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2 Million t/a Gold Flotation Plant Expansion in Xinjiang, China

Project Background: Expansion and Technological Upgrade of an Existing Flotation Plant

Raw Ore: Refractory Sulfide Gold Ore with associated pyrite and arsenopyrite

Original Plant Capacity: 1.2 Million t/a

Final Product: Gold Flotation Concentrate

Expanded Capacity: 2.0 Million t/a (Total)

Gold Recovery Rate: Increased from 86% to 92.5% post-expansion

Work Scope: EPC – Expansion Design, New Equipment Supply, Installation, Integration & Commissioning

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Upgraded Crushing & Screening:

Integration of a new primary gyratory crusher to handle increased throughput.
Existing two-stage crushing circuit (Jaw + Cone Crusher) optimized and retrofitted to form a robust three-stage crushing system, ensuring consistent feed size of 12mm below for grinding.

Enhanced Flotation Circuit:

Installation of new, high-efficiency 200 m³ flotation cells to form an expanded circuit.
Implementation of a “1-stage Rougher, 3-stage Cleaner, 2-stage Scavenger” configuration for superior selectivity and recovery.
Introduction of an advanced automated reagent dosing system to optimize collector and depressant usage, particularly for controlling arsenic.

Process Control & Automation:

DCentralized PLC/DCS control system integrated with the existing plant control room.
Addition of online particle size analyzers (PSD) and pH/ORP sensors for real-time process optimization, ensuring stable operation at the expanded capacity.

Grinding Circuit Expansion:

Addition of a second Φ5.0m x 8.5m Ball Mill operating in parallel with the existing unit.
Formation of a closed-circuit grinding system with hydrocyclones to achieve a target grind size of 80% passing 75µm, essential for liberating fine gold locked in sulfides.

Concentrate & Tailing Handling:

New high-rate thickener for flotation concentrate dewatering.
Installation of a filter press for the concentrate to produce a low-moisture filter cake, reducing transportation costs.
Upgraded tailing pumping system and pipeline to the existing tailings storage facility, designed to handle the increased volume.

Key Features & Outcomes of the Expansion:

Capacity Leap: Successfully increased processing capacity by 800,000 t/a, achieving the 2 Million t/a target.
Recovery Boost: Through finer grinding and optimized flotation, the overall gold recovery rate was significantly enhanced by 6.5%.
Proven EPC Capability: Demonstrated strong capability in brownfield project execution, seamlessly integrating new systems with existing infrastructure with minimal disruption to ongoing production.
Adapted to Refractory Ore: The flowsheet is specifically designed to tackle the challenges of refractory sulfide gold ores prevalent in the region.
Emphasis on Eco-Efficiency: The expansion prioritized water recycling from the thickener overflow and dry tailing stacking where applicable, aligning with stringent environmental policies in Xinjiang.