Polar Division of MMC “Norilsk Nikel”, Norilsk, Russia:

Ya. N. Arabadzhi, Chief Specialist (Center of Engineering Maintenance of Production), e-mail: arabadzhiyan@nk.nornik.ru
D. S. Kazieva, Production Engineer (Center of Engineering Maintenance of Production)
A. A. Rezvanova, Leading Production Engineer (Center of Engineering Maintenance of Production)
T. A. Likhacheva, Leading Production Engineer (Center of Engineering Maintenance of Production)

In many cases flotation concentrates from minerals processing have poor density characteristics. In order to reduce the amount of materials pumped from concentrating to metallurgical operations the froth concentrates proceed to thickeners of various designs to produce solid phase of higher density and to remove liquid phase. Particle-size distribution of material to be thickened is one of the most significant characteristics of slurry effecting feed material settling process. The comprehensive study of nickel concentrate from selective/bulk/selective flotation of rich and cupriferous ores were carried out by specialists of Engineering Support Lab (Production Association of Concentrators) to investigate sedimentation properties of its specific size-grades. State-of-the-art lab equipment (BXF CYCLOSIZER slime analyzer) was used to determine fine size-grade content. The lab-scale evaluation of natural settling of sulfide nickel concentrate and its specific size-grades was carried out using graduated cylinders. The highest values of solid phase compaction were calculated along with evaluation of overflow turbidity in the course of fractional thickening. The nickel concentrate initial sample was taken for determination of nickel, copper and sulfur percentages as well as composition of its specific size-grades by X-ray spectrum analysis. Quantitative mineral composition was studied by DRON-6 diffractometer.

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