Abstract
The Knelson Concentrator is a centrifugal gravity concentrator composed of a high speed rotating bowl into which a mineral slurry is fed. The rotational motion creates a centrifugal acceleration up to an equivalent of 200 G. Under this acceleration, particles enter fluidised riffles along the side of the bowl, with the fluidisation allowing for the substitution of dense material for less dense. The separation mechanism is not fully understood and questions remain on the optimal residence time, slurry feed parameters and bowl surface profile to achieve a better separation. The positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) technique has been applied to record the motion of a -1700+1180 μm particle of a quartz-gold matrix, labelled with 18F radioisotope while it undergoes concentration inside a 3" laboratory scale Knelson Concentrator (KC-MD3) operated at 60 G. The slurry used was composed of quartz and magnetite. Particle trajectories during the first stage of the concentration process where the heavier particles centrifuge through the increasingly dense slurry towards the riffles of the bowl are shown with respect to time. This work reveals new information on particle motion inside the Knelson Concentrator and the results will be used for validation of developed separation model as well as optimisation of a centrifugal concentrator's performance.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | IMPC 2014 - 27th International Mineral Processing Congress |
Publisher | Gecamin |
Publication status | Published - 2014 |
Event | 27th International Mineral Processing Congress, IMPC 2014 - Santiago, Chile Duration: 20 Oct 2014 → 24 Oct 2014 |
Conference
Conference | 27th International Mineral Processing Congress, IMPC 2014 |
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Country/Territory | Chile |
City | Santiago |
Period | 20/10/14 → 24/10/14 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Earth-Surface Processes
- Geochemistry and Petrology
- Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology
- Mechanical Engineering