METHOD OF FLOATATION OF SULFIDE COPPER MINERALS FROM CHALCOPYRITE CUBANITE PYRRHOTINE-CONTAINING COPPER-NICKEL ORES Russian patent published in 2005 - IPC

FIELD: concentration of minerals by foam floatation method; floatation extraction of sulfide copper minerals from chalcopyrite cubanite pyrrhotine-containing ores; floatation of other ores and intermediate products containing copper, nickel and iron minerals.

SUBSTANCE: proposed method includes grinding of ore to required size, aeration of pulp in presence of sulphhydral collecting agent, selective floatation of sulfide copper minerals in presence of foaming agent at extraction of coarse copper concentrate, final grinding of this concentrate and re-cleaning in presence of sulfoxide reagent-depressing agent, thus obtaining finished copper concentrate. Finished copper concentrate is obtained with the use of bisulfite ions as sulfoxide reagent-depressing agent at maintenance of mass ratio of iron ions, thiosulfate ions and bisulfate ions in liquid phase of pulp during its aeration of 1: (50-300): (25-150). Optimal ratio of these ions is ensured by treatment of pulp with sodium bisulfite or sulfur dioxide.

EFFECT: improved quality of concentrate at increased ratio of mass fractions of copper and nickel; increased extraction of copper.

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