Minerals Engineering 206 (2024) 108538

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Minerals Engineering
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/mineng

Fine and ultrafine flotation with the Concorde CellTM – A journey

Alejandro Yáñez *, Nathalie Kupka , Berivan Tunç , Janne Suhonen , Antti Rinne
Metso Finland Oy, Rauhalanpuisto 9, 02230 Espoo, Finland

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: The Concorde Cell is a high-intensity pneumatic flotation cell dedicated to fines and ultrafines. Its development
Fines flotation by Professor Graeme Jameson and later on by Metso was driven by two considerations: a reduction in bubble size
Concorde Cell and an increase in the shear rate and energy dissipation rate increases the particle–bubble collision and
Pneumatic
attachment efficiencies of fine particles. The Concorde Cell is a technology which produces fine air bubbles with
Industrial scale
high carrying capacity, thereby allowing increased capacity per unit; smaller footprint and a greater recovery of
valuable fine particles which can be lost in other flotation cells. In addition, with a smaller number of flotation
stages or less recycle required to achieve the desired recoveries, operational expenditures like power, water and
reagents can be reduced.
In this article, the potential of the Concorde Cell is explored through six cases, from base metals to metal­
lurgical coal. Its main operating parameters, Air-to-Pulp Ratio, froth washing, froth depth and tailings recycle
ratio, are investigated and show that the metallurgical performance of the Concorde Cell follows expectations
based on the literature. Amongst others, higher APR leads to higher mass pulls and higher recoveries but lower
grades, deeper froth depth increases selectivity… But the data also demonstrate the typical complexity of
flotation, whereby the negative impact of increased APR can be compensated with froth washing to maintain
high grades at high recoveries for example.
About ten industrial scale flotation projects worldwide are deploying the Concorde CellTM. The examples of a
metallurgical coal washing plant in Australia and of a copper plant in Zambia prove the capacity of the Concorde
Cell to better recover the fines and ultrafines while providing high selectivity. In the two case studies, the
Concorde Cell outperformed the previous technology specifically on the finest fractions of the processed streams.

1. Introduction
In mineral processing applications, fine to ultrafine particles are
generally understood as being smaller than 20–30 µm (Drzymala et al.,
2020; Hassanzadeh et al., 2019). Flotation usually operates most effi­
ciently when particle size is within a specific range (Jameson, 2012;
Jowett, 1980), between 10 and 150 µm (Shergold, 1984) or 20 and 70
µm (Jameson, 2010a). It is well known that outside of the typical range,
metallurgical efficiency drops both for coarser and finer particles. As
such, in comparison to the typical sizes for flotation and for the same
percentage of solids, fine to ultrafine particles have higher specific
surface area, higher water film surface area, lower mass, lower mo­
mentum and higher surface energy (Nguyen & Schulze, 2003).
In-depth reviews of the flotation of fines can be found in Jameson
(2010a), Miettinen et al. (2010), Wang and Liu (2021), Farrokhpay et al.
(2021). To summarize, such particles tend to float slower while they are
more easily entrained (Feng & Aldrich, 1999; Trahar, 1981; Wang,
2016). Much longer residence times are therefore required to achieve
similar recoveries to average-sized particles. Furthermore, finer parti­
cles increase froth height, viscosity and stability (Aktas et al., 2008;
Farrokhpay et al., 2021; Rahman et al., 2012), reducing froth drainage
and making the concentrate harder to transport. As a consequence, the
flotation of fine to ultrafine particles requires a different set of hydro­
dynamic and chemical conditions and their own circuit (Pease et al.,
2006). If these conditions are not met, even if the particles are well
liberated, flotation will be more difficult and usually less performant.
Yet, with declining ore bodies and more and more disseminated min­
erals, the ability to recover these particles is becoming determinant in
the froth flotation of any kind of ores in general, but especially for metals
critical to the green and digital transition. Today, a plant grind closing
size of 4 to 5 µm is considered economically viable (Michaux, 2021).
Among other possibilities, smaller bubbles and a higher shear-rate in
the flotation cell can increase the flotation rate of fine to ultrafine par­
ticles (Nguyen & Schulze, 2003). Indeed, on one hand, particle coating

* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: alejandro.yanez@metso.com (A. Yáñez).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2023.108538
Received 23 October 2023; Received in revised form 8 December 2023; Accepted 10 December 2023
Available online 16 December 2023
0892-6875/© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
nc-nd/4.0/).
A. Yáñez et al.
on bubbles is generally one particle deep, so reducing particle size
translates into increasing the bubble surface area available to carry fine
particles (Jameson, 2010a). As such, halving the mean air bubble
diameter results in twice the total bubble surface area available for
flotation. Furthermore, a reduction in bubble size increases the parti­
cle–bubble collision and attachment efficiencies, which improves the
flotation rate and recovery of fine particles (De Gontijo et al., 2007; Feng
& Aldrich, 1999; Hassanzadeh et al., 2016).
However, it should be noted small bubbles have lower buoyancy,
lower rising velocity and lower lifting force, which can be detrimental to
flotation (Farrokhpay et al., 2020; Miettinen et al., 2010; Rulyov, 2016).
This implies that a healthy mix of small bubbles and microbubbles are
required in the flotation to properly improve fines recovery.
On the other hand, fine particles follow streamlines and do not
collide with bubbles like larger particles do (Brabcová et al., 2015; Dai
et al., 2000). Therefore, increasing the shear rate also intensifies bubble-
particle interactions by increasing the collision and attachment proba­
bilities of fine particles to bubbles. For fines, bubble-particle bond is
strong and detachment probability is low (De Gontijo et al., 2007).
Moreover, fine flotation can be improved by proper dispersion of the
particles and low apparent viscosity (Farrokhpay et al., 2020; Schubert,
2008) through a high local energy dissipation rate.
These two considerations have driven the development of the Con­
corde CellTM by Professor Graeme Jameson of the University of New­
castle (Jameson, 2010b). Professor Jameson developed and patented the
Concorde Cell in the late 2000s (Jameson, 2010a). It was then acquired
by Metso (then Outotec) in 2018 and after further research, was
launched as part of Metso’s portfolio in late 2021. The Concorde Cell is a
technology which produces fine air bubbles with high carrying capacity
in a high shearing environment, thereby allowing increased capacity per
unit; smaller footprint and a greater recovery of valuable fine particles
which can be lost in other flotation cells. In addition, with a smaller
number of flotation stages or less recycle required to achieve the desired
recoveries, operational expenditures like power, water and reagents can
be reduced.
Test work at lab and pilot scales with the Concorde Cell were per­
formed and benchmarked to other flotation technologies, from me­
chanical cells to a column and SAP cells in copper, graphite, nickel, PGM
and metallurgical coal. In every evaluated scale, the Concorde Cell
consistently outperforms the reference technology, by providing high
grades and selectivity at a shorter residence time. These technology
Fig. 1. A – 3D rendering of a 12 Blast-Tube industrial unit, B – 3D rendering of a single Blast Tube and C - Diagrammatic representation of the Concorde Cell modified
from Kupka and Yañez (2022).
2
Minerals Engineering 206 (2024) 108538
comparison studies can be found in Ball et al. (2023), Jameson (2010b),
Kupka et al. (2023a), Kupka and Yañez (2022), Tunc et al. (2022).
In this article, the range in metallurgical performance of the Con­
corde Cell is explored through six cases, from base metals to metallur­
gical coal. Its main operating parameters, Air-to-Pulp Ratio, froth
washing, froth depth and tailings recycle ratio, are investigated and the
experience at industrial scale is summarized, along with a flowsheet
proposition for the flotation of fines and ultrafines with the Concorde
Cell.
2. The Concorde Cell principle
The Concorde Cell is an enhanced pneumatic high-intensity forced-
air flotation type of technology. Unlike agitated flotation, pneumatic
flotation involves mixing the air and the pulp in a continuous stream,
thereby separating contact and froth treatment zones. The Concorde Cell
is a technology which produces fine air bubbles with high carrying ca­
pacity, thereby allowing increased capacity per unit; smaller footprint
and a greater recovery of valuable fine particles which can be lost in
other flotation cells. In addition, with a smaller number of flotation
stages or less recycle required to achieve the desired recoveries, opera­
tional expenditures like power, water and reagents can be reduced.
The Concorde Cell is shown in Fig. 1. The feed stream enters a
plunging jet, the so-called Concorde Blast TubeTM, where it is mixed
with pressurized air. The slurry travels down the Blast tube maintained
under pressure. The aerated mixture reaches the speed of sound where
the flow diameter is smallest at the throat of the bottom choke. As per
Bernoulli’s principle, fluid pressure, being caused by a random motion
of the fluid molecules, decreases as speed increases, e.g., some energy of
said random motion is used to move faster in the direction of motion,
resulting in low pressure at the bottom choke. Once the stream reaches
the cell tank, the flow reverts to sub-sonic conditions to match the
pressure within the tank, generating a shockwave. The stream strikes
against an impingement bowl, where vortex rings form, allowing par­
ticles multiple passes through the high-shear collection zone before the
slurry is radially dispersed throughout the cell area.
The local dissipation rate around the impingement bowl is of the
order of 100 kW/m3, one to two orders of magnitude higher than is
available in traditional mechanical cells (Jameson, 2010a). Indeed, in a
mechanical lab cell, the energy dissipation rate is below 8 kW/m3
(Amini et al., 2016; Hassanzadeh et al., 2022; Mattson, 2015). The
A. Yáñez et al. Minerals Engineering 206 (2024) 108538

energy dissipation rate decreases with increasing volume of the flotation 4. Exploring the potential of the Concorde Cell
cells and at industrial scale, the rate is usually below 1 to 2 kW/m3
(Fallenius, 1987; Xia et al., 2015). For example, the specific power 4.1. Controlling the air (Air-to-Pulp Ratio)
consumption for the TankCell e630 varies from 0.51 to 0.68 kW/m3
depending mainly on the hydrodynamic set-up and the velocity of the The Concorde Cell operates with pressurized air and not induced /
rotor (Grau et al., 2018). Overall, particle-bubble contacting can occur self-aspired air. In general, the ability to control the air flowrate into a
in three zones: in the plunging jet inside the Blast Tube, in the shock­ flotation cell allows the operator to maximize metallurgical perfor­
waves generated after the choke or in the impingement bowl. mance (Dahlke et al., 2004; Gorain, 2005; Yáñez et al., 2009). Indeed,
increasing the air flowrate leads to higher mass pull and lower
3. Materials concentrate grade through higher entrainment (Barbian et al., 2005;
Zheng et al., 2006). It should be noted that controlling the air flowrate
A certain number of case studies are presented throughout the allows increasing the kinetics of the particles, but these kinetics will
article, but due to confidentiality reasons, any data that could help always reach an asymptote and as such, increasing the flowrate indefi­
identify the mine have been removed unless approved by the mining nitely will not lead to faster and better flotation (Hoang et al., 2018;
company itself. A summary of the cases can be found hereafter: Wills & Finch, 2016). In the Concorde Cell, the air flowrate is controlled
Case Target Concorde Cell Duties tested Feed particle through the so-called Air-to-Pulp Ratio. An APR of 1 means that there is
name commodity scale size P80, µm 1 m3/h of air for 1 m3/h of pulp in the feed.
1 Graphite Off-site lab batch Cleaner 12 Examples of the metallurgical performance of the Concorde Cell
2 Nickel On-site pilot Rougher and 15 depending on the APR are presented in Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 2 (Case 1)
continuous cleaner slimes displays the expected trend of higher mass pulls for the same water pulls
3 Base metal Off-site lab batch Cleaner 35
and higher kinetics and recoveries of graphite with increasing APR.
4 Nickel On-site lab batch Rougher, 71
scavenger and Fig. 3 (Case 2) behaves similarly, whereby the mass pull increases with
cleaner APR and the nickel upgrade suffers conversely.
5 Metallurgical Off-site lab and Coal fines 63 However, the link between performance and APR is not always as
coal pilot batch, straightforward, as exemplified by case 3 (Fig. 4), where the feed of a
industrial
6 Copper Off-site lab, Cleaner 63
cleaner duty within a base metal flotation circuit was tested with the
industrial Concorde Cell. Due to the high feed grade of a highly hydrophobic
mineral, increasing APR increased first the kinetics of the sulphide
mineral, leading to stable recoveries across all APR but increasing up­
grade with increasing APR.
As such, the APR is a critical parameter of the Concorde Cell, as it can
It should be noted that at lab scale, all of the tailings are recycled back
operate within wider operating range and at much higher air flowrates
into the fresh feed due to its batch nature whereas at pilot and industrial
than other high-intensity pneumatic flotation technologies. The down­
scale a fraction of the tailings are recycled back into the fresh feed, see
sides of increasing the air flowrates typically observed with mechanical
4.4. Furthermore, the residence time spent in the tank of the Concorde
cells, such as increased entrainment and decreased grade, can be
Cell is not as significant as the residence time for mechanical cells, as
counterbalanced using other features, such as froth washing and froth
most of the flotation occurs within the Blast Tube and just outside the
depth.
lower choke, whereby the associated time is counted in seconds.
Therefore, similarly to other high intensity pneumatic flotation cells, the
Concorde Cell’s kinetics are analysed based on the number of times the 4.2. Washing the froth
particles pass through the Blast Tube. In the lab cell, this is approxi­
mated with the cycles, e.g. the number of times the total volume of the The concept of wash water into the froth was developed together
feed passed through the cell. As an example, a feed volume of 30 L fed at with flotation columns to create a downward liquid flow through the
5 L/min into the lab Concorde Cell means that a single cycle last 6 min froth (Finch et al., 2007). Froth washing fulfils three functions in
and as such, a flotation test of 18 min is equivalent to three cycles. flotation: cleaning of the froth (reducing the entrainment of gangue),

Fig. 2. Case 1, A. mass pull against water recovery depending on the APR and B. graphite recovery against number of cycles in the Concorde Cell depending on the
APR based on Kupka and Yañez (2022).

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A. Yáñez et al. Minerals Engineering 206 (2024) 108538

Fig. 3. Case 2, A. mass pull and B. nickel upgrade depending on the APR across all parameters tested.

Fig. 4. Case 3, Base metal A. recovery and B. upgrade against the number of cycles in the Concorde Cell and depending on the APR.

dilution of the pulp and breakdown of the froth for thicker froths (Far­ introduction.
rokhpay, 2011). This is especially important when dealing with fine and When the wash water rate is greater than the concentrate water rate,
ultrafine particles, as they are more easily entrained as discussed in the it is considered a “positive bias” and conversely, if the concentrate water

Fig. 5. Case 1, A. graphite upgrade and B. recovery against the number of cycles and depending on the presence or absence of wash water, across the operating
parameters tested.

4
A. Yáñez et al.
rate is greater, it is referred to as “negative bias”. In a flotation column,
usually a roughly neutral bias is maintained (Cilliers, 2007), but for coal
flotation for example, the wash water demand should be approximately
1,5 times that of the water flow reporting to the froth (Laskowski et al.,
2007). It is considered that increasing wash water leads to an increase in
concentrate grade and a decrease in recovery and that is why is it
traditionally used in cleaner circuits.
In the Concorde Cell, the wash water is added uniformly across the
froth surface. Using again cases 1 and 3 (respectively Figs. 5 and 6), it
shows that adding wash water confirms the expectations of higher up­
grades and lower recoveries. In case 3, increasing the flowrate of wash
water too far, and by extension, the wash water bias, impacts negatively
both the recovery and the base metal upgrade. As no froth breaking was
observed during test work, it is likely that the downward liquid flow
simply becomes stronger than the upward liquid flow and prevents
particles from transferring from the pulp to the froth.
4.3. Varying the froth depth
For a given slurry grade, increasing the froth depth will usually in­
crease concentrate grade and decrease the mass pull (Neethling & Cil­
liers, 2008) as well as decrease the entrainment of fine and ultrafine
particles (Zheng et al., 2006). Air flowrate, froth depth and froth
washing are deeply connected. For example, Yianatos (2007) suggests
that froth depths lower than 50 cm leads to decreasing concentrate grade
with increasing wash water due to the shorter froth residence time and
higher mixing. In the Concorde Cell at industrial scale, the froth depth
can go down to 1 m. Examples of test work with the graphite ore (case 1,
Fig. 7) and a nickel ore in a rougher scalper duty (case 4, Fig. 8) show
that with a deeper froth, the grade increases and recovery decreases.
Froth depth is therefore another parameter for managing the flota­
tion outcomes but as aforementioned, also to constrain the impact of the
APR on the metallurgical performance. The thickness of the froth allows
for better drainage, compensating for the increased amount of particles
that are floated because of the higher air flowrate and transfer to the
froth from the pulp.
4.4. Recycling the tailings
Unlike mechanical cells, pneumatic flotation cells require a stable
feed flowrate, and the Concorde Cell is no exception to the rule. Feed
flowrate is stabilized by recycling part of the tailings of the Concorde
Fig. 6. Case 3, base metal A. upgrade and B. recovery against the number of cycles in the Concorde Cell depending on the wash water flowrate.
5
Minerals Engineering 206 (2024) 108538
Cell into the so-called fresh feed to maintain ease of operation. However,
the main advantage of controlling the recycle ratio, e.g. the volume of
tailings as compared to the volume of fresh feed, is to allow for particles
further chances at true flotation and therefore increase recovery. This is
illustrated in case 2 (Fig. 9) where the impact of the recycle ratio on the
nickel recovery and upgrade is based on the pilot test work campaigns
from Jameson et al. (2022) and Metso later on. Many parameters were
varied at the same time as the recycle ratio, so that the relationship
between recovery and upgrade and the recycle ratio is not linear. This is
however expected, as very similarly to APR, many other operating pa­
rameters that can compensate or amplify the impact of the recycle ratio
come into play.
5. Experience at industrial scale
As of October 2023, there are about ten industrial scale flotation
projects worldwide that are deploying the Concorde Cell, though not all
of them are operational yet – they include copper, molybdenum, nickel,
gold, PGMs amongst other applications.
5.1. Performance against other technologies
Test work at lab and pilot scales with the Concorde Cell was per­
formed and benchmarked to other flotation technologies, from me­
chanical cells to a column and self-aspirated pneumatic cell (SAP) cells
in copper, graphite, nickel, PGM and metallurgical coal. In every eval­
uated scale, the Concorde Cell consistently outperforms the reference
technology, by providing high grades and selectivity at a much shorter
residence time. In this article, only the experience at industrial scale is
reviewed, examples at other scales are provided in Jameson (2010b),
Jameson et al. (2022), Kupka et al. (2023a), Kupka and Yañez (2022)).
Case 5 is a metallurgical coal washing plant with two parallel
flotation cells operating in the coal fines circuit, one SAP cell and one
Concorde Cell, on the same duties and the same feed material. All data
on case 5 hereafter is based on Kupka et al. (2023a) and the mine itself is
located within the Bowen Basin, Queensland, Australia. Originally, the
two parallel lines had an SAP but one of them went through a Concorde
Blast TubeTM Upgrade. Table 1 presents the balanced average results of
the three rounds of sampling for the SAP and the Concorde Cell. During
the sampling, the SAP had froth washing on and not the Concorde Cell.
The Concorde Cell is pulling on average 4.8% more mass to concentrate
than the SAP at the very same ash content. The SAP produces an
A. Yáñez et al. Minerals Engineering 206 (2024) 108538

Fig. 7. Case 1, graphite A. recovery and B. upgrade depending on the number of cycles in the Concorde Cell and on the froth depth.

Fig. 8. Case 4, nickel A. recovery and B. upgrade depending on the number of cycles in the Concorde Cell and on the froth depth.

Fig. 9. Case 2, nickel A. recovery and B. upgrade depending on the recycle ratio of tailings to the feed across all parameters tested.

6
A. Yáñez et al.
Table 1
Balanced average results for both industrial cells for case 5.
Stream Self-aspirated pneumatic cell
Yield, % Ash content, % Ash recovery, %
Feed 100.0 26.26 100.0
Conc 54.7 6.08 12.65
Tails 45.3 50.6 87.4
expected lower yield due to the froth washing but does not compensate
with a cleaner concentrate as the ash content remains on the same level
as the Concorde Cell. A size-by-size analysis was carried out to deter­
mine the origin of the difference in metallurgical performance between
the two cells.
The SBS analysis shows that between 80% of the particles are in the
− 63 µm size fraction and that the PSDs are similar between the
respective feed streams of the Concorde Cell and the SAP. The Concorde
Cell produces a higher yield than the SAP regardless of particle size but
most especially in the most common fractions, − 63 µm and − 45 µm,
where the yield is higher by 5 and 11% respectively (Fig. 10). Further­
more, even though the ash content is the same overall for the concen­
trates, it is actually higher for the Concorde Cell except in the critical
fraction that is the − 45 µm, whereby it is lower (Fig. 11). These data
reveal that the improved metallurgical performance between the Con­
corde Cell and the SAP cell is driven by the finest particles.
Case 6 also consisted in a Concorde Blast Tube Upgrade of an existing
self-aspirated pneumatic cell in the cleaner circuit of a copper plant in
Zambia. The data provided here was first presented in Kupka et al.
(2023b). The grade was monitored over several months before and after
the retrofit. The copper upgrade depending on the technology is pre­
sented in Fig. 12 and clearly shows an improvement in enrichment ratio.
The variability is linked to the commissioning and first operation phases,
where the optimum parameters depending on the variations in the ore
had to be determined. In average, the plant claimed the copper grade
was increased by 2% and the recovery by over 1% after upgrade.
Similarly to case 5, a size-by-size analysis was conducted on the streams
of the Concorde Cell and the SAP to identify the source of the difference
in metallurgical performance (Fig. 13). Again, the largest difference in
performance is observed in the fines but in case, also in the middlings
(38–75 µm).
Fig. 10. Yield depending on particle size for the concentrates of the Concorde Cell (CC) and the SAP.
Minerals Engineering 206 (2024) 108538
Concorde Cell
Average %solids Yield, % Ash content, % Ash recovery, % Average %solids
2.2 100.0 26.55 100.0 2.3
18.1 59.5 6.07 13.61 18.5
1.1 40.5 56.6 86.4 1.2
5.2. Flowsheet proposition
The Concorde Cell was developed for fine and ultrafine particle
flotation. As ore grades continue to decline there is a need to process
finely disseminated and more complex orebodies that requires finer
grinding to separate valuable minerals from host rock. Test work results
at laboratory and pilot scale as well as industrial experience reveals that
Concorde Cell can perform well in various duties, specifically as a
scalper in the rougher or the cleaner circuit of the flotation plant, or as
an additional scavenger on any kind of tailings. Industrial experience
also discloses feed variability that is sometimes far more than antici­
pated, including changes in main ore, host rock, fluctuation in metal
grades, particle size distribution and target particle size for required
liberation, varying chemistry and water quality amongst other factors
that impact overall flotation performance (Elgueta et al., 2009; Grau
et al., 2019; Grau et al., 2022; Yianatos et al., 2012).
Fig. 14 displays a flowsheet proposition for the flotation of fines and
ultrafines with the Concorde Cell. A first Concorde Cell is used as a
rougher scalper in front of a rougher-scavenger circuit with mechanical
cells. Doing so allows to recover the fines ahead of the rougher-
scavenger circuit to improve the performance of the mechanical cells
by providing them with a more appropriate particle size range.
Conversely, as the residence time in the Concorde Cell is very short,
adding mechanical cells after the Concorde Cell prolongs the residence
time of the particles, allows for reagent adjustments and enables the
recovery of particles that are not well liberated. The concentrate of the
rougher scalper can be of final concentrate grade quality when feed
grade and ore quality allow, unloading the downstream cleaner circuit,
or it can be combined with the rougher scavenger and fed into a second
Concorde Cell acting as a cleaner scalper. Reporting the well liberated
fine particles to the final concentrate product right at the start of the
flotation reduces the chances of losing the particles to final tails when
those fine end up being in the recirculating loads or being overground,
7
A. Yáñez et al.
Fig. 11. Ash content depending on particle size for the concentrates of the Concorde Cell and the SAP.
Fig. 12. Copper upgrade for the SAP before retrofit and Concorde Cell after retrofit based on daily plant data for a period of three months.
tarnishing particle surfaces and lowering the probability of bubble
particle attachment and flotation. The Concorde Cell cleaner scalper
produces the final concentrate while its tailings are sent to a cleaner
scavenger system with mechanical cells for the very same reasons
mentioned previously.
6. Conclusions and outlook
The Concorde Cell is a high-intensity pneumatic flotation cell dedi­
cated to fines and ultrafines. Its development by Professor Graeme
Jameson and later on by Metso was driven by two considerations: a
reduction in bubble size and an increase in the shear rate and energy
dissipation rate increases the particle–bubble collision and attachment
efficiencies of fine particles. In a Concorde Cell, a plunging jet of pulp
mixed with pressurized air travels at the speed of sound before reverting
to sub-sonic conditions when exiting the Blast Tube, generating a sonic
8
Minerals Engineering 206 (2024) 108538
shockwave. The jet impinges against a bowl where vortex rings form,
allowing particles multiple passes through the high-shear collection
zone before the slurry is radially dispersed throughout the cell area.
As such, the Concorde Cell is a technology which produces fine air
bubbles with high carrying capacity, thereby allowing increased ca­
pacity per unit; smaller footprint and a greater recovery of valuable fine
particles which can be lost in other flotation cells. In addition, with a
smaller number of flotation stages or less recycle required to achieve the
desired recoveries, operational expenditures like power, water and re­
agents can be reduced.
In this article, the potential of the Concorde Cell is explored through
four cases, from base metals to metallurgical coal. Its main operating
parameters, Air-to-Pulp Ratio, froth washing, froth depth and tailings
recycle ratio, are investigated and show that the metallurgical perfor­
mance of the Concorde Cell follows expectations based on the literature.
Amongst others, higher APR leads to higher mass pulls and higher
A. Yáñez et al. Minerals Engineering 206 (2024) 108538

Fig. 13. Copper recovery depending on the particle size in the concentrates of the Concorde Cell (CC) and the SAP.

Fig. 14. Flowsheet proposition for the flotation of fines and ultrafines with the Concorde Cell.

recoveries but lower grades, deeper froth depth increases selectivity…
But the data also demonstrate the typical complexity of flotation,
whereby the negative impact of increased APR can be compensated with
froth washing to maintain high grades at high recoveries for example.
About ten industrial scale flotation projects worldwide are deploying
the Concorde Cell, though not all of them are operational yet – they
include copper, molybdenum, nickel, gold, PGMs amongst other appli­
cations. The examples of a metallurgical coal washing plant in Australia
and of a copper plant in Zambia prove the capacity of the Concorde Cell
to better recover the fines and ultrafines while providing high selec­
tivity. In the two examples, the Concorde Cell outperformed the previ­
ous technology specifically on the finest fractions of the processed
streams.
CRediT authorship contribution statement
Alejandro Yáñez: . Nathalie Kupka: Formal analysis, Writing –
original draft. Berivan Tunç: Investigation, Writing – review & editing.
Janne Suhonen: Validation, Writing – review & editing. Antti Rinne:
Funding acquisition, Supervision.
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial
interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence
the work reported in this paper.
Data availability
The data that has been used is confidential.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the different plants for allowing
them to use their data in this article. We also thank our many colleagues
that have supported the journey of the Concorde Cell at all possible
levels, taking it from a lab experiment to an industrial application
deployed on a global scale.

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A. Yáñez et al. Minerals Engineering 206 (2024) 108538

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