REAGENT OPTIMIZATION

Mototolo JV Concentrator

Mzwanele Mosala

13 January 2016

PLATINUM

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SAFETY

INTRODUCTION

PROBLEM STATEMENT

MOTIVATION

OBJECTIVES

METHODOLOGY

RESULTS & DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION

RECOMMENDATIONS

PRESENTATION LAYOUT

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● LOST TIME INJURY FREE DAYS : 1522

● MEDICAL TREATMENT CASE : 119

● ENVIRONMENTAL INCIDENT FREE DAYS : 1309

RESILIENT

PROACTIVE

COMPLIANT

REACTIVE

BASIC

SAFETY

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INTRODUCTION

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INTRODUCTION

● Mototolo JV Concentrator is a platinum processing plant which treats UG2 ore.

● Designed to treat 200 000ktpm at 3,35g/t

● Plant configuration; MF2

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PLATINUM

• Head grade received from the mine ~= 3 g/t

• Due to the low head grade;

● Low recovery

● BP ounces not achieved

PROBLEM STATEMENT

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• Increased throughput to 340tph (BP OUNCES STILL NOT MET)

• Cannot go beyond throughput of 340t/h (BOTTLENECKS ON

EQUIPMENT)

PROBLEM STATEMENT

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LEVERS

● Grind (On target)

● Cell operating parameters

● Reagents

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MOTIVATION

MUST Recovery

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● Switching the depressant while maintaining same dosage at Bathopele showed positive

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MOTIVATION

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t-Test: Two-Sample Assuming Equal Variances

● No significant improvement on primary rougher recovery

● Primary rougher recovery ( and grade) to be improved

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Parameter Rougher

Norilose

Rougher

No

Norilose

Mean 70.20 69.64

P( T<=t)

one tail

0.2914

Confidence 70.85

Parameter Cleaner

Norilose

Cleaner

No

Norilose

Mean 93.49 91.32

P( T<=t)

one tail

0.000179

Confidence 99.98

MOTIVATION

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●To get optimal reagent regime (INTERACTIVE EFFECTS OF REAGENTS)

●Improve plant recovery

●Meeting business plan ounces

OBJECTIVE

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METHODOLOGY

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• 2^k Factorial design

• 3 input variables ; Frother, Collector & Depressant.

• Where A= frother, B= collector, C depressant.

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METHODOLOGY

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METHODOLOGY

Norilose

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Reagent Dosages

Low level 40% < target, High levels 40% > target.

8 runs + base at A 12g/t, B 150g/t, C 40g/t.

Lab Scale Flotation Cell

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONCATE

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Cube Plot

Recovery at base = 80.10%

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONAnalysis

Main effects: Depressant > Frother > Collector

Two-way interaction effects: Frother*Depressant > Collector* Depressant

Term Effect P Value

Frother 2.09 0.006

Collector 0.76 0.045

Depressant 2.25 0.005

Frother*Depressa

nt 4.56 0.001

Collector*Depres

sant 1.50 0.012

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Recovery increased by selectivity

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Optimization

Keeping collector at 150g/t, frother at 15g/t, Depressant at 56g/t.

High recovery achieved = 80%

Collector 150

Hold Values80

79

78

77

76

76

75

Frother

Dep

ress

ant

1615141312111098

55

50

45

40

35

30

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Contour Plot of Recovery vs Depressant, Frother

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● Rougher recovery improved by

selectivity

● Shifts the grade-recovery curve

● Due to Norilose properties.

● Reagent regime obtained

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Conclusion

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● Check concentration of frother in process water.

● Previous test 12.75ppm frother in process water.

● This changes from time to time, needs continuous monitoring.

● Increase depressant dosage to 56g/t and frother to obtained results from CCC.

● Put the test on a plant scale

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Recommendations

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THANKYOU