Mining University of National University of Science and Technology “MISiS”, Moscow, Russia:

V. A. Bocharov, Professor of a Chair of Ore Concentration

Institute of Ecotechnologies and Engineering of National University of Science and Technology “MISiS”, Moscow, Russia:
V. A. Ignatkina, Professor of a Chair of Ore Concentration, e-mail: woda@mail.ru
L. S. Khachatryan, Leading Engineer

This article shows the problem of selective recover of minerals of non-ferrous and noble metals from massive sulfide ores. It is shown that reserve of increasing of sulfide flotation indicators is organization of interstage mineral processing for recovery of easily sludge minerals. Usage of compositions of selective sulfhydryl collectors decreases the pyrite floatability, while opening of cycles reduce the circulation pyrite in flowsheet. There is shown the influence of various modifications of pyrite on its flotation. When pyrrhotine content in ore is more than 30–50% of the total mass of ore minerals, there should be used its suppression intensive aeration in weakly alkaline medium, using selected sulfhydryl collectors. Galenite in resistant pyrite-lead-zinc ores is presented by nonuniform, finely disseminated saturations (sometimes with cryptocrystalline or cellular (honeycomb) structure, covered with lead carbonate films). Galenite from finely disseminated pyrite ores is non-selectively distributed («smeared out») in the flotation products of all flotation front cycles. Russian polymetallic ore deposits are complex and resistant. The following factors are typical for Rubtsovskoe ore deposit:
— uneven distribution of ore and gangue minerals;
— predominance of fine disseminations;
— complex particle size distribution;
— diverse nature of adhesions;
— presence of easily sludge gangue (aluminosilicates, clays) and ore (anglesite, cerussite, plumbojarosite) minerals;
— variable ratio of disseminated and massive ores.
These technological peculiarities are the reasons for low levels of concentration. Separation of copper-lead concentrate is carried out by heat treatment with activated carbon and depression of galenite sulfite and iron sulfate at pH = 5.2–5.5. The main methods of selection of bulk copper-lead concentrate are cyanide method, reducing conditions (sodium sulfide, sodium sulfite, iron (II)) or cyanide method, oxidizing conditions (bichrome, manganatny etc.). Flotation of natural unactivated sphalerite modification to standard concentrates of zinc from bulk flotation tailings may be efficient when ore zinc module is over 2,5, and when new selective sulfhydryl collectors, are used in partial bulky selective flotation circuit. There is offered a new collector M-TF (М-ТФ), which is a mixture of thionocarbamates and dithiophosphate in certain ratio. This collector is selective with low activity flotation of sulfides of iron and sphalerite, unactivated by copper cations. There are given the recommendations for development of a flowsheet for flotation of refractory pyrite non-ferrous metals' ores.

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