Study On Flotation Separation Of Copper-Zinc Sulphide Minerals

Flotation separation copper zinc sulfide ores is difficult due to the sphalerite activated by dissolution copper ions, the activated sphalerite has the same floatability as chalcopyrite. Strengthening the effect of collecting chalcopyrite and depressing sphalerite as well as improving flowsheet are the main methods to solve the problem. And use the differences in chalcopyrite and sphalerite surface properties, choosing effective collector of chalcopyrite and effective depressant of sphalerite is a very important way.Results of single mineral flotation tests show that the selective separation of chalcopyrite from marmatite could be achieved with sodium hexametaphosphate as depressant and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate as collector. Flowsheet of differential flotation was used in actual ore flotation tests, and close circuit tests show that the final grade of copper and zinc concentrate is20.61%and50.29%, respectively, at recovery of68.48%copper and86.95%zinc.The interaction mechanism of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate with chalcopyrite and marmatite has been investigated by FTIR spectroscopic studies, and the results show that sodium diethyldithiocarbamate is chemically adsorbed on minerals surfaces. And the depressing action of sodium hexametaphosphate towards marmatite wae demonstrated by Zeta potential tests, adsorption measurements and FTIR spectroscopic analysis. The possible depressing mechanism can be describing as following:sodium hexametaphosphate might complex with copper ions on the surface of marmatite to form stable and soluble complex, and the product can dissolve into the solution, thus preventing the collector from absorbing onto marmatite and having depressing action towards marmatite.