Calculation of locked cycle flotation test results

Locked cycle test are frequently used in mineral processing laboratories during the flowsheet development exercise in order to confirm batch results and to get an approximation of a continuous circuit material balance. A review of the literature indicates that there are at least four different methods for calculating the results of a locked cycle test. Only two of these methods offer the opportunity to examine whether or not the test reached steady state and only the cycle-by-cycle method intrinsically calculates the circulating streams. Because of the difficulty and expense of executing locked cycle tests and the frequent failure of the tests to reach steady state it should be of paramount importance to determine whether or not the test reached steady state; thus, the preferred method of calculation is the cycle-by-cycle technique.