On The Flotation of Complex Sulfide Ore accompanied with various Copper Minerals-Part 2.

Abstract

Flotation studies of the complex sulfide ore containing copper, zinc and iron were conducted and the results obtained from this investigation are as follows.1) The complex ore mainly consists of chalcopyrite, bornite, sphalerite, pyrite with various copper minerals such as chalcocite, covellite, tennantite, green copper minerals and gangue mineral is quartz, mica and clays. The microscopic textures are extremely complicated.2) Flotation of the ore is very difficult owing to variety of copper minerals, oxidation of mineral surface, harmful effect of soluble ion, unsatisfactory liberation and so forth.3) As sphalerite is strongly activated by soluble copper ion the floatability is very similar to copper minerals such as chalcocite and covellite. Separation of the copper minerals from sphalerite is especially difficult.4) Sphalerite is scarcely depressed under any flotation conditions even if soluble ion is ex-cepted from flotation pulp by filtration or precipitation and activated film on the mineral sur-face is washed off using cyanide.5) Separation method utilizing the flotation characteristics of sphalerite and applying sele-ctive depressor of copper minerals only applied to the ore.6) Soluble starch was successfully used for depression of the copper minerals and favourable separation was accomplished. The flotation result and conditions were described.