Yunnan Oxidized Copper Sulfide Flotation And Leaching Tests

The main characteristic of copper ore resources in our country is of low-grade, and the majority of the copper ores are copper oxides. Most of them have not been exploited and used efficiently because of their highly-oxidized rate and slime. Therefore, to study and utilize this kind of copper oxides with suitable methods has great importance theoretically and practically.Being consigned by enterprise, some researches on following aspects have been conducted. The research of process mineralogy shows that this kind of ore has a highly-oxidized rate of 90%, and the content of slime in run of mine ore is 15%. It's difficult to process the copper oxide ore. The flotation and acid leaching process are used by comprehensive pre-treatment, and then detailed experiments are carries out.The results of the tests show that this copper oxide ore can not be treated by direct flotation with copper oxide collectors. But it can be treated by the normal flotation technology through adding the sodium sulfide. Through many conditional tests and circuit tests, technology for this copper ore is obtained. Satisfactory results have been obtained by first stage grinding with the mesh of grinding about 70%-0.074mm, one-time roughing and three-time scavenging operation in the closed circuit. Sodium sulfide, butyl xanthate and Pine Camphor Oil are used in the tests. When the run of mine ore contains copper of 2.77%, the obtained copper concentrate has a copper grade of 16.02% and a copper recovery of 70.15%, which offers technical support for the re-commissioning of the small concentrator.Through experiments, a good many of complications about use sulfuric acid to leach this copper oxide have been analyzed and investigated. The best of process conditions about sulfuric acid have been found. Taking into account the whole process, a series of single factor experiment about how to enhance the copper leaching rate have been done, which include grinding mesh, leaching time, the ratio of liquid to solid and the consumption of sulfuric acid, etc. Under the best of conditions, the leaching rate of copper is up to 91%, the grade of copper leaching residues is just about 0.28%. The leaching tests with hydrochloric acid have also been done, in a view of techno-economy, sulfuric acid used in this process is much better than the hydrochloric acid.The leaching tests with sulfiiric acid have also been done to the flotation talings. When the talings contains copper of 1.05%, the leaching copper rate can be 73.84%, it makes the copper recovery of this copper oxide ore outstrip 90%.Some results both on flotation and acid leaching have been gained through this research, which provide technical support to get this copper oxide developed. The technology obtained is simple and the reagents used are easily gotten in the market with low price. What's more, the waste water from the plant can be easily treated which is helpful to reduce costs.