Advances in mineral flocculation

Abstract

The use of a new flocculant type (the Unique Molecular Architecture (Ciba ® UMA ®) flocculant) led to dose efficient sedimentation of a predominantly china clay suspension. For a specified sedimentation rate the supernatant turbidity and sediment volume were lower when the Unique Molecular Architecture flocculant was used compared to a standard flocculant. In addition the Unique Molecular Architecture flocculant was robust in terms of the desirable performance to changes in substrate — flocculant mixing and flocculant concentration. Dose efficient sedimentation was also achieved by the dual flocculant addition of a pure polyacrylamide (non ionic flocculant) followed by an anionic flocculant.