Speaker
Description
Platinum group minerals concentrators in South Africa increasingly operate under highly variable feed conditions, resulting from the simultaneous processing of upper ground 2 ores, Platreef ores, and materials from tailings storage facilities. These feed sources differ significantly in mineralogy, particle size distribution, and flotation response. At the same time, declining ore grades and the increasing proportion of ultrafine particles (<25 µm and <10 µm) introduce additional complexity in flotation circuits. This study examines how feed variability, ultrafine particle behavior, and flotation hydrodynamics interact to produce operational variability in industrial platinum group minerals flotation systems. The analysis integrates conceptual discussion with experimental insights involving column flotation and mechanical flotation cells equipped with high-intensity FloatForce® rotor–stator mechanisms. The results are interpreted within a multiphase systems framework linking particle–bubble interactions, hydrodynamic conditions, and metallurgical performance. This paper further outlines the use of computational fluid dynamics and machine learning approaches to improve ultrafine platinum group minerals recovery and stabilise plant performance under variable feed conditions.
Keywords: Column flotation; Computational fluid dynamics; Feed variability; Flotation hydrodynamics; Machine learning; Platinum group minerals; Ultrafine flotation; Sustainability.
| Apply for student award at which level: | PhD |
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| Consent on use of personal information: Abstract Submission | Yes, I ACCEPT |