Pulp level control for flotation — options and a CSIRO laboratory perspective

The separation efficiency for recovering minerals from a flotation process, is influenced by factors relating to the mixture of ore and water. Whether flotation is performed in a large mineral processing plant or a laboratory on a small-scale, the setting and control of level is required to establish an optimum steady state function between the minerals, air, water and flotation chemicals. echniques are used to control and monitor liquid levels. Although different industrial processes use a wide variety of measuring techniques, few types are suited for measuring heavily laden mineral flotation froths. In particular, CSIRO Minerals have addressed laboratory control with capacitance measuring devices and more recently with a new float level control system. ion level control systems are briefly reviewed and design details of a capacitance and CSIRO float system are presented.