Viscoelastic rheology measurements for characterization of clay particle associations

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Rheology is the study of the flow and deformation of matter. In mineral processing, the concern is with the**rheology of ore slurries. As high-grade base metal resources are depleted, the processing of low-grade ores has**become necessary. Low-grade ores often contain problematic gangue minerals, such as clays. Clay particles**form several aggregate types in suspension, resulting in complex slurry rheology which can reduce the**efficiency of grinding and flotation circuits, and create challenges in dewatering and tailings management. To**select the most sustainable and efficient mitigation option, knowledge of how clay mineral particles interact in**slurries is required. In this research, we will investigate the use of viscoelastic rheology measurements to**identify modes of clay particle associations in mineral slurries. The proposed project will consist of a literature**review, viscoelastic rheology measurements on pure clay mineral slurries, data analysis, and validation of the**data by cryo-SEM (cryogenic scanning electron microscopy). It is expected that the current research will lead to**an NSERC CRD project of the same title, with a scope expanded to include the correlation of the viscoelastic**rheology measurements with unit operation performance and the development of a simple technique to**approximate slurry rheology and particle associations in operations. Ultimately, we hope to be able to predict**and control the rheology in Woodgrove's Staged Flotation Reactor for process optimization. By optimizing**slurry rheology in the processing of low-grade ores, significant savings in water and energy use will be**achieved, which is of benefit to all Canadians.