St. Petersburg Mining University (St. Petersburg, Russia):

Alexandrova T. N., Head of Сhair, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, Professor, alexandrovat10@gmail.com
Romashev A. O., Аssociate Рrofessor, Сandidate of Engineering Sciences, romashevao@yandex.ru
Kuznetsov V. V., Student, valentinvadimovichkuznetsov@gmail.com

The article considers the possibility of improving the processing technology for gold sulfide ores based on respective simulation results. An alternative approach to establishing the floatability parameter is presented. The approach is implemented using JKSimFloat software and a floatability class distribution model based on experimental data. The problems of identifying the source data for designing an accurate predictive model are considered. In particular, the results of a floatability test with the separation of material into fast-, medium-, slow-floated and non-floated fractions are presented. Studies have been carried out to evaluate the hydrophobizing ability of the reagent associated with the determination of the contact angle, in order to compare the data obtained with the classical approach to establishing the floatability index. A comprehensive study of the flotation properties of minerals enables simulating the industrial process using the JKSimFlot software package. A process flow with two rougher, three cleaner and two scavenger flotation operations in pneumatic-mechanical flotation machines was adopted as the initial process flow for the modeling purposes. A comprehensive study of the flotation properties of minerals, when combined with the use of simulation modeling, allows identifying the possible ways to increase the efficiency of mineral processing, to select and substantiate a method for optimizing the process flow by selecting the best hardware design from a variety of options, and to avoid significant costs of full-scale experiments through the development of numerous process solutions at the laboratory test stage.
The work was carried out with the financial support of the Russian Science Foundation (project No. 19-17-00096).

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