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

A. A. Abramov, Professor of a Chair of Chemistry, e-mail: AbramovAA31@mail.ru

Quantitative regularities of oxidation were determined for such 19 copper minerals as sulfides, selenides, tellurides, metallic copper and copper sulphursalts, containing arsenic, arsenic and iron, antimony, silver or bismuth in usual flotation conditions. According to the thermodynamic probability of oxidation, characterized by the potential value of mineral oxidation onset, the considered minerals are settled down in the following line: khalnaite > epigenite > chalcostibite > stromeyerite > chalcopyrite > valleriite > emplectite > enargite > covellite > wittichenite > bornite > telluride of bivalent copper > telluride of monovalent copper > chalcocite > klokmannite > tennantite > metallic copper > tetrahedrite > bertcelianite. Each following mineral in this line is protected from oxidation by previous one over the electrochemical mechanism. The established quantitative regularities of copper minerals oxidation (for 15 minerals for the first time) are necessary for creation and maintenance of optimal conditions in activation, deactivation and selective oxidation of minerals. They can be used under preparation of pulp for flotation, definition of optimal conditions for collectorless and usual flotation, optimal values of рН and oxidation-reduction potential of a pulp in selective flotation of minerals while electrochemical processing a pulp, application of reagents-oxidizers or reagents-reducers, conditioning pulps with various gases.

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