APPLICATION OF A DYNAMIC MATERIAL BALANCE PROGRAM TO AN INDUSTRIAL FLOTATION CIRCUIT

The On-Stream Analyzer has proven, and is still proving to be, an extr emely valuable tool for the control of flotation circuits. This paper examines the possibility of going further in the utilization of the an alyzer results by using a real-time material balance program to calcul ate the mass flow rates within the streams of a circuit for process co ntrol, analysis and optimization as well as for the detection of senso r malfunction. The material balance algorithm improves measurements an d give good estimates of unmeasured variables during normal operating conditions. The potential and limitations of the method are illustrate d using results of an application to the Line 3 flotation circuit of B runswick Mining and Smelting, New Brunswick.