Selection of copper–nickel sulfide ore flotation parameters based on floatability ranking of flotation components

This research is necessitated by the high demand for novel and advanced approaches to flotation toward a deeper insight into the process and, as a consequence, for the improvement of its efficiency. As a case-study of copper–nickel sulfide ore, the results of a procedure for estimating components based on their floatability ranking are described. In flotation with frother and in flotation with full set of reagents, at justified consumption of a collecting mixture, the carryover of a gangue material to concentrates is estimated, and the flotation time is substantiated on this base. The relation between the recovery of different sizes of silicium in concentrate and the recovery of water is examined. The analysis of the data on change in the free surface energy and its dispersion as function of the collecting mixture consumption, and their resultant influence on the copper and nickel recovery in concentrate made it possible to justify the collecting mixture consumption for the complete extraction of sulfide minerals in concentrate. The floatability ranking analysis of flotation components is carried out using the floatability index of 0.010, 0.005, 0.001 and 0 for the fast-float, medium-float, slow-float and non-float fractions, respectively.

Aleksandrova T. N., Afanasova A. V., Kuznetsov V. V., Aburova V. A. Selection of copper–nickel sulfide ore flotation parameters based on floatability ranking of flotation components. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2022;(1):131-147. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_ 1493_2022_1_0_131.

The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, Project No. 19-17-00096.

T.N. Aleksandrova¹, Dr. Sci. (Eng.), Professor, Head of Chair,
A.V. Afanasova¹, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Assistant of Chair,
V.V. Kuznetsov¹, Graduate Student, e-mail: valentinvadimovichkuznetsov@gmail.com,
V.A. Aburova¹, Student,
¹ Saint-Petersburg Mining University, 199106, Saint-Petersburg, Russia.

V.V. Kuznetsov, e-mail: valentinvadimovichkuznetsov@gmail.com.

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