Modeling the effects of ore properties on water recovery in the thickening process

Abstract

A better understanding of solid-liquid separation would assist in improving the thickening performance and perhaps water recovery as well. The present work aimed to develop an empirical model to study the effects of ore properties on the thickening process based on pilot tests using a column. A hydro-cyclone was used to prepare the required samples for the experiments. The model significantly predicted the experimental underflow solid content using a regression equation at a given solid flux and bed level for different samples, indicating that ore properties are the effective parameters in the thickening process. This work confirmed that the water recovery would be increased about 5% by separating the feed into two parts, overflow and underflow, and introducing two different thickeners into them separately. This is duo to the fact that thickeners are limited by permeability and compressibility in operating conditions.

Keywords

mineral processing / ores / properties / tailings / dewatering / modeling / thickeners

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