Here at GSL, we’ve been very busy in the labs recently, particularly with flotation work. The first set of experiments was part of our collborative project with Plymouth University and final year geology student Charlie Morton was present to experience froth flotation for the first time. The project is focused on a copper regrind application and we carried out stirred milling using our SMD to replicate plant conditions, followed by batch flotation tests.
Another flotation project was the investigation of kaolin flotation, which is an interesting and complicated separation, not least due to the very fine particle size and chemical similarity of the materials typically encountered. Of course, there has historically been kaolin flotation in the region at the former English China Clay site nearby, so it was good to see it back again!
Note the difference in the froth structure in the photos of our experiments – one of the fascinating things about flotation is that every system is different!
Kaolin flotation
Copper regrind flotation test
