Technical Department of Administration of Operational Production Control, “Norilsk Nickel” MMC, Moscow, Russia

M. N. Naftal, Head of Department, phone: +7 (495) 786-83-75

Center of Engineering Maintenance of Production of Polar Division of “Norilsk Nickel” MMC, Norilsk, Russia
A. F. Petrov, Head of Laboratory
N. A. Lapshina, Chief Specialist
L. M. Yarmukhametova, Processing Engineer
N. V. Byshevich, Processing Engineer

Technologies of three-stage sedimentation of non-ferrous metals' sulphides from the oxidized pulp solution, using two collectors — metalized iron pellets and calcium polysulphide — were researched in laboratory conditions. These researches were carried out with organic admixture, which corresponds to the selective heterocoagulation of sulphides and elemental sulphur. There was carried out the experimental estimation of efficiency of various grades of organic admixtures: petroleum oil soluble sulphonic acids and their salts (sulphonates), as well as oil adsorption resins. There is proposed the mechanism of positive influence of chosen group of organic compounds on the formation of flotation properties of sulphur-sulphide sediment, which is formed in the conditions of low-temperature sedimentation of sulphides by combined collector. There is stated the optimal ratio of sulphur, introduced to the content of calcium polysulphide, to organic admixture. There is shown, that usage of proposed technology provides the possibility of replacement of metalized iron pellets (to 60–70%) by calcium polysulphide without decreasing of sulphuric-sulphide flotation indices. In comparison with the prototype technology, during the replacement of 35% of metalized iron pellets by calcium polysulphide, the proposed technology makes it possible to reach significantly higher results of oxidized pulp processing:
— decreasing of content of iron oxide from 19.8% to 14.1–15.5% in sulphuric-sulphide concentrate;
— reduction of content of valuable nickel components in flotation tailings from 0.39% to 0.20–0.27%;
— reduction of content of valuable copper components in flotation tailings from 0.17% to 0.05–0.08%;
— decreasing of irreplaceable losses of metals with final tailings of sulphursulphide flotation of nickel from 13.1% to 6.7–9.1%;
— decreasing of irreplaceable losses of metals with final tailings of sulphursulphide flotation of copper from 23.5 to 6.9–10.8%.
It is proposed to check the new technology in industrial scales in hydrometallurgical production of Nadezhda concentration plant.

1. Laptev Yu. V., Sirkis A. L., Kolonin G. R. Sera i sulfidoobrazovanie v gidrometallurgicheskikh protsessakh (Sulphur and formation of sulphides in hydrometallurgical processes). Novosibirsk : Nauka, 1987. pp. 100–105.
2. Sedygina A. A., Gavrilenko A. F., Kunaev V. A. et al. Osobennosti osazhdeniya medi i nikelya seroy i metallicheskim zhelezom v zhelezookisnoy pulpe (Peculiarities of copper and nickel sedimentation by sulphur and metallic iron in ferroxide pulp). Avtoklavnaya pererabotka medno-nikelevogo syrya (Autoclave processing of copper-nickel raw materials). Moscow : Metallurgiya, 1981. Iss. 46. pp. 20–26.
3. Shestakova R. D., Naftal M. N., Markov Yu. F. et al. Tsvetnye Metally — Non-ferrous metals. 1998. No. 10/11. pp. 47–51.
4. Klets V. E., Rashkovskiy G. B., Mikhnev A. D. et al. Ispolzovanie izvestkovo-sernogo otvara dlya vydeleniya tsvetnykh metallov iz pulp avtoklavnogo vyshchelachivaniya (Usage of calcium polysulphide for release of non-ferrous metals from autoclave leaching pulps). Avtoklavnaya pererabotka medno-nikelevogo syrya (Autoclave processing of coppernickel raw materials). Moscow : Metallurgiya, 1981. Iss. 46. pp. 26–29.
5. Inzhenernoe soprovozhdenie promyshlennykh ispytaniy nizkotemperaturnogo prigotovleniya izvestkovo-sernogo otvara s ispolzovaniem sernogo kontsentrata : (Akt LG GN-69-LP GN-48–2008) (Engineering maintenance of industrial testings of low-temperature production of calcium polysulphide with application of sulphuric concentrate : (Act LG GN-69-LP GN-48—2008)). Norilsk Branch “Institute “Norilskproekt”; “Gipronikel” Institute. Norilsk, 2008. 19 p.

6. Laboratornye issledovaniya po chastichnoy zamene metallizovannykh zheleznykh okatyshey na izvestkovo-sernyy otvar s ispolzovaniem nizkotemperaturnogo izvestkovo-sernogo otvara i razlichnykh poverkhnostnoaktivnykh veshchestv. Etap 1. Laboratornye issledovaniya prigotovleniya izvestkovo-sernogo otvara, soderzhashchego razlichnye organicheskie dobavki. Laboratornye issledovaniya operatsiy osazhdeniya s chastichnoy zamenoy metallizovannykh zheleznykh okatyshey na izvestkovo-sernyy otvar s dobavkami poverkhnostno-aktivnykh veshchestv i serosulfidnoy flotatsii : (Annotirovannyy otchet LG GN-66—2010) (Laboratory researches of partial replacement of metalized iron pellets by calcium polysulphide, using low-temperature calcium polysulphide and various surface-active substances. Stage 1. Laboratory researches of manufacturing of calcium polysulphide, containing various organic compounds. Laboratory researches of sedimentation operations with partial replacement of metalized iron pellets by calcium polysulphide with admixtures of surface-active substances and sulphuric-sulphide flotation : (Annotated report LG GN-66—2010)). Norilsk Branch “Institute “Norilskproekt”; “Gipronikel” Institute. Norilsk, 2010.