Column flotation studies at NML: an overview

Rapid increase in consumption rate of metals and minerals, and fast depletion of mineral resources coupled with our National policy on mineral conservation, necessitates the effective utilisation of avail¬able fines and low grade ores. The technique of column flotation appears to be promising to address the challenges posed by fines and low grade ores. NML Madras Centre has developed an indigenous automated Laboratory Flotation Column and conducted inplant trials at various mineral processing plants on copper, lead-zinc, iron and fluorspar ores and concentrates. In this paper a brief outl ine on the development of laboratory column and NML's experience and the salient results of the investigations are presented.