Abstract

In mineral processing, ores are concentrated using flotation - a technology that requires several stages (forming a flotation circuit) to separate the valuable minerals from the gangue. The flotation circuit design is a complex task, which is why several authors have proposed design procedures based on optimization. However, the modeling of the recovery of each flotation stage is complex, requires experimentation, and depends on many variables, including the selected circuit and mineral feed (which changes over time). These difficulties indicate that there are uncertainties in the actual values of the recovery of each stage and the information necessary to create the circuit design. This manuscript analyzes the effect of uncertainty on the recovery during each stage to facilitate the selection of an optimal circuit. We conclude that approximate values for stage recoveries are sufficient for the selection of flotation circuits.