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LIPU mineral thickeners are designed for slurry thickening, water recovery and solid-liquid separation in mineral processing plants.
By allowing suspended solids to settle under gravity, the thickener produces a higher-density underflow while clarified water overflows from the top of the tank for reuse or further treatment.
LIPU NZS series thickeners are suitable for concentrate thickening, tailings treatment and process-water recovery in mineral beneficiation plants.
A mineral thickener is a solid-liquid separation unit used to increase the solids concentration of slurry.
It works mainly by gravity sedimentation.
When slurry enters the thickener tank, suspended particles gradually settle toward the bottom. The settled solids form a denser pulp, while relatively clear liquid rises toward the upper part of the tank and flows out through the overflow system.
The thickened slurry is removed from the bottom as underflow.
This allows a mineral processing plant to reduce slurry volume, recover process water and prepare concentrate or tailings for the next dewatering or disposal stage.
Mineral thickeners are commonly used after flotation, gravity separation, magnetic separation and other beneficiation processes.
The basic thickening process can be summarized as:
Slurry Feed → Sedimentation → Solids Settling → Rake Collection → Thickened Underflow + Clear Overflow
Slurry enters the tank through the feed system and is distributed into the settling zone.
As the slurry velocity decreases, suspended solids begin to settle under gravity.
Fine particles may require suitable flocculation conditions to improve settling performance.
The settled solids accumulate near the bottom of the tank. A slowly rotating rake mechanism moves the thickened material toward the central discharge area.
The concentrated slurry leaves through the underflow outlet.
At the same time, clarified liquid rises to the upper section of the tank and flows into the overflow launder.
The overflow water can then return to the processing circuit or proceed to further treatment.
The main components of a mineral thickener typically include:
The feedwell helps distribute slurry into the tank, while the rake mechanism continuously moves settled solids toward the discharge point.
The overflow launder collects clarified water from the top of the thickener.
Mineral thickeners are mainly used where slurry concentration and water recovery are required.
Typical applications include:
After mineral separation, concentrate slurry often contains a large amount of water.
A thickener increases the solids concentration before the concentrate enters the next dewatering stage.
Tailings slurry can be thickened before pumping, storage or further dewatering.
Reducing the amount of free water lowers the slurry volume that must be handled downstream.
Clarified overflow water can be returned to the mineral processing plant where water quality allows.
This can reduce fresh-water demand and improve water circulation within the plant.
A thickener normally operates as part of a complete mineral processing circuit.
For a flotation plant, a typical process may be arranged as:
Grinding → Classification → Flotation → Concentrate Thickening → Further Dewatering
A Ball Mill reduces ore size before classification.
A Hydrocyclone or other classification equipment can control the particle-size range entering the beneficiation stage.
A Flotation Machine separates valuable minerals from gangue.
The resulting concentrate or tailings slurry can then enter the mineral thickener for concentration and water recovery.
The exact flowsheet depends on ore characteristics, slurry properties and the final dewatering requirements.
The same thickening principle can be applied to both concentrate and tailings, but the process objectives are different.
| Application | Main Purpose |
|---|---|
| Concentrate thickening | Increase concentrate solids concentration before further dewatering |
| Tailings thickening | Reduce slurry volume and recover water before disposal or additional treatment |
| Process-water recovery | Recover clarified overflow water for reuse where suitable |
The required underflow density and settling performance should be determined from the actual slurry characteristics.
LIPU mineral thickeners provide several practical benefits in mineral processing plants.
Actual thickening performance depends on slurry concentration, particle size, particle density, mineralogy and settling characteristics.
LIPU NZS series mineral thickeners are available in multiple tank diameters and processing capacities.
| Model | Tank Diameter (m) | Tank Depth (m) | Sedimentation Area (m²) | Transmission Speed (r/min) | Motor Model | Motor Power (kW) | Capacity (t/d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NZS1 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.55 | 0.5 | Y90L-6 | 1.1 | 1.3–5.6 |
| NZS2.5 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 4.9 | 0.33 | Y90L-6 | 1.1 | 5–10.8 |
| NZS3.6 | 3.6 | 1.8 | 10.2 | 0.38 | Y90L-6 | 1.1 | 5–22.4 |
| NZS6 | 6 | 2.956 | 28 | 0.35 | Y90L-4 | 1.5 | 14–60 |
| NZS8 | 8 | 3 | 50.2 | 0.27 | Y132S-6 | 3 | 25–120 |
| NZS9 | 9 | 3 | 63.5 | 0.25 | Y132S-6 | 3 | 32–150 |
| NZS12 | 12 | 3.6 | 113 | 0.19 | Y132S-6 | 3 | 50–250 |
| NZS15 | 15 | 3.6 | 176 | 0.1 | Y132M2-6 | 5.5 | 70–350 |
| NZS18 | 18 | 3.74 | 255 | 0.2 | Y160M-6 | 7.5 | 100–560 |
| NZS20 | 20 | 4.4 | 315 | 0.2 | Y160M2-8 | 7.5 | 200–1440 |
| NZS24 | 24 | 4.716 | 452 | 0.1 | Y180L-8 | 11 | 200–1440 |
Actual processing capacity depends on slurry concentration, particle-size distribution, solids density, settling characteristics and operating conditions.
Thickener selection should be based on slurry settling behavior rather than capacity alone.
Important factors include:
Feed solids concentration
The amount of solids entering the thickener affects settling and underflow density.
Required underflow concentration
The downstream filtration, pumping or tailings-handling process determines the required thickened slurry concentration.
Particle-size distribution
Fine particles normally settle more slowly than coarse particles.
Solid density
Higher-density particles generally settle differently from low-density solids.
Settling rate
Settling tests can help determine the required sedimentation area.
Flocculation conditions
Fine particles may require suitable flocculant selection and dosage to improve settling.
Processing capacity
The thickener diameter and sedimentation area should match the required slurry throughput.
Overflow-water requirement
The expected clarity and reuse requirement of the overflow water should also be considered.
For important projects, slurry sedimentation testing is recommended before final equipment selection.
A mineral thickener and a mechanical dewatering machine perform different functions.
A thickener mainly increases slurry concentration by gravity sedimentation.
It does not usually replace the final filtration stage where a low-moisture solid product is required.
A typical dewatering sequence may be:
Slurry → Thickener → Thickened Underflow → Further Dewatering
This distinction is important when designing concentrate and tailings treatment systems.
LIPU provides NZS series mineral thickeners for concentrate treatment, tailings thickening and process-water recovery.
Equipment selection can consider:
LIPU can also combine thickeners with grinding, classification and beneficiation equipment to configure complete mineral processing systems.
What is a mineral thickener used for?
A mineral thickener is used to increase slurry solids concentration and separate clarified water from suspended solids in mineral processing plants.
What is the difference between thickener overflow and underflow?
Overflow is the clarified liquid leaving the upper part of the tank, while underflow is the concentrated slurry discharged from the bottom.
Can thickener overflow water be reused?
In many mineral processing plants, clarified overflow water can be returned to the process if its quality is suitable for reuse.
Does a thickener replace a filter press or other dewatering equipment?
Not usually. A thickener concentrates slurry, while downstream filtration equipment is used when lower final moisture is required.
How do I choose the correct thickener size?
Selection should consider slurry flow, solids concentration, settling rate, particle-size distribution, solids density, required underflow concentration and sedimentation area.
We provide a variety of mining and processing equipment, including feeders, rock crushers, grinders, classifying and screening machines, washing machines, gravity separators, flotation machines, magnetic separators, electric separators, dewatering equipment and laboratory mineral processing equipment.
