Dewatering

ABSTRACT
Dewatering is an important unit operation in the field of mineral processing. It is
done to remove the water absorbed by the particles and thus, will aid for easier
transportation of the ore. The activity was done to introduce the use of two dewatering
techniques: flocculation and sedimentation. The main objective is to observe the
difference in the settling behaviors specifically in the settling rates of the two methods.
The two methods were done to observe their similarities and differences and on the basic
mechanism and procedures of the methods tested.

KEY WORDS: Dewatering, flocculation, sedimentation, settling rates

1. INTRODUCTION Flocculation is a process wherein

1.1 Backgound of the Study
Dewatering is an important process in
mineral processing. The purpose of
dewatering is to remove water absorbed by
the particles which increases the pulp density.
This is done for a number of reasons,
specifically, to enable ore handling and
concentrates to be transported easily, allow
further processing to occur and to dispose of
the gangue. The separation of the solid
materials from the liquid one is a problem
metallurgists often deal with. Dewatering
process is needed in order to separate the
solid materials from the liquid part.
Dewatering processes are used to separate the
suspended solids portion from the water. The
suspended particles vary considerably in
source, composition, charge, particle size,
shape, and density. In this this activity, the
focus is only on two processes, flocculation
and sedimentation.
colloids come out of suspension in the form
of floc or flake, either spontaneously or due
to the addition of a clarifying agent called the
flocculant. Flocculants are chemicals that
promote flocculation by causing colloids and
other suspended particles in liquids to
aggregate, forming a floc.. Flocculants are
used in water treatment processes to improve
the sedimentation or filterability of small
particles. The action differs from
precipitation in that, prior to flocculation,
colloids are merely suspended in a liquid and
not actually dissolved in a solution. In the
flocculated system, there is no formation of a
cake, since all the flocs are in the suspension.
Sedimentation operates by passing
water into a large thickener or clarifier. In
these devices, the particles settle out of the
slurry under the effects of gravity, or
centripetal forces. These are limited by the
surface chemistry of the particles and the size
of the particles. To aid in the sedimentation
process, flocculants and coagulants are added
to reduce the repulsive forces between the
particles.

1.2 Objectives of the Study
The objective of the study is to show
the process of dewatering and to familiarize
the students with the correct way of
practicing dewatering, specifically,
flocculation and sedimentation.
1.3 Significance of the Study
The study aims to differentiate the
behaviour of settling of the ore in the two
processes, flocculation and sedimentation.
Specifically, comparison between the settling
rates of the two processes will be observed.
It also aims to show the correct way
of doing the said processes.
2. MATERIALS AND
METHODS
2.1 Materials
The materials used are six 1000-mL
plastic graduated cylinder, one 50.011g and
five 100g of clay sample, a flocculant, a
stirrer, a timer, and tap water.
2.2 Methodology
Flocculation
A 50g sample of clay was weighed
and was placed inside a 1-liter graduated
cylinder. Water was added until it reached the
1000 mL mark. Then, another 25 mL of water
was added to the solution. Five drops of the
flocculant were added to the graduated
cylinder and the solution was stirred. The
solution was then allowed to settle until the
1000 mL mark and the height of the
supernatant liquid was recorded with an
interval of one minute per measurement.
Sedimentation
Five 100 – gram of ore sample were
prepared and weighed. From the five 100 –
gram sample, a pulp with densities of 10%,
15%, 20%, 25%, and 30% was prepared. Five
samples of 100 grams were prepared and
mixed with different volumes of water to
have a varying spectre of solid content. The
volumes of water were 1000 mL for 10%,
666 mL for 15%, 500mL for 20%, 400 mL
for 25%, and 333 mL for 30%. Agitation and
stirring were then done to the solution and
then it was allowed to settle. The pulp was
stirred and was allowed to settle. The height
of the solid and liquid was tallied with
varying time. The height of both the clear
liquid and the solids were recorded at varied
time intervals.
3. RESULTS AND
DISCUSSIONS
FLOCCULATION DATA
TIME Height Height
(minutes) Solids (cm) Water (cm)
1 7 30
2 4.3 32.7
 3 3.7 33.3 25 6.3 29.2
4 3.3 33.7 30 5.5 30.0
5 3 34
40 5.0 30.5
6 2.9 34.1
50 4.9 30.6
7 2.8 34.2
60 4.7 30.8
8 2.8 34.2
75 4.5 31.0
9 2.6 34.4
10 2.6 34.4 90 4.3 31.2

11 2.5 34.5 150 4.0 31.5

12 2.5 34.5 210 3.9 31.6
13 2.5 34.5 48 hours 3.7 31.8
14 2.5 34.5
Table 2. Data obtained in sedimentation
Table 1. Data obtained from flocculation method with 10% solids at 1000mL water.
using 50.011 g of sample
From the table shown above, it shows
the height of solids, height of water and the TIME 666 mL- 15%
corresponding time in minutes. The 50.011 (minutes) Hsolid Hw(cm)
grams of sample settled in 14 minutes. By (cm)
using excel, the rate of separation is
computed using the formula: 5 18.5 7.0

Rate = height/ time 10 12.3 13.2

Therefore: 15 8.2 17.3

Rate = 1.028360053 cm/min 20 6.3 19.2

SEDIMENTATION DATA 25 5.4 20.1

TIME 1000 mL- 10% 30 5.1 20.4

(minutes) Hsolid Hw (cm) 40 4.7 20.8

(cm) 50 4.6 20.9
5 25.5 10.0 60 4.4 21.1
10 17.6 17.9 75 4.2 21.3
15 11.0 24.5 90 4.1 21.4
20 8.0 27.5 150 3.8 21.7
 210 3.7 21.8 10 9.3 6.7
48 hours 3.7 21.8 15 7.2 8.8
Table 3. Data obtained in sedimentation 20 5.5 10.5
method with 15% solids at 666mL water.
25 5.2 10.8
30 5.0 11.0
TIME 500 mL- 20%
40 4.6 11.4
(minutes) Hsolid Hw (cm)
50 4.5 11.5
(cm)
5 14.6 4.9 60 4.5 11.5

10 11.3 8.2 75 4.4 11.6

15 8.5 11.0 90 4.3 11.7

150 4.0 12.0
20 6.8 12.7
25 5.8 13.7 210 3.9 12.1

30 5.5 14.0 48 hours 3.8 12.2

40 5.2 14.3 Table 5. Data obtained in sedimentation

method with 25% solids at 400mL water.
50 5.0 14.5
60 4.8 14.7
TIME 333 mL- 30%
75 4.6 14.9
(minutes) Hsolid Hw (cm)
90 4.4 15.1 (cm)
150 4.1 15.4 5 11.7 2.1
210 4.0 15.5 10 10.0 3.8
48 hours 3.75 15.75 15 8.4 5.4
Table 4. Data obtained in sedimentation 20 6.8 7.0
method with 20% solids at 500mL water.
25 6.0 7.8
30 5.8 8.0
TIME 400 mL- 25%
40 5.5 8.3
(minutes) Hsolid Hw (cm)
50 5.2 8.6
(cm)
5 12.0 4.0 60 5.0 8.8
 75 4.9 8.9 primarily on gravity for the particles to settle.
Others factors like shape of particles, size and
90 4.6 9.2 density of the solids also has an effect in the
150 4.3 9.5 settling rate of the particles

210 4.2 9.6

48 hours 3.7 10.1
5. REFERENCES
Table 6. Data obtained in sedimentation
method with 30% solids at 333mL water.
[1] Mineral Processing McLanahan.
(n.d.).Retrieved February 27, 2018, from
Tables 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 shows data in https://www.mclanahan.com/industries/mine
sedimentation with 10% solids at 1000mL ral-processing/
water, 15% solids at 666mL water, 20%
solids at 500mL water, 25% solids at 400mL [2] Earle, R. L. (1983). Sedimentation.
water and 30% solids at 333mL water, NZIFST Inc., Unit Operations in Food
respectively. The sedimentation process was Processing
done at different concentrations, taken at [3]www.slideshare.org/flocculationandsedi
particular time intervals. It can be observed mentation% B. Wills, 1979, Wills’ Mineral
from the table that almost all samples settled Processing Technology
at the same level after 48 hours. However, in
comparison to flocculation, it is evident that
based on the gathered data, settling during
sedimentation is relatively slower than the
flocculation process.

4 CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS

For the two methods of dewatering

used in the study, settling of particles in the
sedimentation process is relatively slower in
comparison to flocculation. This can be
attributed to the fact that flocculation uses a
chemical reagent or the flocculant which
definitely enhances the settling rate of the
particles. Also, sedimentation depends