Cutaway illustration of FLSmidth’s SuperCell 600
flotation machine.

“With the increasing demand for larg-er flotation cells, FLSmidth has invested in research and development to create these large SuperCells,” said Peter J. Flanagan, Non-Ferrous Division executive vice president. “The SuperCells will help increase efficiencies while reducing capi-tal expenditures.”

FLSmidth offers both naturally aspirated and forced air mechanisms for the new SuperCell. “The universal tank promotes mechanism interchangeability for added customization and performance capability,” said Frank P. Traczyk, director of flotation products, who predicted that, with single flotation cell volume more than doubling over the past decade. economies of scale, declin-ing ore grades and near-term commodity pricing stability bode well for the integration of the 600 Series into large concentrators.

Innovative cell characterization tools and novel simulation techniques con-tributed to technical improvements over existing rotor-stator technologies.

“Mineralogical diversity, its interaction with fine and coarse particle recovery and lowering energy and operating costs are just some of the challenges faced by min-eral processing operations around the world. The Flotation group at FLSmidth is committed to solving these types of prob-lems with revolutionary rotor-stator designs…created and tested aggressively in our research facility,” said Traczyk. “Maximizing valuable mineral production requires a mind-shift away from historical norms, and the SuperCell 600 Series is another step in this evolutionary process.”

Hydrodynamic and metallurgical testing of the 600 Series will begin in late 2012.