METHOD OF CONCENTRATION OF SULFIDE COPPER-NICKEL ORES Russian patent published in 2005 - IPC

FIELD: concentration of minerals; floatation concentration of copper-nickel ores containing copper, nickel and iron minerals.

SUBSTANCE: proposed method includes grinding of ore to content in initial feed of copper floatation of class lesser than 0.045 mm to 55-75%, aeration of pulp, floatation of copper minerals in presence of collecting and foaming agents. Rough copper floatation tailings are fed to bulk floatation cycle where all sulfide minerals are extracted and rock tailings are removed independently. This floatation is performed in weak-alkaline medium at pH=8.5-9.2 at delivery of organic sulfur-containing additive and dithiocarbamate, xanthogenate and dithiophosphate at mass ratio of 1 : (1.25-3.75) : (0.38-0.88) or dithiocarbamate, xanthogenate and foaming agent at the following ratio 1 : (1.25-3.75) : (2.5-5.75) : (0.25-1.0). Subsequent selective extraction of pentlantide and pyrrhotine into target concentrates is performed in presence of short-chain collecting agent after preliminary alkali treatment of pulp at pH=10.2-10.5.

EFFECT: simplification of floatation procedure; reduced losses of valuable components with dump tailings.

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