Eriez Flotation Division (EFD) announces the commissioning of a fully automated, four-stage lab-scale column circuit for flotation testing on sulfide and industrial minerals. Operating parameters such as air flow rate, wash water flow rate, reagent addition rates and pH level are regulated using a programmable logic controller (PLC). The flotation circuit can be altered to accommodate multiple circuit configurations ranging from one (i.e. rougher) to four (i.e. rougher-scavenger-cleaner-cleaner) unit operations, dependent upon the characteristics of the feed ore.

The circuit is also capable of incorporating recirculating loads. The automated circuit can be utilized to conduct steady-state column flotation tests at feed rates of up to 15 kg per hour.

EFD can provide detailed analysis of most flotation circuit configurations using laboratory equipment ranging from grinding mills to bench-top and continuous conventional and column flotation cells. Typical tests range from exploratory batch testing to the evaluation of multistage flotation circuits. EFD's analytical lab, including an XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence), ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry), sulfur analyzer and laser particle size analyzer, can quickly conduct in-house assays and improve turnaround time on testing.