Theoretical and practical key points of the tennantite-bearing sulfide ore flotation

The paper presents the results of the flotation studies of tennantite, chalcopyrite and sphalerite in the presence of thiosulfate-ions and collectors with different molecular structure. Based on the flotation activity, hydrotation, kinetics and thermodynamics of collector adsorption studies, the components of the M-TF collector (a mixture of thionocarbamate and dithiophosphate) provide the contrast for the tennantite and chalcopyrite flotation against the pyrite and sphalerite in the presence of thiosulfate-ions (0,3 g/l, pHin = 8); the higher adsorption rate constant of the butyl xanthate with pyrite doesn’t provide the selective tennantite flotation. The biggest difference in tennantite and pyrite surface hydotation, compared to butyl xanthate, is provided by ITC, diisobutyl dithiophosphate, M-TF. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) confirms the presence of the collector film on the tennantite’s surface in the presence of 0,3 g/l thiosulfate-ions and doesn’t in the presence of 0,9 g/l thiosulfate-ions. Lab tests were performed on a tennantite-bearing pyrite copper-zinc ore. The refractivity of the ore sample is mainly caused by thin intergrowths of the targeted minerals, high content of the tennantite (84%) and by the presence of the highly active menlnikovite. Tennantite is floatable in a low alkaline medium, while chalcopyrite and secondary copper sulfides are floatable in a high alkaline medium in the presence of butyl xanthate. The reagent and scheme flotation regimes which were developed for tennantite-bearing pyrite copper-zinc ore. The regimes contain a staged selective extraction of open and free grains of copper sulfides (55—60% –0.071 mm class) into the inter-cycle of the copper flotation in low alkaline medium with M-TF and aeration (lowering melnikovite activity). The developed technology provided an increase of the copper extraction into the conditioned concentrate by 14% in comparison with butyl xanthate high alkaline calcareous medium.

Kayumov A. A., Aksenova D. D., Belokrys M. A., Malofeeva P. R. Theoretical and practical key points of the tennantite-bearing sulfide ore flotation. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2020;(5):148-163. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236-1493-2020-5-0-148-163.

The work is executed at financial support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project no. 18-35-00213).

A.A. Kayumov¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Engineer, e-mail: maliaby_92@mail.ru,
D.D. Aksenova¹, Graduate Student, Engineer, e-mail: jokime@rambler.ru,
M.A. Belokrys¹, Master’s Degree Student, Engineer,
P.R. Malofeeva¹, Graduate Student,
¹ National University of Science and Technology «MISiS», 119049, Moscow, Russia.

A.A. Kayumov, e-mail: maliaby_92@mail.ru.

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