DOE Application by Compilation of Taguchi and RSM in Optimization… 135

DOE Application by Compilation of Taguchi and RSM in

Optimization-Case Study: Interaction Parameters
Flotation of Zinc Oxide Minerals
A. Hajati
Department of Mining Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology,
Arak Branch, Iran
E-mail: am_hajati@iustarak.ac.ir, am_hajati@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT: One of the aims important to increase of quality is design of methods for improved of quantity and
quality production of system. Statistical program tests are the base for this part effectiveness. Today, Designs of
Experiment (DOE) tests are used engineering tools for control and optimization varies system. In this research,
by compilation of design of experiment methods by taguchi and RSM (Response Surface Method) used for
optimization of Zinc oxide minerals flotation system. Almost, most parts of benefit minerals as ore in extraction
mining are oxidized. Then, flotation of these minerals will be difficult. The aim minerals of this dam tailing
(Irankuh Company in Iran) are Smithsonite, Sphalerite, Galena, cerussite and Ferro oxide minerals. The grade of
Zn, Pb and Fe are 7.5%, 3.4% and 13% respectively. In this flotation tests, oxine and dithizone are chelating
agent collectors and the surface of particle is not sulfide. By study of interaction parameters and optimization of
them and analysis of results and use of DOE methods, oxine is better than dithizone. In the optimum condition of
flotation test; the grade of Zn, Pb and Fe are 15.55%, 2.77% and 3.51% and recovery are 40.12%, 7.75% and
10.11% respectively.

1. INTRODUCTION or surface knowledge is combination technique

Almost in the all systems, optimization and
knowledge of action parameters is very impor-
tant. One of the aim basic to increase of quality,
is design of methods for improve of quantity and
quality production of systems. Statistical
program tests are the base for this part effective-
ness. Today, Designs of Experiment (DOE) tests
are used engineering tools for control and
optimization of varies factors effective systems.
Design experiment by taguchi method is one
of the family fractional factorials. It can used in
varies condition of systems. By using of this
method, the stability of process and decrease of
variable around of results are aim. But some
results have a few uncertain. It has tried that
decrease of distance between of Xi (much of
parameter test) and X (average of results). Then,
it possible that optimum condition focused on the
other point. It seems that, knowledge of
interaction parameters effect system by three
dimensional is help to conceive of complex
process. Compilation of the Response Surface
Methodology (RSM) and taguchi method is very
benefit method for solving of this problem. RSM
of mathematics and statistics for modeling and
simulation of problems. By using of two
methods, end results of tests will be uphold and
correct. Application of this method is very
suitable for analysis of any systems of industry
laboratory, pilot plant and other tests.
Different technologies such as pyro-
metallurgy, hydrometallurgy, bioleaching and
flotation have been employed to extract metal
from ore; however, with the new crisis in
environmental issues, flotation methods seem
more amenable [1]. Today, selecting collector for
flotation of zinc oxide is very important, and
among the collectors, chelating agents are
promising ones. One of the most significant
applications of chelating agents in flotation is in
enrichment of low-grade ore recovery. In this
research, by sampling of oxide dam tailing at
Goshfill Mine (Bama Co.) and use of DOE for
analysis of results, optimization of parameters act
by chelating agent (oxine) and non sulfidation of
surface zinc minerals [2].
136  Mineral Processing Technology (MPT 2007)
2. MATERIAL AND METHODS crystal with molecular weight of 145.16 g/mole.
Oxine is insoluble in water and mostly organic
The material is provided by Bama Company chemicals likely, ethers, alcohols, aromatic
from Goshfil Mine Tailing. The Tailing include hydrocarbons acetone, acetic acid and chloro-
the 7.65% zinc (Smithsonite and Sphalerite) form are used as solvent. In this test acetone was
3.5% lead (galena and cerusite) and 13% of iron employed as solvent (Figure 1).
(hematite and goethite). One Kg of the sample
The oxine concentration was kept below 2%.
were crushed with jaw crusher. The crushed
This is because of solubility of acetone in water
samples were ground with ball mill to fine sizes
may remove oxine from the system Pine oil with
in different time scales (0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50,
a range of 120 g/ton was selected as frother. The
60 min).The fine particles then sieved with
conditioning time was 12 min. In this study the
screen size of (18, 50, 100, 200, 270, 325, 400
main parameters which were used for flotation
mesh) and the accumulated weight of passing
include pH, oxine concentration, corn starch,
particles were measured. After obtaining the
sodium thiosulfate, sodium citrate, sodium
selection of appropriate time (10 minute were
silicate and conditioning time. Preliminary tests
selected for this study) for the grinding, and then
were carried out in order to evaluate the
samples were taken from each size on the screen.
effectiveness of oxine with various concen-
The selection samples were fixed through the
trations of oxine, corn starch, sodium tiosulfate,
resin and polished the surface of the minerals.
sodium citrate and sodium silicate. during the
The prepared sample was used for the
experiment.
microscopic analysis by the counting the number
of minerals and the percentage of liberated ones.
The degree of liberation can magnificently
optimize flotation processes. For these specific
minerals it can be concluded that all samples
should grind under 90 micron size in which 80-
100% of smithsonite and 50-100% of iron oxides
(hematite + goethite) are liberated. The details
study of degree of liberation can be found [2]. In
order to reduce the iron contents of the samples, Fig. 1: Chelating of Zinc by Oxine
the prepared samples were also passed through 2
Tesla Magnetic field. To optimize the experimental parameters, the
Taguchi experimental design was employed.
For the flotation test, an experimental cell
According to the method, an array of L32 was
similar to the Halimound cell was used. The
suggested and the data were analyzed by
dimension of the considering the liberation of
Qualitek-4 software. Table1 demonstrates the
smithsonite, were selected in the range of 38-90
main parameters and their levels investigated in
micron. Oxine is a chelating agent and it was
this research.
used as a collector. Oxine (C9H7NO) is a white

Table 1: Demonstrate the main parameters and their ranges investigated

Levels of parameter
Parameters
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
1- pH 3 6 9 12
2- Oxine (g/ton) 20 60 180 540
3- Corn Starch (g/ton) 500 1000 1500 2000
4- Sodium Thiosulfate (g/ton) 20 60 180 540
5- Sodium citrate(g/ton) 20 60 180 540
6- Sodium Silicate (g/ton) 20 60 180 540
6- Time Condition (min) 5 10 15 30
DOE Application by Compilation of Taguchi and RSM in Optimization… 137
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 45
40
The results of mineralogical analysis through 35
XRF are tested. Nearly 80% of zinc minerals are 30 Zn

Recovery (%)
smithsonite. The most gangue minerals for the 25 Pb
20
flotation process are including of iron and lead 15
Fe
metals. For iron removal, it prepared samples 10
were passed through the wet-high magnetic 5
intensity field. The results of magnetic separation 0
test caused that grade of Pb, Zn and Fe viruses to 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
3.01%, 7.85% and 5% and recovery in non Concentration of Oxine (gr/ton)
magnetite part are 91.81%, 90.55 and 65.68%
respectively. Fig. 2: Recovery of zinc, Iron and Lead by Oxine

The results of parameter optimization

The results of the Taguchi for the interaction of
technique using taguchi method indicated that the sodium citrate and sodium tio sulfate through the
parameters which effect on the experimental
RSM (Response Surface Method) for grade of
results in 1st stage, are include corn starch with zinc is shown in Figure 3.
concentration of 1400 g/ton, sodium silicate 100
g/ton and time conditioning 12 min. The other
parameters which are variable include pH, oxine,
sodium thiosulfate and sodium citrate.

Table 2: Results of L9 array taguchi method

Gread (%) Recovery (%)

Series
Zn Fe Pb Zn Fe Pb
1 11.45 7 4 29.06 17.92 10.24
2 11.25 12 4 20.40 21.76 5.44 Fig. 3: Interaction of Citrate-Thiosulfate on the
3 10.98 6 4 24.89 14.60 6.80 Recovery of zinc by RSM

4 11.48 7 4 45.81 22.04 9.44

As shown in Figure 3 for study interaction of
5 10.6 6 4 70.95 40.16 26.77 sodium citrate with sodium thiosulfate indicats,
6 11.6 5 4 49.18 21.20 16.96 show that sodium citrate did not affect on the
increasing recovery of zinc. Whereas, with
7 12.12 4 4 14.57 4.46 4.48 elimination of sodium citrate the optimized
8 12.30 5 4 14.45 5.47 4.28 condition for the sodium tiosulfate for the
9 12.76 4 4 24.82 7.47 5.60
recovery of zinc was obtained at a few gather
than 2000 gr/ton.
Finally, optimum condition was obtained
Thus, the above mentioned variable para-
when fuel oil mixed ¼ with oxine. In this
meters were optimized. The results of L9 taguchi
condition the grade of zinc was obtained 15.89 %
method is shown in Table 2{Limit factors are: pH
and the recovery was 52.56%.
= (10, 12, 14), Oxine = (800, 1500, 2000 gr/t),
sodium thiosulfate = (0, 1000, 2000 gr/t) and
sodium citrate = (0, 1000, 2000 gr/t) by L9 4. CONCLUSIONS AND
array}. As shown in Table 2, pH is one of the RECOMMENDATION
most contribution factor which affect the
recovery of zinc. This is also demonstrated in The feasibility of zinc recovery from mine
Fig. 2. residue was shown by this study. Oxine as a
chelating agent collector in the floatation process
138  Mineral Processing Technology (MPT 2007)
exhibits potential for selective recovery of
smithzonite minerals ore. Through the Taguchi
experimental design the optimum condition was
obtained. The optimum condition for the above
mentioned parameter is as follows: Size range
38-90 micron, pH = 12.5, Sodium Citrate:
Removed, Sodium Tiosulfate: 1000-1500 g/ton,
Sodium Silicate: 100 g/ton, Corn Starch: 1400
g/ton, Time Condition: 12 min, High Tention of
Magnetite separation: 2 Tesla, Fuel Oil: ¼
Concentration Of Oxine, Frother (Pine Oil): 120
g/ton, Solid Percent: 10%. The results also
indicate that pH was one of the most important
parameter which affects the recover of zinc
oxide.
As the results of the study demonstrated, the
disturbing parameters which affected the results
of smithsonite recovery in the tailing were high
surface oxidation all minerals including iron lead
and zinc.
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Goshfill mine, mining Eng. conference, Iran,
2004.
[3] Rinelli, G., Marabini, “Selective separation of
zinc and lead from oxide ores through formation
of organo-metallic compounds”. XIIth IMPC,
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[4] Quast, K.B.,"A review of Hematite Flotation
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[5] Song, S. (2002) “Magnetic Separation of
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