Abstract
The depression of pyrrhotite containing sphalerite is very difficult on account of the copper ion activation during the zinc flotation process. Accordingly, the mineral particles to be floated by the copper ion activation are so many that the flotation machine overloads. Thus, the grade and recovery of zinc in the zinc concentrates are remarkably lowered. Therefore, it has been said that the zinc flotation is disturbed considerably in the case where pyrrhotite exists in Sphalerite.In this paper, the authors pursued on many problems for the separation of sphalerite and pyrrhotite and discussed on how to separate the above minerals from the detailed investigation of the past paper.At first, the authors attempted to discuss on the copper ion adsorption of sphalerite and pyrrhotite. As compared the copper ion adsorption on sphalerite with the copper ion adsorption on pyrrhotite, it is recognized that the copper ion adsorption on sphalerite proceeds in all pH values, but the copper ion adsorption on pyrrhotite depends remarkably on the pH value. With the increase of the iron contents in sphalerite, the copper ion adsorption on sphalerite decreases in the case where oxygen is sufficiently dissolved in the flotation pulp and the pH is high enough. On the other hand, the copper ion adsorption on pyrrhotite scarecely proceeds in the above-stated conditions. Bushell and his collaborators carried out the flotation tests for the separation of sphalerite and pyrrhotite by using oxygen. They confirmed that the separation of sphalerite and pyrrhotite is possible. As a reason, they surmised that the copper ion adsorption is hindered because of the formation of the insoluble and protective film such as ferric hydroxide, ferric oxide, or basic iron salt in the case where the pH is high enough and oxygen is sufficiently dissolved in the flotation pulp to oxidize iron of mineral surface.As the above mentioned, it is considered that the dissolved oxygen in the flotation pulp is one of the most important factors.
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