15.

– water
16. – Hydrocyclone feed
17. – Hydrocyclone underflow
18. – Hydrocyclone overflow
19. – Re-cleaner tailing
20.– Cleaner concentrate
21.– Cleaner concentrate launder water addition
22.– Cleaner concentrate pulp
23.– Cleaner tailings
24.– Re-cleaner concentrate

3.2. Operating plant data

Sampling campaign has been done and Table 3 gives data of the operating plant for each flow.

Table 3: Sampling data of the operating plant

Designation SGp Solid mass Pulp volume Water Cu grade

Kg/m3 t/m3 m3/h m3/h %
Feed 1,239 1,243.01 1.93
Scavenger cleaner tailing 1,104 0.88
Rougher concentrate 1,234 14.57
Rougher concentrate launder water addition 2
Rougher tailing 1,256 0.84
Scavenger concentrate 1,152 4.28
Scavenger concentrate launder water addition 4
Scavenger tailing 1,264 0.67
Outlet regrind ball mill
Scavenger cleaner concentrate 1,070 9.49
Scavenger cleaner concentrate launder water addition 5
water
Hydrocyclone feed 1,301 1,275
Hydroclyclone underflow 1,740 7.44
Hydrocyclone overflow 1,123 11.29
Re-cleaner tailing 1,072 1.18
Cleaner concentrate 1,203 19.15
Cleaner concentrate launder water addition 4
Cleaner tailing 1,095 2.57
Re-cleaner concentrate 1,275 23.78

The hydrocyclone feed data come from the control room. In this case, mathematical expression (32)
gives the relationship between solid specific gravity and copper grade. In general for complex ore, solid specific
gravity must be found for each flow by using method explained in chapter 2.

SGs (t/m3) = 0.0005 x (%Cu)2 +0.0259 x (%Cu) + 2.6728 (32)

Joseph Kafumbila
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