Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B03—SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
  • B03B—SEPARATING SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS
  • B03B1/00—Conditioning for facilitating separation by altering physical properties of the matter to be treated
  • B03B1/04—Conditioning for facilitating separation by altering physical properties of the matter to be treated by additives
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B03—SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
  • B03D—FLOTATION; DIFFERENTIAL SEDIMENTATION
  • B03D1/00—Flotation
  • B03D1/02—Froth-flotation processes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B03—SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS
  • B03D—FLOTATION; DIFFERENTIAL SEDIMENTATION
  • B03D1/00—Flotation
  • B03D1/02—Froth-flotation processes
  • B03D1/06—Froth-flotation processes differential

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an improved process for the selective separation of the components of a copper molybdenum (Mo--Cu) ore by flotation. More particularly, the present invention relates to a process for such separation conducted at a natural pH (i.e. without addition of alkalies (such as lime) or.acids in amounts sufficient to substantially modify the pH) and without the addition of a copper collector in the primary flotation circuit, which leads to the recovery of a primary Mo-Cu concentrate.
• a natural pH i.e. without addition of alkalies (such as lime) or.acids in amounts sufficient to substantially modify the pH
• alkalies such as lime
• acids in amounts sufficient to substantially modify the pH
• One object of the present invention is to provide a process for the separation by flotation of the components of a copper ore (with molybdenum as a by-product) by flotation. This process affords a convenient, inexpensive, and efficient method of molybdenum recovery at an acceptable grade.
• Another object of this invention is to provide a pro ⁇ cess for such separation, which can be conducted at a natural pH and avoids use of lime and other pH modifiers.
• Another object of this invention is to provide a pro ⁇ cess for such separation which avoids use of substantial amounts of depressant for copper minerals.
• Another object of this invention is to provide a pro ⁇ cess or such separation that avoids use of a copper collector i_ * the primary flotation circuit.
• Another object of this invention is to achieve the recovery in the primary flotation circuit of a concentrate substantially enriched in molybdenum which, because of its enhanced molybdenum content, can be further separated into a molybdenum concentrate with less reagents and in a substantial ⁇ ly smaller number of cleaning stages, and which affords sub ⁇ stantially enhanced recovery of the molybdenum mineral initial ⁇ ly contained in the ore.
• the copper content of this primary flotation circuit after the cleaning stages, can be diverted to the copper circuits. Hence, the overall copper recovery of the system is not jeopardized.
• the present invention is directed to a process for th separation of the mineral components of an ore, said ore com ⁇ prising minerals selected from the group consisting of base metal sulfides, including copper and molybdenum sulfides as well as pyrite, said process comprising:
• Fig. 1 is a flowsheet of a copper-molybdenum ore sep ration scheme by flotation in accordance with the present in vention.
• Fig. 2 is a water-balance flowsheet for a copper- molybdenum flotation process, as it is typically practiced in the Southwestern United States where water is in short supply. Detailed Description of the Invention
• copper ore with associated molybdenum values from a mine is crushed and ground to the required particle size to form the flotation fee and ore pulp.
• Preflotation conditioning of the ore may be conducted during or after the wet grinding stage and is comple ted before the first flotation stage. Preconditioning is marked as 1 in Fig. 1. According to the present invention, t only preconditioning that may be necessary at this stage woul require addition of very small amounts of redox agents, such a sodium sulfide, hydrogen peroxide, etc. , or aeration. Combine contributions from ore mineralization, degree of surface oj .da tion and water chemistry (unless modified) can result in vary ⁇ ing degrees of copper and iron sulfide mineral recovery along with the molybdenite, in the primary molybdenum rougher stage.
• redox agents such as sodium sulfide, hydrogen peroxide, etc.
• Preflotation conditioning of the ore, with specific reagents, conducted during or after the grinding stage, may be necessar to prevent or minimize this recovery of copper and iron sul ⁇ fides.
• the reagents used may be of reducing characteristics, such as hypochlorites, peroxides or atmospheric air. The amounts required are just sufficient to prevent or minimi _ ** t aforesaid recovery of copper and iron sulfides along with' he molybdenite during the primary molybdenite flotation stage.
• the amount of the redox reagent, or the extei-t o aeration is preferably just sufficient to prevent or minimiz copper sulfide and pyrite flotation, without affecting molyb ⁇ denite flotation, and does not affect the pH.
• no lime or other pH modifiers are adde (or, if added, lime is in extremely small amounts compared wi the conventional lime circuits and only for protective alkali nity, i.e. to prevent equipment corrosion) .
• No copper collector is added in the primary molybdenite flotation circuit.
• a small amount of a hydrocarbon oil is added as a moly-collector, at 2 in Fig. 1, along with a frother.
• Suitable hydrocarbon oils include vapor oil, diesel oil, fuel oil, etc.
• the hydrocarbon will contain as little wax fraction as possible.
• the primary flotation circuit produces a rougher molyb ⁇ denum concentrate containing some copper and a non-float.
• This concentrate which is substantially enriched in moly as compared to conventional circuits, is then reground if necessary and directed to cleaner stages which lead to the production of a final molybdenum concentrate.
• the cleaner stage simplification and cost savings achieved by the present invention are also substantial.
• the non-float of the primary circuit is directed to a copper flotation circuit.
• the non-float contains some of the copper and the remaining non-floating minerals. Copper col ⁇ lector is added at 3 in Fig. 1.
• Whether an oxidation/reduction agent is added or not depends in large measure on the natu ⁇ ral oxidation/reduction conditions of the ore and the water used in the flotation process.
• the copper rougher concentrate is typically directed to regrind and cleaner operations, resulting in production of a final copper concentrate, a final tailings product, and possi ⁇ bly a secondary molybdenum concentr?te.
• This latter concen ⁇ trate when produced, represents a small proportion of the total moly content of the original ore, because of the effi ⁇ ciency of the present primary flotation circuit in recovering molybdenite.
• This secondary molybdenum concentrate may be recycled to the primary molybdenum circuit, or to the molyb ⁇ denum cleaner circuit, depending on the molybdenum assay.
• Further separation of the scavenger concentrate may require addition of a small amount of an oxidation/reduction agent sufficient to minimize pyrite flotation.
• the process of the present invention does not need to employ cyanide.
• Aeration is advantageously used instead of (or in addi tion to) a redox additive to control the redox potential of th pulp.
• Aeration can be used at 1 in the primary flotation cir ⁇ cuit, or at 4 in the first scavenger circuit.
• Advantages of the present process include simplifica ⁇ tion of the flotation scheme and savings in all reagents, in ⁇ cluding those resulting from the omission of lime and the mini mal — if any — addition of a redox agent, and also in frothe and collector consumption.
• Suitable molybdenum-copper ores for practice of the present process include-copper-molybdenum sulfide ores which contain chalcopyrite and chalcocite.
• the present process is particularly suited for ore separation in plants where the water is recycled.
• t present process can be advantageously introduced in separatio plants where a major portion of the water is reclaimed as il ⁇ lustrated in Fig. 2 (Prio ' r Art) . This is so because the addi tion of reagents (including- collector and redox reagent, if any) is so minimal the? ⁇ ⁇ "-_they do not accumulate in the reclaim water.
• Fig. 2 app oximately 60% of the water in the syst is reclaimed after flotation of a rougher concentrate, 4. Additional water is reclaimed from the non-float scavenger circuit, 2. All reclaimed water is combined at 3.
• Example 1 The invention is further illustrated below by referen to specific examples. However, the scope of the present inve tion is not limited to these examples.
• Example 1 The invention is further illustrated below by referen to specific examples. However, the scope of the present inve tion is not limited to these examples.
• T electrochemical potential was measured and found to be +40 in the first conditioning stage, during aeration, and in the rougher concentrate flotation step, and +50 in the first sca ⁇ venger flotation step.
• the pH was 7.5 during aeration, 7.8 during conditioning, 8.0 during flotation of the primary con ⁇ centrate and 8.2 during flotation of the secondary concentrat.
• the ore was ground for 6 min. and only frother (2 dro of MIBC) was added.
• Fuel oil (6 drops) was added in a first conditioning stage (1 min.) and the pulp was aerated for two min. No sodium sulfide or other redox reagent was added.
• T rougher concentrate was floated (3 min.) and the non-float w conditioned (2 min.) with the addition of 2 drops of copper collector.
• the first scavenger concentrate was floated (4 min.) and the non-float was conditioned for 2 minutes with 1 .

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• Manufacture And Refinement Of Metals (AREA)
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• Superconductors And Manufacturing Methods Therefor (AREA)
• Lead Frames For Integrated Circuits (AREA)
• Luminescent Compositions (AREA)

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• 1986
  • 1986-07-09 JP JP61504290A patent/JPS63500577A/ja active Pending
  • 1986-07-09 AU AU61913/86A patent/AU6191386A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1986-07-09 DE DE8686905004T patent/DE3688591T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1986-07-09 WO PCT/US1986/001467 patent/WO1987000088A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1986-07-09 AT AT86905004T patent/ATE90592T1/de active
  • 1986-07-09 EP EP86905004A patent/EP0229835B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1986-07-09 BR BR8606758A patent/BR8606758A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1987
  • 1987-03-06 FI FI870999A patent/FI80835C/fi not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1990
  • 1990-06-05 AU AU56840/90A patent/AU629646B2/en not_active Ceased

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