Stimulation of Thickening and Dewatering of Tailings Slime by Ultra-Flocculation

The article presents a case-study of thickening and dewatering of tailings slimes from Zhezkazgan Concentrating Plant using UltraflocTester machine and different Kemira's Superfloc series flocculants. From among the test flocculants containing various polar groups, the anion- type A-150 flocculant has demonstrated the highest efficiency towards tailings slimes. Relatively dense slimes (100 g/l) should be treated at the velocity gradient G = 500-1000 s-1 for 12 s, while the slimes with the relative average density of 50 g/l should be treated at G = 1000-1500 s-1 for 6 s. The effect of the hydrodynamic stimulation on the residual suspended matter concentration in overflow and on the moisture content of flocculated precipitate before and after screening under pressure is assessed.