FLOTATION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF CYCLONE SANDS

摘要

A method for extracting floatable minerals from a slurry (3). Slurry (3) is fed into a tank (2) via a feed inlet (25) and agitated and aerated so as to create an upperzone containing froth enriched with the floatable minerals. The agitation and aeration are also regulated to create a lower zone (41) containing a relatively dense or coarse component of the slurry (3), and an intermediate zone (42) containing a substantially less dense or finer component of the slurry (3). The surface froth is progressively withdrawn via a launder (30) thereby to produce aflotation concentrate. Similarly, the relatively dense component of the slurry (3) is progressively withdrawn from the lower zone (41) via a bottom inlet (26), and the relatively less dense of the slurry (3) is progressively withdrawn from the intermediate zone (42) via a side outlet (28). Apparatus for use with the method is also defined.