In this paper, an adaptive approach has been developed for automatic initialization of the thickening curve using machine vision technology, which makes it possible to determine with high accuracy the material parameters necessary for the design of thickening and clarification apparatuses. Software has been developed that made it possible to search for the coordinates of the condensation critical point in automatic mode. Studies on two samples of materials (tailings of apatite-containing ores and gold-bearing concentrate) were carried out and made it possible to statistically prove the reproducibility of the results obtained using the parametric criteria of Fisher and Bartlett. It has been established that the deposition curves are approximated with high accuracy by the Weibull model, which, together with the piecewise linear approximation, makes it possible to formalize the method for determining the critical point coordinates. The empirical coefficients of the Weibull model for two samples are found, and the final liquefaction and settling rates of the studied materials are determined.

Deterioration of mineralogical and physical characteristics of mineral raw materials results in the formation of the primary task for the comminution processes—reduction in the size of ore to obtain a material with a certain granulometric composition, which in turn is achieved by overgrinding of raw materials and, consequently, an increase in energy costs. The work aimed to justify the possibility of selective disintegration of mineral assemblages of polymetallic ores of various genesis at the stage of crushing based on in-depth investigation and revealing of interrelation and mutual influence of mineralogical-geochemical features, textural-structural and technological properties. Structural and textural features have been studied by the methods of computed X-ray microtomography. Experimental and theoretical investigations of mineralogical and technological parameters of raw materials, as well as research on crushing using different types of crushers, made it possible to substantiate the possibility of selective disintegration for polymetallic ores.

В настоящее время прогресс в области флотационного обогащения тесно связан с развитием измерительной техники, обеспечивающей формирование наиболее полного информационного пространства для изучаемого объекта, и применением новейших математико-статистических методов для анализа получаемых данных, являющихся основой цифровых технологий. В статье анализируется современный методологический подход к решению задачи оптимизации реагентных режимов флотации при исследовании на обогатимость минерального сырья. Данное исследование основывается на изучении электрохимических процессов, протекающих непосредственно во флотационной пульпе. В ходе лабораторных исследований было изучено многофункциональное действие сернистого натрия при флотации руд цветных металлов. Разработана и проверена нейросетевая модель, позволяющая оптимизировать показатели. Установлено, что при помощи оптимизации подачи сернистого натрия и стабилизации потенциала Ag2S можно повысить технологические показатели...

The possibility of extraction of metals from ores of different genesis, containing low-dimensional structures of rare and noble metals, increases their commodity value and, in a deficit for some types of metals, leads to the need to search and develop new nature-like technologies, which can be used to extract from ores of different genesis almost all valuable noble, rare earth and nonferrous metals regardless of their concentration. This article presents the results of studying the processes of comminution and flotation to extract low-dimensional structures of noble and rare metals from carbonaceous ores using low-temperature and energy impacts at successive stages of the ores’ transformation. With the use of modern mineralogical, physical and chemical methods of research of composition, structure and properties of ores, the initial samples, concentrates and tailings after enrichment were studied. During the study, it was established that the difficulty of extraction of strategic metals from carbonaceous hard-enriched ores consists in fine dissemination of valuable components in concentrator minerals, mutual penetration of ore mineralization into each other and into rock-forming minerals, and in proximity of physical, chemical and technological properties of minerals, which complicates selective extraction of valuable components in concentrates. Also, difficulties in enrichment are associated with high flotation activity of waste rock, which significantly reduces the quality of concentrates.

The possibility of machine vision application in the field of flotation efficiency evaluation was studied. Algorithm for froth image analysis was developed with aim of obtaining bubble’s size distribution. Algorithm consists of two parts: image processing and object detection. Algorithm’s work was verified on the sulfide flotation froth. As result, mathematical correlations for air flow rate, mean bubble diameter and surface area bubble flux were established.