JSC Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex, Almalyk, Uzbekistan

N. G. Solomko, Lead Engineer for Polymetallic Ore Beneficiation, Technical Department
O. V. Proskuryakova, Technical Engineer, Pilot Beneficiation Plant, Technological Center for Development and Introduction of Innovative Technologies

LLC Bazis Pro, Moscow, Russia
M. N. Naftal, General Director, Candidate of Technical Sciences, e-mail: naftalmn@gmail.com

Siberian Federal University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
Ya. Yu. Fedotova, Postgraduate Student
D. A. Kizyaev, Postgraduate Student

Porphyry copper ore deposits are attributed to main raw material sources of copper and molybdenum, and important sources of gold, silver and a number of accompanying elements: rare, precious and trace elements. Countries with the developed copper industry, including Uzbekistan, establish large enterprises, which will process huge volumes of porphyry copper ore for decades. When processing porphyry copper ore, one of key problems is a high level of nonrecoverable losses of copper, molybdenum, gold and silver found in final tailings of ore beneficiation. A leading area of reducing losses of valuable components in final tailings of beneficiation is the application of efficient collecting flotation agents. The laboratory tests held on gold-containing porphyry copper ore of the Oliy Ziyo deposit of the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex (Kalmakyr and Yoshlik-1 areas) have showed that chemical agents produced by LLC NPP Qualitet (Qualitet), in addition to an increase in extraction of copper, molybdenum and gold, improve kinetics of flotation, and exclude the application of regulatory, less efficient similar chemical agents. The article describes the opportunity of a considerable decrease in the specific consumption of potassium butyl xanthate (PBX) and frothing agent Т-92 without deteriorating flotation parameters. Based on the laboratory tests, it is recommended to conduct semi-industrial tests (SIT) of chemical agents produced by Qualitet at facilities of the Pilot Beneficiation Plant of JSC Almalyk MMC. The results of the semiindustrial tests proved high technological and economic efficiency of using a combination of the Qualitet chemical agents (AFI-4G10K and DP-4) combined with PBX for flotation of ore from the Kalmakyr deposit. Positive results of semi-industrial tests and calculations of economic efficiency entailed pilot tests of flotation using collecting flotation agents produced by Qualitet (AFI-4G10K + DP-4) and PBX at Copper Beneficiation Plant No. 1 (CBP-1) of Almalyk MMC.

The following researchers also took an active part in this study: A. A. Abdukadyrov, A. S. Medzhibovskiy, I. A. Kazin, A. M. Saynazarov, G. V. Ivanova, N. A. Bagryanskiy, N. T. Zhuk, E. A. Bliev, M. I. Khersonskiy, A. V. Dementev, L. V. Antonenko.

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