JSC Kola MMC, Zapolyarny, Russia

L. А. Brazyulis, Head of the Mineral Processing Research Laboratory, e-mail: BrazyulisLA@kolagmk.ru
М. P. Мarukhin, Chief Engineer of the Processing Plant of the Kola Mining and Processing Plant, e-mail: MarukhinMP@kolagmk.ru
А. P. Shorikov, Chief Technologist of the Zapolyarny Concentrator1, e-mail: ShorikovAP@kolagmk.ru
А. А. Skripnikov, Chief Mineral Processing Engineer of the Kola Mining and Processing Plant, e-mail: SkripnikovAA@kolagmk.ru

Polar Branch of PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel, Norilsk, Russia¹ ; N. M. Fedorovsky Polar State University, Norilsk, Russia²
L. S. Petrunova-Lesnikova, Director of the Center for Engineering Support of Production¹, Associate Professor of the Department of Metallurgy, Machines and Equipment², e-mail: LesnikovaLS@nornik.ru

The search for effective reagents for flotation processing of sulfide ores of non-ferrous metals is an urgent problem. The article presents the results of laboratory studies and industrial tests on the development of technology for flotation processing of copper-nickel ores using reagents from different manu facturers at the JSC Kola MMC Processing Plant. The object of the study is a charge of copper-nickel ores containing about 0.24% copper and 0.56% nickel. The main copper mineral of the ore charge is chalcopyrite, and the nickel mineral is pentlandite. The technological cycle of the Kola MMC Processing Plant includes three-stage crushing to a particle size of no more than 17% of the +16 mm class, threestage crushing to a particle size of at least 76% of the –71 microns class, collective flotation to produce nickel sulfide concentrate (β(Ni) ≈ 10.0%) and tailings (θ(Ni) ≈ 0.170%). The results of laboratory test studies of reagents analogues used in the technology of the Kola MMC Processing Plant (aerofloat, potassium butyl xanthate, waste rock depressor) at different costs (to assess the mechanism of action) are presented and the experience of their implementation is studied. Based on the results of laboratory tests, further pilot tests for the application have been recommended:
– collecting agent Ditioflot-7914 manufactured by LLC Kvadrat Plus instead of BTF-185 from the same manufacturer;
– analogues of potassium butyl xanthate produced by JSC Volzhsky Orgsynthese in China have shown comparable results and further pilot tests are recommended taking into account economic feasibility.
The article also presents the results of the successful industrial implementation of new reagents from domestic producers and from countries friendly to Russia replacing those previously supplied by “unfriendly” countries. In particular, the waste rock depressor carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) of the Finnfix 300 grade manufactured by CP Kelco has been replaced with CMC of the ALPATS NV grade manufactured by LLC Biya-Sintez.

1. Krupnov L. V., Midyukov D. O., Datsiev M. S., Ilin V. B. Changing the resource base of production of heavy non-ferrous metals on the example of copper and nickel. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2024. No. 3. pp. 10–16.
2. Krupnov L. V., Midyukov D. O., Malakhov P. V. Ways to cover the raw material demand in the copper-nickel sector. Obogashchenie Rud. 2022. No. 2. pp. 37–41.
3. Akulova T. A., Lebedok A. V., Ananko I. A., Pavlov А. A. Prospects for the application of jet flotation with intensive pressure mixing of three-phase pulp in the conditions of the Medvezhy Ruchey Norilsk concentrator. Tsvetnye Metally. 2025. No. 6. pp. 19–23.
4. Amelunxen P., Akerstrom B. froth flotation’s newest machines: how much better are they? Mining Metallurgy and Exploration. 2024. Vol. 41, Iss. 6. DOI: 10.1007/s42461-024-01127-7
5. Pyle L., Tabosa E., Vianna S., Valery W. Future and present trends in flotation circuit design. 2022.
6. Datsiev M. S., Petrunova-Lesnikova L. S., Dzardanov B. K., Sisina A. N. Research of application of magnetic separation method for purifying of lownickel pyrrhotite and its combinations with flotation concentration. Tsvetnye Metally. 2025. No. 6. pp. 5–11.
7. Gao Xichao. Study on the mineral processing technology of copper-nickel sulfide ore. Journal of Engineering and Applied Science. 2025. Vol. 72. DOI: 10.1186/s44147-025-00596-x
8. Geng Qing, Han Guang, Wen Shuming. Flotation of copper sulfide ore using ultra-low dosage of combined collectors. Minerals. 2024. Vol. 14. DOI: 10.3390/min14101026
9. Matyushin K. R., Batraliev R. Sh., Aryshtaev A. G., Botsiev R. M. Experience of using industrial artificial intelligence in the Polar branch of PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel. Tsvetnye Metally. 2025. No. 6. pp. 94–101.
10. Glibovets M. V., Botsiev R. M., Miller A. A., Zaporozhtsev I. F. AI-based production optimization system for flotation control tasks: Talnakh Concentrator`s experience. Tsvetnye Metally. 2025. No. 6. pp. 102–111.
11. Raj S., Bikash S., Hiranmay S., Suvobrata S., Chandan K., Monidepa G. Scope of machine learning applications for addressing the challenges in nextgeneration wireless networks. CAAI Transactions on Intelligence Technology. 2022. Vol. 7. DOI: 10.1049/cit2.12114
12. Kuznetsova I. N., Lavrinenko A. A., Golberg G. Yu., Lusinyan O. G. Application of organic modifiers in flotation of copper-nickel ores. Proceedings of the international conference “Plaksin readings – 2025”. Innovative processes of complex and deep processing of natural and non-traditional mineral raw materials. pp. 223.
13. Lavrinenko A. A., Golberg G. Yu., Kuznetsova I. N. The effect of various depressors on flotation of cast copper-nickel ore. Proceedings of the international conference “Plaksin readings – 2025”. Innovative processes of complex and deep processing of natural and non-traditional mineral raw materials. pp. 288.