Flotation machine WEMCO® II

Overview
FLS WEMCO® II self-aspirated flotation cells deliver high recovery and concentration grade with lower CAPEX and OPEX through improved air dispersion, optimised circulation and robust mechanical design. They are designed for bulk rougher flotation, high-altitude sites and specialised applications such as molybdenum recovery.

Key benefits

• High froth recovery rates due to top-mounted rotor and short travel distance for attached particles.
• Lower capital and operating costs by removing the need for blowers and associated ancillary equipment; optimised air dispersion reduces reagent consumption.
• Low maintenance requirements — rotors are top-mounted and protected from oversized material; rotor maintenance can be performed without draining or shutting down the cell row.

Product variants

• WEMCO® II (square cells): compact design with short spacing between mechanisms to maximise recovery in a small footprint; froth paddles can be added to improve recovery from thin or slow-moving froth.
• WEMCO® II RT (round cells): maximises lip length around the circumference for higher pull rates at all recovery locations and even circulation to reduce sanding risk.
• WEMCO® II Inert Gas: RT or 1+1 designs with a top cover for gas recirculation; tailored for molybdenum-copper separation to minimise oxygen addition, reduce reagent oxidation and lower reagent consumption (example: reductions from ~12 kg/t to <4 kg/t reported).

Performance and design highlights

• Self-aspirating rotor mechanism creating vacuum-driven air intake — eliminates external blower requirements in many applications.
• Top-mounted rotor location for efficient froth transport to the launder, shorter particle travel and easier maintenance.
• Optimised air dispersion and tank circulation to improve kinetics, reagent use and froth stability.
• Options for froth paddles to enhance recovery in thin/slow-moving froths.

Maintenance & service

• Designed for short maintenance downtimes; rotors are not exposed to oversized material, extending operating life.
• Rotors can be changed without shutting down or draining the cell row; rotors restart easily under load.
• Supported by a global service network: spare parts, wear parts and field service/inspection, and tailored flotation training and audits to maintain long-term performance.

Applications

• Bulk rougher flotation (high-recovery circuits).
• High-altitude operations where blower use is challenging.
• Molybdenum and copper-molybdenum separation (inert gas variant applicable).

Technical characteristics / specifications

• Model name: WEMCO® II (includes square and RT round variants; registered symbol as shown on source).
• Self-aspirated flotation cell (vacuum/rotor-driven air intake — no mandatory external blower in standard configuration).
• Rotor location: top-mounted (short travel distance to launder; easy maintenance access).
• Cell shapes: square WEMCO® II and round WEMCO® II RT.
• Inert-gas option: covered/airtight design for gas recirculation (reduces oxygen ingress; suited for molybdenum recovery).
• Optional features: froth paddles for thin/slow-moving froth; ability to fit paddles to improve recovery.
• Maintenance features: rotors serviceable without draining cell rows; rotors restart under load.
• Operational benefits: improved air dispersion, even tank circulation, optimised reagent use and reduced auxiliary equipment requirements.
• Typical application areas: bulk rougher circuits, high altitude operations, molybdenum/copper recovery.