9% of the total water entering the tailings thickening circuit.
Significant amounts of ultrafine and acilla present in the geological units in copper concentrator plant facilities has forced the industry to consider alternatives for the pre-treatment of the ore. In this line, studies in the field show the technical and economic feasibility of using reverse flotation as an alternative to remove more complex clay fractions while allowing to concentrate elements of economic value, such as iron oxides, vanadium, cobalt, uranium and rare earths, technology proposed to the mining industry by the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering (DIMM).The presence of ultrafine minerals, including clays and phyllosilicates, in Chilean minerals fluctuates between 5 and 25%, causing negative impacts on the different unit operations of a concentrator plant. At present the problematic that involves working complex minerals associated with problematic bargains and with high content of clays and other phyllosilicates has been widely documented. The latter because it seeks to avoid adverse effects such as the fall between 2 and 10 percentage points of the metallurgical recovery of copper and its by products (gold, silver and molybdenum), decrease in the amount of water recovered, increase between 3 and 5 Sometimes the consumption of reagents in the flotation, equipment stops and often, total detention of the plant.Previous studies show that flotation is an effective method for the selective extraction of oxides contained in tailings and the concentration of rare earths. In addition, it is observed in these studies that an early removal of these fine materials produces a significant change in the rheological properties of the final tailings, improving the recovery of clear water due to an increase in the speed of sedimentation and rheological behavior.The present title report corresponds to an experimental and theoretical study that aims to complement the study of the inverse floating of ionic clays proposing the use of an optimized reagent formula that contemplates coagulation + flocculation in combination with an oxide collector, to determine the effect on the metallurgical recovery of the ionic clays and on the sedimentological and rheological behavior of the floated tails.With regard to the results obtained, it is considered that the formula of reagents that allows obtaining a better metallurgical response is using a high dose of flocculant and collector in the absence of coagulant. It is a formula that allows extracting about 40% by weight of clays whose main mineral phases reported in the concentrate are those less crystalline (ie amorphous) and which exhibit a uniform D10 and less than 8 µm, having a better effect in the sedimentation velocity and in the rheological parameters of the floated tails.The preferential withdrawal of fractions of size below the D10 is responsible for the improvement in the sedimentological behavior of the floated tails, since the particles pass to decant at a speed of 8.9 cmh-1, more than double the initial one. On the other hand, a preferential extraction of Muscovite / Illita species and potassium feldspar that contribute to the colloidal stability of the whole as a whole produces a significant positive change effect on the yield stress of the glue and its viscosity.Likewise, the hypothesis proposed in this study is confirmed because the results obtained allow recovering 73.9% of the total water entering the tailings thickening circuit.
Description
Catalogado desde la version PDF de la tesis.
Keywords
FLOTACION INVERSA , MINERALES ULTRAFINOS , REOLOGIA
