Abstract
A proper choice of reagents quality and quantity has a great influence on the flotation process effectiveness. Attempts to develop a method to create sodium xanthates blends used as a collector for copper sulphides flotation was undertaken at the Division of Concentrators of KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. Laboratory tests involving different blends of sodium xanthates were performed followed by the data analysis of the results. The obtained results proved that it was profitable to prepare a blend consisted of the so called “weak” and “strong” xanthates with a minimum difference in the alkyl chain length of two carbon atoms. The results of research will be helpful for development of specific xanthates blends dedicated to technology applied at KGHM under industrial conditions.
Highlights
One of the assumptions of effective flotation process is to properly developed strategy in flotation reagents management
The implemented practice is based on empiric confirmation of reagent effectiveness on a laboratory scale tests followed by verification of the obtained data under industrial conditions
Some of suggested by other investigators reagents were found unsuccessful under specific industrial conditions
Summary
One of the assumptions of effective flotation process is to properly developed strategy in flotation reagents management. Since implementation of froth flotation for the ore processing technology, xanthates has been the basic reagents dedicated to sulphide ores. Because they have a very broad range of activity, the choice of a specific xanthate with suitable chain length and type is not easy. Introducing into a flotation system only one type of xanthate is not sufficient to ensure the optimised chemical conditions of flotation slurry This is necessary for proper metal content in the concentrate and high recovery, in addition to process economy. The good results of using the collectors blends in a flotation process are recognized and they are confirmed by laboratory experiments as well as on the full industrial scale. At Division of Concentrators of KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. the results of laboratory tests of using blends of xanthates with different carbon chains were investigated
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