IUPT “Design Institute”, Ural Federal University, Yekaterinburg, Russia:
M. G. Viduetskiy, Deputy Director for Science, e-mail: vid.magr@mail.ru
I. F. Garifulin, Chief Specialist

A. P. Purgin, Head of the Enrichment Department

“Rudmetal” AD, Rudozem, Bulgaria:
I. Sh. Yochev, Chief Mechanic

Application of new generation pneumatic flotation devices of the controllingflotation machines (СFM) series in basic and control flotation operations can be considered as one of the progressive solutions implemented in our factory. This allowed to significantly reduce the production area occupied by the factory's flotation module and to reduce electricity consumption during flotation. CFM-600 in MOU-15 Rudmetal AD has been found as reliable and highly efficient devices. According to their performance in MOU-15 Rudmetal AD, the advantages of the CFM fleet machines are most evident in the “head” operations of flotation schemes. Thus, the flotation machine CFM-600 in the operation of the main lead flotation operates much more efficiently than mechanical flotation machines:
– lead content in CFM-600 concentrate is higher by almost two times (61.23 versus 35.19%);
– CFM-600 yielded higher extraction of lead in the form of foam (82.09 versus 81.41%) with almost doubled duration of flotation (3.5 versus 8 minutes).
The application of CFM pneumatic flotation machines resulted in significantly enhanced rates of ore enrichment at MOU-15 Rudmetal AD. A slight change in the design of the CFM-600 caused an increase (in comparison with the previous period) in the extraction of lead by 5% (91–94%), zinc by 10% (up to 76.8%) with 70% of lead content existing in lead-concentrate and 50% of zinc in zincconcentrate. The achievement of high overall ore enrichment rates at the MOU-15 Rudmetal AD was the result of the joint fruitful work of Russian and Bulgarian specialists.

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