Metallurg3080coalsWater-Sessile0Drops250200(%) xo4Water-Captive15Bubble0A10Oxygen20A510A0065707580859095100Carbon(%,daf)Coal wettabilityNORMAN B.KEEVILINSTITUTE OF MINING ENGINEERINGwww.mining.ubc.ca
Metallurg. coals Coal wettability
0.8I-NIXN0.6OR0.4E0.2RH02001030MOISTURE(ASRECEIVED),%Effectof coalsurfacewettability(expressedbycoalinherentmoisturecontent)onthesaltflotationrate(inO.5MNaCl)(Fuerstenau,RosenbaumandLaskowski,Coll.&Surf.,1983)NORMAN B.KEEVILINSTITUTE OF MINING ENGINEERINGwww.mininq.ubc.ca
0 10 20 30 MOISTURE (AS RECEIVED), % 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 MAXIMUM k, min -1 F J K E D H B A C Effect of coal surface wettability (expressed by coal inherent moisture content) on the salt flotation rate (in 0.5 M NaCl) (Fuerstenau, Rosenbaum and Laskowski, Coll.&Surf., 1983)
The subiectof thesalt flotation has beenrecently returning to research labs sincemining industry -in many parts of theworld-isfacing very severeshortages ofwater.And the use of seawater,theconcentrated electrolyte solution,becomes the onlysustainablesolutionPerhapsthe bestexampleofalargearidarea with very limited fresh waterresources and a huge mining industry isAtacamaDesertinChile.NORMAN B.KEEVILINSTITUTE OF MINING ENGINEERINGwww.mining.ubc.ca
The subject of the salt flotation has been recently returning to research labs since mining industry - in many parts of the world - is facing very severe shortages of water. And the use of seawater, the concentrated electrolyte solution, becomes the only sustainable solution. Perhaps the best example of a large arid area with very limited fresh water resources and a huge mining industry is Atacama Desert in Chile
Anionicflotation with fatty acids:- at high concentration of Ca/Mgionsinthepulp;inseawaterNORMAN B.KEEVILINSTITUTE OF MINING ENGINEERINGwww.mining.ubc.ca
Anionic flotation with fatty acids: - at high concentration of Ca/Mg ions in the pulp; - in seawater
KapuskasingPhosphateOperations(KPO)inOntario,whichbelongstoAgrium Inc.,is the only Canadianphosphate mine.While the ore from theircurrent operation is relatively easy toupgrade byflotation,the marginal ore,which was stockpiledatthe site forabouttwo years turned out to be extremelydifficultto process.The process waterwasfoundto containmore than 1oooppmCa2+.NORMAN B.KEEVILINSTITUTE OF MINING ENGINEERINGwww.mining.ubc.ca
Kapuskasing Phosphate Operations (KPO) in Ontario, which belongs to Agrium Inc., is the only Canadian phosphate mine. While the ore from their current operation is relatively easy to upgrade by flotation, the marginal ore, which was stockpiled at the site for about two years turned out to be extremely difficult to process. The process water was found to contain more than 1000 ppm Ca2+