Prepare the sample around liberation
Mineralogy and size-by-size liberation identify a useful grind target. Overgrinding creates slimes and poor selectivity; undergrinding leaves composite particles.
Sampling, storage, oxidation, moisture and water quality must be controlled for repeatable results.
Control the main variables
Collectors, frothers and modifiers work together. Higher dosage is not automatically better and can float unwanted minerals or create persistent froth.
pH, solids, agitation, air, conditioning and collection time should be varied in a structured sequence.
- Liberation and particle size
- Reagent type, dose and addition order
- pH and recycle-water chemistry
- Solids, air and agitation
- Residence time and froth removal
Read grade and recovery together
A grade-recovery curve shows the cost of additional recovery in product dilution. Every test needs a closed mass balance across all products.
Rougher, scavenger and cleaner stages serve different objectives, and circulating streams can make locked-cycle results differ from open tests.
Kinetics and bank sizing
Kinetic tests show how recovery develops with time. Required residence time influences the total cell volume and bank arrangement.
Industrial circuits add residence-time distribution, recycle and variable feed, so batch results need disciplined scale-up.
When is a pilot campaign justified?
Complex feed, multi-stage circuits, unusual water or tight product specifications often justify continuous piloting. It validates recycle, level control and sustained operation.
Zarfaravar writes test programs around the engineering decision so results become design inputs rather than isolated laboratory numbers.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much sample is required?
It depends on ore types, test count, grinding stages and whether locked-cycle or pilot testing is required.
Why are flotation tests not repeatable?
Sample heterogeneity, grind, water, pH, reagent order, conditioning and froth removal are common causes.
Should plant water be used?
Yes when recycle or local water chemistry may affect surface reactions, froth or reagent demand.
REFERENCES
Technical sources
Sources are provided for further technical reading. Final engineering decisions require project-specific testwork.