Application of Knelson Concentrator for Beneficiation of Copper–Cobalt Ore Tailings

Abstract

The beneficiation of high talc-containing copper–cobalt flotation tailings was studied by centrifugal gravity concentration. It was found that copper and cobalt minerals were finely disseminated in the gangue matrix so that conventional gravity concentration using spirals and shaking tables would be ineffective. The actual experimental test work was performed using the Knelson gravity concentrator and the results were transposed to industrial scale by simulating several beneficiation scenarios. The results indicated that integration of Knelson concentrators in the concentration circuit to treat the flotation tailings would significantly improve copper and cobalt recoveries from 65.00% to 86.09% and 67.00% to 86.96%, respectively.