Craitin Chemistry

Increasing Ore Recovery: Next-Generation Flotation Reagents in Platinum Mines

Written by

in

Platinum Group Metals (PGMs) are critical to global technology and green energy. However, mineral ore grades have decreased, forcing mining companies to process complex, low-yield ores. Improving flotation recovery by even 1% can recover millions in lost minerals.

Saline Process Water and Froth Stability

Many mining operations are located in arid regions where fresh water is scarce. Processing plants must recycle water or use highly saline underground aquifers. Standard frothers collapse in saline conditions, but Craitin’s saline-tolerant formulations maintain bubble size distribution and froth stability.

Flotation Performance Comparison

Reagent Profile PGM Recovery Rate (%) Concentrate Grade (g/t)
Standard Commodity Reagents 84.2% 120
Craitin Bespoke Collectors 86.8% 138
Craitin Collectors + Saline Frothers 88.5% 147

Reagent Deployment Guide

  1. Ore Characterisation: Run mineralogical scans to map grain size and liberation properties.
  2. Dosage Optimisation: Calibrate reagent pumps to adjust dosages dynamically to pulp density.
  3. Water Quality Auditing: Test process water salinity and hardness weekly to adapt frother ratios.