Froth Flotation (Sulphide & Oxide)

Froth Flotation (Sulphide & Oxide)

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Flotation of copper bearing ore (4 replies and 1 comment)

p
paul
8 years ago
paul 8 years ago

I was running the project of investigating the flotation of the certain copper bearing ore. The reagents i used were PAX, AEROPHINE, interfroth, NaOH and CMC. After the analysis of the results i found that the recovery i obtained were within the ranges of 64 up to 87, the problem is on the grade of Cu in the concentrate, the grades were very low the highest was 3.43%. By now am looking up for the possible solutions to be done so as to improve the concentrate grades. Please help me with this.

Paul Morrow
8 years ago
Paul Morrow 8 years ago
1 like by paul

Hi Paul,

is the an oxide copper? What is the head grade? What mass pull did you get in your test?  Is this just a rougher test?

G
Modine96069
8 years ago
Modine96069 8 years ago
1 like by David

It sounds to me that the cells were 'pulping'.  A comment on the flotation residue grade will also be useful.  The CMC is being used to depress what?  What addition rate of CMC was being used (ppm)?  All of Paul's questions are relevant.

J
Jorge
8 years ago
Jorge 8 years ago

If you added CMC, probably the ore content clays, talc, serpentine or any fine gangue mineral. This kind of gangue mineral tend to float and contaminate the rougher concentrate. It is important to perform a mineralogical study to determine the copper minerals, locking particles, gangue minerals and degree of liberation. The degree of oxidation is other factor to keep in mind. 

The flotation testing program should start performing kinetic flotation tests to evaluate the effect of particle size on copper recovery, type of collector, frother, depressor, surface modifiers, optimum rougher flotation time, and pH. If the copper recovery and copper concentrate grade are acceptable, you can design the testing program to evaluate the cleaning circuit, otherwise not.

j
jpearcy
8 years ago
jpearcy 8 years ago

There could be a liberation issue. Mineralogical study would be a sound starting point.

J
Josue Nduwa
7 years ago

True!
I would do MLA or QUEM SEM on the flot feed

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