Froth Flotation (Sulphide & Oxide)

Froth Flotation (Sulphide & Oxide)

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increasing the overall recovery in flotation of galena and sphalerite (2 replies and 7 comments)

Azadeh
6 years ago
Azadeh 6 years ago

Hi

I try to process galena and sphalerite ore in grade of 6% totally in flotation circuit. In this ore, the oxide part is about 2 -2.5%. so the overall recovery is low especially in sphalerite circuit. How can I increase the recovery of oxide part to the concentrate? Is there any especial collector or something else?

Thank you.

David
6 years ago
David 6 years ago
1 like by Azadeh

Hi,

what have you tested? Did you can try to sulphidise the zinc with Sodium sulfide (Na2S) or Sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) and/or use a hydroxamate and PAX collector. You will always need CuSO4

 

Azadeh
6 years ago

Hi,
thank you for your attention

no we treat the galena initially and sphalerite sequentially. my question is about the increasing the oxide recovery in a sulfide flotation circuit in a plant. we use lime, copper sulfate and PAX for flotation of sphalerite. we don't use any agent like Na2S,... to float the zinc oxide and it is not economically valuable for our operation.
exactly I look for a kind of agent that in this circuit can float both the sulfide and oxide of zinc together.

David
6 years ago

try contacting http://oxflo.com/

J
Jorge
6 years ago
Jorge 6 years ago
2 likes by Azadeh and David

Based on the information you have provided; the possible flotation scheme would be to float initially the sulphides (galena and sphalerite) by sequential flotation. The second part is to float the lead and zinc oxide minerals sequentially. A very important point is to know what kind of lead and zinc oxide minerals are present in the ore. For instance, try to float cerussite (lead carbonate) after adding Na2S is possible, but if the main lead oxide mineral is anglesite (lead sulphate) the recovery by flotation will be very low.

Tailings from the lead oxide circuit feed the zinc oxide flotation circuit. The mineralogical information is important. If the main zinc oxide mineral is smithsonite, it is possible to recover it by adding Na2S, copper sulphate and a cationic collector containing an amine. The testing program should evaluate different cationic collectors to assess their efficiency. Sometimes, if the slimes are eliminated from the oxide flotation circuit, the flotation reagents can work better.

Azadeh
6 years ago

Hi, Thank you for your response

as I told in my last comment, in the plant we just have sulfide circuit but the feed to the plant is a combination of sulfide and oxide. but it is not economically possible to use Na2S or NaHs to float the zinc oxide in the feed.

Azadeh
6 years ago

about a part of your comment:"For instance, try to float cerussite (lead carbonate) after adding Na2S is possible, but if the main lead oxide mineral is anglesite (lead sulphate) the recovery by flotation will be very low."

I should tell that in our other plant which just float anglesite, the operation recovery is about 92-96% for a feed grade of 4- 6%. if you interest I can send you more information.

M
Majid85
6 years ago

Hi, what is your collector? How much is your recovery of galena and sphalerite right now? Where is your plant?

M
Majid85
6 years ago

I am in Zanjan and This was my last job.

Azadeh
5 years ago

Dear Majid85
sorry for delay
I'm talking about Sormeh Company in Fars Province.
the collector in sphalet circuit is PAX

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