An Empirical Model for Water Recovery in Column Flotation Based on Operation Parameters

Nowadays, with the processing of low-quality and complex minerals, the entrainment of fine gangue solids has become a critical issue in column flotation. Water recovery (\(R_{{\text{w}}} \)) contributed to the entrainment and affected concentrate recovery. In this study, batch surface response column flotation tests have been carried out to question the primary and composed effects of solid content, frother dosage, airflow rate, and collector dosage on the water recovery by utilizing a mix of released quartz and gangue mineral in a 10-L batch column flotation. The results showed that \(R_{{\text{w}}}\) was affected by (1) airflow rate, (2) solid content, (3) frother dosage, (4) the interaction between solid content and frother dosage, and (5) it was the interaction between solid content and collector dosage (in order of decreasing effects). It was interesting to note that, as the airflow rate in column flotation increased, water recovery became more sensitive to frother dosage. An experimental model for water recovery based on operational parameters is presented in this article. This study addresses the lack of a comprehensive model for predicting recovery by developing an integrated, data-driven approach that considers simultaneous variations in multiple operational parameters. A significant change was observed on \(R_{{\text{w}}}\). The observed effects and interactions, along with the influence of froth residence time, indicate that accurate prediction of water recovery is possible when both water drainage and the influx of water from the pulp into the froth phase are taken into account. For that reason, it could be assumed that the froth residence time influenced the \({R}_{{\text{ent}},i}\) by \(R_{{\text{w}}}\), but did not alter the relative move of solids to water (i.e., the entrainment).