7
combined as the flotation feed after preconcentration. The
high mass recovery in the GS-C+M and the desliming (that
produced higher pyrite flotatbility) suggested an enhanced
recovery of Te, Au, and Ag because of the positive locking
relationship that tellurides exhibited in pyrite.
Flotation of Preconcentrated Copper Tailings
Pyrite bulk flotation was performed at the bench-scale level
using the GS-C+M, and the recovery and grade from these
experiments are shown in Figures 5–7. For this set of exper-
iments and based on the results obtained from the baseline
flotation, the researchers opted to float GS-C+M as a func-
tion of the lowest dosages tested for xanthate (SIPX) col-
lector and glycol (OREPREP X-237) frothers. The dosage
selected for the collector was 90 g/t, and the frother was
50 g/t.
Results showed that flotation of GS 1-C+M had the
highest overall recovery of Fe and S. Sulfur recovery was
52.99% at a grade of 1.84 wt.%. Iron recovery was 29.60%
at a grade of 24.24 wt.%. GS 3- C+M had the highest over-
all recovery of Cu, with 59.83% recovery at 4.68 wt.%.
The results highlighted a cleaner concentrate product with
higher Cu and S grades.
DISCUSSION
The research findings presented a comprehensive pic-
ture of the recovery, grades, and enrichment percentages
of tellurium (Te), gold (Au), silver (Ag), and copper (Cu)
from copper tailings (CT). Initially, the characterization
of the tailings provided a baseline understanding of the
starting grades, with Te at 0.40 ppm, Au at 61.7 ppb, Ag
at 0.66 ppm, and Cu at 494.50 ppm. This research and
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
0
20
40
60
80
100
EXP300422
(120g/t) +
MIBC
(50g/t)
EXP300422
(150g/t) +
MIBC
(50g/t)
EXP300422
(150 g/t) +
terpineol
(50g/t)
EXP300422
(150 g/t) +
OREPREP
X-237
(50g/t)
SPIX
(30g/t) +
MIBC
(50g/t)
SPIX (90
g/t) +
OREPREP
X-237
(50g/t)
SPIX (150
g/t) +
OREPREP
X-237
(50g/t)
SPIX (90
g/t) +
terpineol
(50g/t)
Efficient Collector and Frother Combinations
Te Recovery Au Recovery Ag Recovery Te Grade Au Grade Ag Grade
Figure 4. Efficiency of collector type, dosage, and frother type combinations as a function of recovery and grade. Recovery (%)
is represented by green (Te), light gold (Au), and light gray (Ag) columns, while the grade for Te is a square, Au is an X, and Ag
is a triangle
0
10
20
30
40
0
20
40
60
80
100
Fe Cu S
Flotation -GS 1 -C+M
Recovery Grade
Figure 5. Flotation recovery and grade of the concentrate
and middlings of gravity separation with a 1:15 S/L ratio
Grade
(ppm)
Recovery
(%)
Grade
(wt.%)
Recovery
(%)
combined as the flotation feed after preconcentration. The
high mass recovery in the GS-C+M and the desliming (that
produced higher pyrite flotatbility) suggested an enhanced
recovery of Te, Au, and Ag because of the positive locking
relationship that tellurides exhibited in pyrite.
Flotation of Preconcentrated Copper Tailings
Pyrite bulk flotation was performed at the bench-scale level
using the GS-C+M, and the recovery and grade from these
experiments are shown in Figures 5–7. For this set of exper-
iments and based on the results obtained from the baseline
flotation, the researchers opted to float GS-C+M as a func-
tion of the lowest dosages tested for xanthate (SIPX) col-
lector and glycol (OREPREP X-237) frothers. The dosage
selected for the collector was 90 g/t, and the frother was
50 g/t.
Results showed that flotation of GS 1-C+M had the
highest overall recovery of Fe and S. Sulfur recovery was
52.99% at a grade of 1.84 wt.%. Iron recovery was 29.60%
at a grade of 24.24 wt.%. GS 3- C+M had the highest over-
all recovery of Cu, with 59.83% recovery at 4.68 wt.%.
The results highlighted a cleaner concentrate product with
higher Cu and S grades.
DISCUSSION
The research findings presented a comprehensive pic-
ture of the recovery, grades, and enrichment percentages
of tellurium (Te), gold (Au), silver (Ag), and copper (Cu)
from copper tailings (CT). Initially, the characterization
of the tailings provided a baseline understanding of the
starting grades, with Te at 0.40 ppm, Au at 61.7 ppb, Ag
at 0.66 ppm, and Cu at 494.50 ppm. This research and
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
0
20
40
60
80
100
EXP300422
(120g/t) +
MIBC
(50g/t)
EXP300422
(150g/t) +
MIBC
(50g/t)
EXP300422
(150 g/t) +
terpineol
(50g/t)
EXP300422
(150 g/t) +
OREPREP
X-237
(50g/t)
SPIX
(30g/t) +
MIBC
(50g/t)
SPIX (90
g/t) +
OREPREP
X-237
(50g/t)
SPIX (150
g/t) +
OREPREP
X-237
(50g/t)
SPIX (90
g/t) +
terpineol
(50g/t)
Efficient Collector and Frother Combinations
Te Recovery Au Recovery Ag Recovery Te Grade Au Grade Ag Grade
Figure 4. Efficiency of collector type, dosage, and frother type combinations as a function of recovery and grade. Recovery (%)
is represented by green (Te), light gold (Au), and light gray (Ag) columns, while the grade for Te is a square, Au is an X, and Ag
is a triangle
0
10
20
30
40
0
20
40
60
80
100
Fe Cu S
Flotation -GS 1 -C+M
Recovery Grade
Figure 5. Flotation recovery and grade of the concentrate
and middlings of gravity separation with a 1:15 S/L ratio
Grade
(ppm)
Recovery
(%)
Grade
(wt.%)
Recovery
(%)