Contact

Prof. Dr. Jens Gutzmer (PhD ZA)
Director
Phone: +49 351 260 - 4400

PD Dr. Simone Raatz
Administrative Manager
Phone: +49 351 260 - 4747

Anne-Kristin Jentzsch
Press Officer
Phone: +49 351 260 - 4429

Vanessa Weitzel
Secretary
Phone: +49 351 260 - 4404

Vorschau-Bild

Impact of Water Quality on the Flotation Performance

In mineral processing, water is used as both a transport and a process medium. Its properties are, therefore, of great importance for all flotation processes. Especially to those in which dissolved ions interact with minerals and/or dissolved reagents and change their surface properties.

The Processing Department studies the impact of water chemistry on the flotation performance. Among others, the effectiveness of electrolytes on the fluorite-barite flotation is being tested as well as the recycling of various reagents and their oxidation byproducts. In order to do so, HIF scientists work on creating a new model that predicts the flotation performance as a function of the changing water composition. Such prediction models do not exist yet.

The simulations which are based on this new model are being run by special programs such as the software HSC.

Reusing flotation waste waters

The model could later be used as a decision-making tool for recycling process waste water. Processing engineers would be able to calculate whether the waste water quality is sufficient for a direct reuse, whether it needs to undergo water treatment before it can be reused and how it affects the flotation performance, or whether the waste water must be completely removed from the circuit.


  • Michaux, B.; Rudolph, M.; Reuter, M.A.
    "Challenges in predicting the role of water chemistry in flotation through simulation with an emphasis on the influence of electrolytes", Minerals Engineering 125 (2018), 252-264
    DOI-Link: 10.1016/j.mineng.2018.06.010