Jameson Cell expands into rougher duties to boost plant efficiency amid rising global demand

Long recognised for its high-intensity kinetics and compact footprint, the Jameson Cell is now rapidly gaining ground in rougher duties, transforming brownfield and greenfield operations by delivering higher throughput and recovery with a smaller footprint.

Since its development in the 1980s, the Jameson Cell has introduced a paradigm shift in flotation technology. Unlike conventional cells, it uses a downcomer – a component that creates an intense mixing zone for optimal particle–bubble contact. This rapid flotation occurs without mechanical agitation, delivering superior energy efficiency and significantly lower operating costs compared to conventional alternatives.

While historically favoured in cleaner applications, the Jameson Cell is now moving confidently into rougher duties thanks to recent design enhancements. Most notably, larger downcomer models have expanded the cell’s capacity and applicability, enabling throughputs of up to 3500 tph and positioning it as a competitive option to mechanical cells in rougher and rougher-scalper duties.

“Perhaps the most compelling advantage of the Jameson Cell in rougher duties is its ability to deliver high throughput with a much smaller footprint,” says Adam Price, Manager of Jameson Cell Technology. “It can handle the same feed volumes as the largest mechanical cells, but with far fewer units. It also simplifies the entire circuit – in many cases, a two-cell rougher–scalper and scavenger arrangement can replace the five to eight cells traditionally required in mechanical trains.”

This efficiency makes the Jameson Cell a major advantage for greenfield projects, reducing capital costs and operational complexity.

“Its flexibility also brings significant benefits to brownfields,” Adam adds. “The compact design makes it an ideal solution for increasing throughput in constrained plants, enabling debottlenecking without major expansion.”

A strong example comes from the Fruta del Norte (FDN) underground gold mine in Ecuador, where the operation sought to increase flotation circuit throughput while maintaining high recovery and concentrate grade. Following initial laboratory and Z500 pilot test work confirming the suitability of Jameson Cells, three industrial units were installed, including two B5400/18 cells. One was deployed in rougher-scalper duty at the head of the circuit, with the second operating as a scavenger at the end of the rougher-scavenger train.

The installation delivered clear performance improvements across the circuit. Throughput increased from 4500 tpd to 5000 tpd. Gold recovery rose by 4.4%, from 86% to 90.4%, while final concentrate grade reached 199 g/t gold. Fine particle recovery also improved, reducing valuable losses to tailings.

In conversation with Glencore Technology, Andrew Molloy, Metallurgical Supervisor of FDN, also highlighted the Jameson Cells role in reducing OPEX:

“The improved fines recovery delivered by the Jameson Cells not only boosts our flotation recovery but also reduces the sulphur grade fed to the carbon-in-leach circuit (CIL). This is a major contributing factor behind the drop in cyanide consumption; a substantial contributor to plant operating costs.“

The success of the Jameson Cell in rougher duties underscores broader strategic implications for the mining industry. As ore grades decline, sustainability pressures intensify, and global demand accelerates, mining companies are seeking high-performance technologies that deliver more with less. The Jameson Cell meets this need by achieving superior metallurgical performance with significantly less space and infrastructure, aligning with the industry’s shift toward flexible, scalable, and lower-impact operations.

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/16042026/jameson-cell-expands-into-rougher-duties-to-boost-plant-efficiency-amid-rising-global-demand/