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Filter aids are chemical reagents that may

assist in this process, enabling better drainage
of water out of the filter cake. For the proper
selection of the ideal filter aid chemical
technology it is important to evaluate not just
the mineral particle size distribution, but also
other aspects of the slurry such as the solids
content, rheological behaviour and the
equipment used for filtration.
For the dewatering process of coarse and
ultrafine tailings, two different types of filtration
equipment are usually considered: rotatory
vacuum disc filter and filter press. Vacuum
filtration consists of the application of a vacuum
pressure on the system, allowing the liquid to
pass through the filter cloth while particles are
retained. For filter presses, the slurry is pumped
to the filter plates using positive displacement
pumps, and when the plates are filled by the
slurry the system, pressure is increased which
allows the water to be drained away from the
filter cake. Vacuum filtration is usually applied
for coarse tailings which require low pressure to
dewater. For ultrafine tailings, filter presses are
typically required instead as high pressure is
needed. The pressure and the filter cloth type
are also factors that affect the filtration process.
Regardless of the type of equipment used, filter
aids can generally improve the efficiency of the

Filter aids to improve iron ore filtering process.

tailings filtration How do filter aids work?

Capillary pressure tends to keep liquid trapped
A team* from Clariant and mining customer Vale outline in the cake. If the pressure difference through
the liquid is greater than the capillary pressure,
how filter aids are enabling enhanced tailings filtration the water will flow. Increased cake thickness,
as the industry moves towards more use of dry stacking higher mineral particle specific surface area and
higher liquid viscosity will reduce water flow.
lariant Mining Solutions is focused on the filtration processes. As a result, tailings Considering these conditions and their effects

C developing chemical-based technologies

that support a more sustainable mining
process. As the iron ore mining industry is
filtration has become a common bottleneck with
low filtration rates, high cake moisture and other
operational issues limiting plant productivity.
on water flow, different chemical technologies
can be evaluated with the capability to change
these parameters and improve the filtration
focusing its efforts on developing safer tailings process.
disposal alternatives, the demand has Surfactant based filter aids adsorb
increased for dewatering processes of on the surfaces of mineral particles
waste streams generated in the iron thus turning them
ore concentration process. As hydrophobic and
mining companies, particularly in repelling water. These
Brazil, are targeting the replacement chemicals also act on
of tailings dam disposal with safer the liquid-air interface
and more sustainable solutions like by reducing the
paste or dry stacking, these superficial tension,
companies are investing in new facilitating the water
filtration plants to dewater both coarse to flow out of the filter
and ultrafine tailings. cake. On the other hand,
The filtration rate in these plants depends polymers, like coagulants or
on the pressure difference across the filter flocculants, aggregate the
cake and its resistance to the flow, and a high fine particles that tend to
content of fine mineral particles, particularly in clog the channels, allowing
the ultrafine tailings, reduces filter cake a for better water flow as it is
permeability leading to increased complexity in drained away. Tailormade

P6 International Mining SUPPLEMENT | JULY 2021

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PASTE & TAILINGS 2021

polymers aggregate surfactants is essential to

mineral particles in a improving filtration
desired size thus performance, especially in
preventing the scenarios involving filtration of
trapping of ultrafine mineral particles.
water inside Clariant’s expertise
these and technologies
structures. have
Surfactants
must be used in
combination with
polymers to improve
filtration capabilities.

Application of filter aids

Clariant’s application and development
teams have been partnering with
customers to develop and test several filter results of this simulation
aids from Clariant’s FLOTICOR FA series to showed that a specific tailormade
enable enhanced tailings filtration. A recent polymer formulation improved the filtration demonstrated success in
project for an iron ore company was carried out performance: the cake moisture was reduced by overcoming the challenges the mining industry
using a sample composed of 80% coarse tailings 28% and a higher cake thickness was achieved, is facing in developing safer and more
and 20% ultrafine tailings, in a slurry of 57% thus optimising production by improving the sustainable alternatives for tailings disposal. IM
solids content. The two primary goals of the filtration rates.
project were to enable dry stacking by reducing To best address the mining industry’s
cake moisture and to eliminate the previous challenges with tailings filtration, a deeper *Clariant SA, Brazil: Process Mining Engineer,
bottleneck in production by increasing the understanding of the chemical technology of Nathalia Costa; A&D Regional Manager, Leandro
filtration production rate. filtration aids is critical. Based on the findings of Bicalho; Global Application Expert in Iron Ore,
Lab scale filtration trials were performed by the aforementioned project and the findings of Pierre Fernandes, Global Head of Technology,
leaf test top feed methodology. This method is a other case trials, it has been shown that the Wagner Silva. Vale SA, Brazil: Process Engineers,
simulation of a rotary vertical vacuum filter. The development of customised polymers and Rodolfo Moreira & Vinicius Seering

Clariant Mining Solutions

YOUR PARTNER FOR SUSTAINABLE
TAILINGS MANAGEMENT
At Clariant Mining Solutions, we are dedicated to providing value to
mining operations through sustainability. Our filter aids can help you
achieve drier tailings and increase the throughput of your filtration
equipment. If you are considering reprocessing tailings, we can
customize flotation chemicals to help you recover valued minerals
that are currently being disposed of. Our technical experts are ready
to work with you to optimize tailings management and help reach
your operation’s sustainability targets.

CLARIANT.COM/MINING performance and value delivered.

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