A sensor for assessing the quality of the mineral flotation process

Abstract

An instrument to assess the quality of the flotation process for mineral concentration in the copper industry has been developed. It is based on computer processing of images of the foam formed at the surface of flotation cells, that are captured by a CCD camera. The instrument evaluates the size, shape and color parameters of the foam bubbles, which, according to experienced plant operators, are associated with the quality of the flotation process. It is being used for supporting plant operator control decisions, and to correlate the calculated parameters with the performance of the flotation process. In future applications, it can be used as a sensor for a fuzzy logic or neural net based control system.<>