Concentrate Thickener Operation

Concentrate Thickener Operation
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In mining, when flotation is

finished with the ore, and a final
concentrate has been
produced, often, both products
will go to a concentrate
thickener before it is dried for
shipping. This is a very
important step so here we
discuss Basic Concentrate
Thickener Operation. For the
mine to get its concentrate to
the smelter it will have to be
transported, by truck, train or
ship.
To illustrate the importance of this circuit, let us suppose that the concentrate, that is being shipped, has
one percent more moisture in it than it is supposed to when the concentrate was shipped it was weighed
https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/mining-thickener-operation[4/13/2021 10:19:59 AM]

out at one hundred tons. That extra one percent moisture represents one ton of water. This means,
instead of receiving returns on one hundred tons of concentrate the mine will receive payment on ninety
nine tons. Not only will water be sent to an area that already has enough of their own, the mine will have
to pay to get it there as well. On top of that, if the moisture content is too great, drying fees may be
added to the customary costs. So, if being too wet is an added expense, it must then stand to reason
that ideally it should be as dry as possible.
A thickener has 2 products show above. Clear water at the top & thick ‘mud’
at the bottom.
The concentrate at this point is ground very fine. If it is too dry It becomes very dusty, the losses caused
by handling, or wind, will eat into the profits by quite a bit. So from that you can see that an effectively
run de-watering circuit is very important to the overall results of the mine. •
Within the scope of a de-watering circuit are three categories of equipment. THICKENERS, FILTERS
and the DRIERS. Each one is a stage in producing a dry final product.
One of the good things about milling is that the names of most of the equipment reflect what function
they perform. With thickener’s they thicken!

The feed to them has low density. When the concentrate is pumped out of them, the water content has
been reduced far
enough to allow the next piece of equipment, the filters, to execute their part in the removal of the water.
This equipment filters the concentrate to dry it as much as possible to enable the drier to finish preparing
the concentrate for shipping.
The thickener is a very basic piece of machinery that performs its job in an easily understood manner. It
simply provides a holding area large enough to allow the concentrate time to settle to the bottom. Once
there, there are RAKES that rotate pulling all of the mineral to the center of the thickener. Prom that
point it is pumped to the filter. The excess water that is not wanted in the concentrate is allowed to flow
over the side of the thickener in a controlled manner. It is then either reused in the circuit or is sent to
tailings.
That is simplest explanation I know of as to the workings of a thickener and its operation. But there is
always a “however”. In this case, it is the operating variables and theories that the operators should
know about. The first thing that we will discuss is how the size of the thickener is determined.
http://encyclopedia.che.engin.umich.edu/Pages/SeparationsMechanical/ThickenersClarifiers/ThickenersClar
ifiers.html

by David Michaud | August 12, 2015 | Concentrator Manuals/Procedures, Dewatering |
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Feeding a Thickener for Good Settling and Underflow Density & Overflow Clarity
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How much you feed a thickener and

how/where you feed it will determine how well
slurry or concentrate settles it it as well as the
level of ease or difficulty you will have at
obtaining a good underflow density and
overflow clarity.
By using the head assay of the concentrator,

and the metallurgical test results that
determined the percentage of recovery and the
density of the thickener feed to be expected, it
is easy to determine the volume that will be
going through the thickener. Unfortunately that
isn’t the only information that is required. You
also have.to know how long it will take the
concentrate to settle.
https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/feeding-thickener-settling-underflow-density-overflow-clarity[4/13/2021 10:20:22 AM]

To determine this bit of knowledge the first

thing to do is pour a sample of concentrate that
is at the expected density into a graduated
cylinder. Let the cylinder stand for a set period of time. Once the time has passed you will be able to
measure, through the clear glass of the flask, the amount that the slurry has settled. From this simple
test you will be able to determine the SETTLING RATE of the concentrate.
After you have the settling rate you will know how long any one piece of mineral will have to be in the
thickener before it settles to the bottom. That, plus knowing the volume of the tonnage that will be
processed during that time will indicate the necessary capacity of the thickener. Learn thickening
basics.
The operation of the RAKES on the bottom require that the settling mineral be distributed evenly over
the entire BED. (This is the portion of the thickener that the rakes are pulled over.) The bed is similar to
a rock box in the fact that it is there to protect the bottom from wear.-It is a permanent part of the

thickener, and often no more than a layer of settled concentrate.
To achieve the required even settling, the final concentrate must be introduced at the centre of the
thickener. The area that it is discharged into is called the WELL of the thickener. This is circular piece of
metal open at both ends.
It is deep enough to extend below the surface of the INTERPACE.

The interface is that point where the solids of the thickener and the water that is relatively clean meet. The
SOLIDS may also he called the UNDERFLOW.
While the water is called either the LIQUEUR or the OVERFLOW. When the slurry is introduced to the
thickener, the movement of the rakes as they are turned by the central shaft ensures that the mineral is
settling uniformly.
When I first began talking about the components of the thickener I mentioned that the WELL of the
thickener is the place that the feed enters at. As I mentioned, this is to aid in evenly spreading the
concentrate over the bed of the thickener. It also does one other thing, there is always a portion of the
mineral that settles faster than the rest. It allows this material to settle straight into the cone of the
thickener to be taken away as fast as possible.

by David Michaud | August 13, 2015 | Dewatering |


Thickener Operating pH and Lime for Flocculation & Improved Settling
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If, for some reason, the thickener’s settling rate is too slow, as in the
case of the grind being so fine or you are dealing with clay rich ore
and now the concentrate stays in suspension. The thickener could
be “sliming” and will produce a dirty overflow combined with a low
density underflow.
If this is a problem, a reagent called a FLOCCULANT is added to

the thickener feed.
A flocculent causes the slimes -to form into small masses of

mineral. This will make the thickener load settle. Flocculants may be
purchased under different trade names both in liquid or dry form.
Settling: Without VS With Flocculant
If you do not have a true flocculant on site you can use a common
substance that is also used as a flocculent is CaO better known as lime. The use of a flocculent must be
carefully regulated however as there is a danger to the equipment. Why add lime to thickener? Yes you
https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/thickener-operating-ph-and-lime-for-flocculation-improved-settling[4/13/2021 10:20:49 AM]

can use lime as a flocculant or to help your flocculate and settle.
Things That Matter to Flocculants—Several factors affect how flocculants work. By increasing the
amount of kinetic energy in a solution through stirring or heating, flocculants have a faster impact on the
particles. This phenomenon occurs because as kinetic energy is added to solution, particles move faster
and therefore clump with the flocculant at a faster rate. The volume of solution and flocculant can also
affect flocculation. Chances are, if a large amount of water is being cleaned, a larger amount of
flocculant is needed. The most effective dose may also change depending on the flocculant type, which
is often dictated by the available charges or size of the flocculant. Additionally, the water’s pH can affect
the performance of a flocculant. The pH scale is used to determine how acidic or basic the water is.
Most flocculants work best at neutral conditions (pH 7) while some work independently of the pH.
Flocculants are categorized as anionic, nonionic or cationic and therefore affected by pulp pH. Basic
thickener operation will have you understand the simple electrics of water. For lack of proper testing,
you will need to buy a floc that fits your chemistry or modify it using lime.
by David Michaud | August 13, 2015 | Dewatering | flocculant, flocculation, Thickener

https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/thickener-operating-ph-and-lime-for-flocculation-improved-settling[4/13/2021 10:20:49 AM]

Thickener Torque -Rakes & Drive
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A little earlier I talked about the rakes of the thickener, these are long arms that extend off of the bottom
of the DRIVE SHAFT. As the shaft turns the rakes will sweep the entire bed of the thickener thereby
applied Torque. Each rake arm is higher at its far end than it is where it joins the drive shaft. This is
designed this way to give the bed a slope towards the centre of the thickener. As the rakes are turned
by the drive shaft they cause the concentrate that has settled onto the bottom of the thickener to be
pulled into the discharge chamber at the centre of the thickener. This is called the CONE. It is from this
cone that the thickener underflow is taken.
During normal operations of the circuit, the thickener may be pulled empty. That doesn’t mean that there
isn’t any concentrate left in it. It means that the concentrate hasn’t settled enough to maintain the
necessary
underflow density
required by the
filters. When this
happens the rest
of the De-watering
circuit will have to
shut down. While
the circuit is down
there will still be
feed coming into
the thickener from
flotation and the
concentrate will
https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/thickener-torque-rakes-drive[4/13/2021 10:21:09 AM]

still be settling.
This means that
the rakes will have
to be kept turning
to evenly
distribute the
concentrate over
thickener bed. To
give the circuit the
longest possible
down time, the
drive shaft and
rake arms may be
lifted to make
room for the
mineral as it settles.
As the load in the thickener settles to the bed, the Torque on the rake arms will be climbing. Torque is
nothing more than a rotary force being applied from the rake arms to the drive shaft. It is the degree of
torque that indicates to the operator the load that is in the thickener and when the rake arms have to be
lifted. Usually there is a point on the thickener torque indicator where the power to the rakes will be shut
off if the torque should happen to become too great.
Whenever the rakes are shut down there is the danger of the rakes being buried in the concentrate as it
settles. This very real danger makes the torque and the movement of the rake arms a must for constant
supervision. If the rakes do shut themselves down and go unnoticed it could mean that the thickener will
have to be drained onto the floor and the concentrate washed away from the rakes until they are free to
turn again. This type of occurrence will be very expensive as the entire mill may have to be shut down
while the thickener is washed out.
More about thickening ‘this old fashion way’.
This is also the danger that I mentioned earlier of using flocculants. If your thickener “begins to “slime”,
(This is the term used to describe the thickener whose contents are not settling fast enough and whose
interface is getting closer to the surface) You have three things that you can do about it. Restrict or stop
the feed going into it, pull more material from the underflow, or add flocculent. If you add flocculent there

is always the danger of adding too much at once. This can start a chain reaction. As the mineral at the
surface begins to settle it pushes the material below it down. Sometimes that initial movement is all that
is needed to restart the settling process. If this happens the load will settle quickly and all at once. If the
operator isn’t on his toes he may end up burying the rakes. The load aided by the flocculent can settle
unbelievably fast.
Go to for a nice interactive on Thickener Drive Assembly/Parts.
In a plant where sliming thickeners are a problem you may find a device to determine at what depth that
the interface is at in the thickener. The best that I have seen is a long glass tube with both ends open.
By pushing it into the thickener and then putting your thumb over the open end before you pull it out, you
are able to obtain a sample. The glass of the tube allows you to visually measure the distance from the
top of the water to where it and the slimes meet.
As to controlling the operation of a thickener the Torque and the density are your control indicators. As
you are removing the concentrate from the thickener underflow you will be monitoring the density and
the torque. To maintain the density of the underflow, you maintain the torque on the arms. What this
means is the density must be controlled within operating guidelines. As the load on the thickener rake
mechanism drops off the density will go down. To bring the density back to the operating range you
lower the rakes. When the rakes are lowered as far as they will go, and the density has dropped below
the operating range, the thickener will be considered empty.
by David Michaud | August 13, 2015 | Dewatering |


Thickener Safety
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Thickener Safety
https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/thickener-safety[4/13/2021 10:21:39 AM]

Thickener Safety
The last thing that I would like to mention about thickeners is to do with their safety. In some plants fire a
worker who wears his hard hat or takes foreign objects onto the catwalks above the thickeners.
The reason is that if, by accident, his hard hat ended up in the thickener that thickener may be down for
days because of it. The only way any object can be removed from the cone is by shutting down the
thickener and emptying it.
With a hard hat they tend to enter the cone upside down. This means that they will seal the only place
that the thickener can be emptied from. The alternative is to empty the thickener with a pump which is a
long slow job.
As you can imagine, a hard-hat or tool or large rock would easily plug the thickener underflow and piping
shown below.

Thickener Safety
by David Michaud | August 13, 2015 | Safety |


Concentrate Thickener Operation

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