METHOD OF CONCENTRATING SULFIDE COPPER-NICKEL ORES CONTAINING PLATINUM METALS Russian patent published in 2001 - IPC

FIELD: mineral concentration, particularly, flotation of copper-nickel ores containing platinum metals; applicable in bulk flotation of sulfides from polymetallic iron-containing materials. SUBSTANCE: method includes grinding and conditioning of material with sulf-hydryl collector; introduction into pulp of low-soluble sulfonates of alkali-earth metals and foaming agent; stage-by-stage separation of metal sulfides by flotation into foam products, and barren rock into tailings. Oil-soluble sulfonates of alkali-earth metals are introduced into the first stage of flotation in amount of 55-90 wt.% of their total consumption. Weight ratio of oil-soluble sulfonates of alkali-earth metals to sulf-hydryl collector in each stage of flotation amounts to (0.0005-0.0035):1. Oil-soluble sulfonates of alkali-earth metals are introduced into pulp in the form of aqueous emulsions containing 0.01-0.5 wt. % of disperse phase. EFFECT: higher recovery of nonferrous and platinum metals into purposeful flotation concentrates with simultaneous reduction of consumption of sulf-hydryl collector due to variation of procedure of supply of oil-soluble sulfonates of alkali-earth metals. 2 cl, 1 tbl, 11 ex