Feasibility study on desliming of flotation feed with cyclone classifier

Flotation of deslimed feed can lead to reduction of not only consumption of reagent, but also contanmination of concentrate by fine slime. Based on theoretical calculation and analysis, a study is made of the technical feasibility of having flotation feed pre-deslimed with cyclone classifier, together with an economical analysis of such a process applied at a 3.00 Mt/a coal Preparation plant. Study result shows that with the use of a small-diameter cyclone classifier, the < 0.074 mm fines can be successfully removed from flotation feed, and the use of the process can create a remarkably favorable economic result due to improvement of flotation feed and flotation performance.