Advanced Mineral Flotation Technique, Optimisation and Process Improvement

Drive Profitability Through Flotation Process Optimisation and Continuous Improvement

Claim 3 CPD Points

Platform:

Online

In-class

Revised and Updated: 02 October 2026

Date	Venue	Duration
13 - 15 April 2027	Sandton, Gauteng	3 Days

Course Introduction

Flotation process plants represent large capital assets, and operating efficiency is critical to ongoing profitability and survival. Plants share common equipment, but it is the training and skills of personnel that determine whether a continuous improvement culture and process optimisation translate into higher throughput and lower unit costs.

This Prospen Africa Advanced Mineral Flotation Technique, Optimisation & Process Improvement training provides the basic knowledge, tools, and techniques needed to drive profitability and to operate and optimise the efficiency of a flotation process plant. It explores case studies across different commodities, provides information to benchmark flotation process plant performance, and offers strategic methods that can be applied directly to your specific flotation process plant to start the improvement process.

Course Objectives

The Advanced Mineral Flotation Technique, Optimisation & Process Improvement training course content is structured to provide a review of the current state of the fundamentals and technology of froth flotation. A significant part of the course is devoted to examples of the most common flotation separations of base metals and precious metals.

Participants will learn in depth the following crucial subjects in flotation process plant operation and be able to:

Optimally operate and benchmark plant performance against best practices, and set standards based on numerous case studies
Identify cost savings involved and revenue increases achievable through process optimisation and improvement
Develop an optimisation process to enhance flotation process plant recovery and grade
Monitor and assess the changes made
Gain an understanding of current trends in flotation equipment, including the growing Chinese influence in the African market

Who should attend?

This Advanced Mineral Flotation Technique, Optimisation & Process Improvement training course is designed to provide key knowledge of flotation process design, plant sizing, operation, and optimisation — through case studies from mineral processing operations around the world — to:

Operations Managers
Mill Managers
Head of Processing
Production Managers
Plant Managers
Plant Superintendents
Process Managers
Process Engineers
Metallurgical Engineers
Maintenance Managers and Engineers
Operators

Training Methodology

Our diverse instructional approaches ensure effective learning:

– Lectures & Presentations: Engage with expert-driven, stimulating content.
– Course Material: Access well-crafted supporting resources.
– Group Work: Collaborate on discussions and case studies for practical insights.
– Workshops & Role-Play: Participate in immersive, scenario-based activities.
– Practical Application: Focus on applying theoretical knowledge in real situations.
– Post-Training Support: Receive extensive support after training for skill implementation.

Training Outline

Module 1

Session One — Fundamentals and Metallurgical Operations
Mineralogy and minerals classification
Fundamental principles of flotation and flotation circuits
Metallurgical operations
Principles of operation and control of flotation circuits, and applying this knowledge to flotation plant operations
Flotation flowsheets
Process mass balance
Metallurgical accounting in a flotation process plant
Metallurgical key performance indicators: milling (power, grind, density, cyclone, throughput), flotation (grade, recovery, mass pull), and tailings disposal
Industrial minerals such as potash and phosphates, PGMs, and base metals in general
Case Study 1: A wide range of physicochemical conditions under which the froth flotation process is employed around the world
Session Two — The Engineering of Flotation 1: Test Work
Lab testing and pilot plant
Milling curve and grind optimisation
Reagent scouting rougher test, and rougher/cleaner rate test
Locked cycle test and variability test programme
The Engineering of Flotation 2 — Plant Design
Mineralogy and metallurgical test work
Flowsheet development and mass balancing
Cell selection and ancillary equipment
Flotation cell sizing and design information
Session Three — Flotation Circuit Operation
In recent years the mineral processing industry has downsized its labour force, installed new technology with larger equipment, and incorporated plant-wide automation, all in an effort to improve productivity and performance while keeping operating costs to a minimum. As a result, operators are now required to make more and better-informed decisions. To meet these educational needs at the concentrator operation level, this session covers flotation circuit unit operations, including:
Mechanical flotation cells
Column flotation cells
Conditioners
Regrind mills
Cyclones and auxiliary equipment
Fine grind milling
Flowsheets with fine grind in circuit (IsaMill, VertiMill, Stirred Mill, etc.)
Session Four — Flotation Case Studies: Oxide Minerals Flotation and Design Problem Solving
Case Study 1: Flotation cell selection example
Case Study 2: Iron concentrator plant (Utah, USA)
Case Study 3: Copper concentrator (Ankara, Turkey)

Module 2

Session One — Flotation Plants Worldwide: Trends
Milling circuits
Ultrafine grinding
New technologies
Flotation Cell Sizing and Process Design
Flotation cell sizing
Dart valve sizing
Blower sizing
Motor and mechanism sizing
Case Study 4: Gold flotation concentrator plant — flotation plant design and sizing (Siberia, Russia)
Session Two — Sulphide and Oxide Flotation Case Studies
Case Study 5: Katanga copper mining concentrator (Kolwezi, DRC) — copper sulphide/oxide separation, circuit configuration, reagent and flotation chemistry, and CPS
Case Study 6: PGM flotation (South Africa) — circuit configuration, reagent and flotation chemistry, and optimisation (fine grind with IsaMill online)
Session Three — Flotation Plant Optimisation
The flotation plant optimisation process, including round-table brainstorming
Collation of data surrounding the existing flowsheet
Reviewing feed types and the overall implications for processing
Critical techno-economic assessment of possible changes to process flowsheets or operating conditions
Process flowsheet definition and metallurgical accounting
Calculation of process inputs and component mass balancing
Simulation modelling
Potential technical viability, and estimated product yields and qualities
Estimated equipment capital costs, operating costs, and economic viability
Mineralogical considerations that may impact upon processing
Environmental compliance baseline, potential recycles, and consideration of locality
Session Four — Process Control and Optimisation of Flotation Circuits
Case studies: examples of how to identify and solve problems in a flotation plant:
Case Study 7: Oxide/sulphide copper mining concentrator plant (DRC) — introduction to the operation, data acquisition, problem definition, solution development and testing, the down-the-bank survey, and estimated mineral assays from elemental data
Case Study 8: PGM concentrator plant flotation optimisation (South Africa) — solid balance and water balance calculation by surveying; calculation of mineral recoveries; calculation of recovery-size data; interpretation of recovery-size curves; addition of liberation data to recovery-size data; the role of surface and solution analyses for organic and inorganic species; inclusion of froth recovery in surveys; process analysis with down-the-bank flotation data; use of summary graphs with limits imposed by liberation; chemical measurements during plant surveys; and analysis and interpretation of survey chemical data
Further case studies to be discussed during the course, selected to reflect participants' own operating contexts.

Course Categories

Office Administration Courses ❯ Audit, Risk And Governance ❯ Compliance Courses ❯ Finance Courses ❯ Human Resources Training & Development ❯ View All Course Categories ❯

Course Registration Guide

Everything you need to know about registering for a Prospen training course.

View Registration Guide

Success Stories

Discover how our courses enhance professionals’ effectiveness in their workplaces.

No reviews found. Add reviews from the dashboard or switch source to Manual.

FAQs – Advanced Mineral Flotation Technique, Optimisation and Process Improvement

Master advanced mineral flotation techniques covering flotation optimisation, process improvement, circuit performance, metallurgical analysis, recovery, efficiency, and plant operations.

What is covered in the Advanced Mineral Flotation Technique, Optimisation and Process Improvement Training?

The course covers flotation fundamentals, mineralogy, flotation circuits, metallurgical operations, mass balancing, plant design, equipment selection, circuit operation, process control, plant optimisation, and mineral processing case studies.

Who should attend the Advanced Mineral Flotation Training?

The training is designed for operations, mill, production, plant and process managers, plant superintendents, process and metallurgical engineers, maintenance managers and engineers, and flotation plant operators.

Does the course cover flotation plant optimisation?

Yes. Participants learn how to benchmark plant performance, assess process data, identify optimisation opportunities, improve recovery and grade, evaluate process changes, and consider the technical and economic impact of improvements.

Does the training cover flotation plant design and equipment sizing?

Yes. The course covers flowsheet development, mass balancing, mineralogical and metallurgical test work, flotation cell selection and sizing, ancillary equipment, dart valves, blowers, motors, and mechanisms.

Are mineral flotation case studies included in the course?

Yes. The programme uses case studies covering oxide and sulphide flotation, iron, copper and PGM concentrator plants, including examples from operations in South Africa and other international mineral processing environments.

Does the Advanced Mineral Flotation course include practical learning activities?

Yes. Training includes lectures, group work, workshops, case studies, role-play, practical application and post-training support, allowing participants to apply flotation optimisation concepts to real process plant situations.

Related Courses

Share this page:

Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn WhatsApp Email

View our training calendar to explore available courses, dates, and locations, or request a copy to help you plan your training schedule with confidence.

Consulting

Training & Services

Reliable Shuttle Services

Qualifications

Short Courses

More Courses

More Courses

South Africa

Africa

More Africa

Other Countries

Training Formats

Course Durations

Training Calendar

Training Resources

About Prospen

Advanced Mineral Flotation Technique, Optimisation and Process Improvement

Drive Profitability Through Flotation Process Optimisation and Continuous Improvement

Course Objectives

Who should attend?

Course Outline

Request a Call Back

Course Introduction

Course Objectives

Who should attend?

Training Methodology

Training Outline

Course Categories

Course Registration Guide

Request a Call Back

Your submission has been successful

Success Stories

FAQs – Advanced Mineral Flotation Technique, Optimisation and Process Improvement

Related Courses