XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 2139
element or compound in the feed/head. Flotation concen-
trate yield was calculated using concentrate mass over feed
mass times 100. Flotation enrichment was calculated using
concentrate grade over feed grade. Calculations of recovery
and enrichment were based on CT-specific grades.
The effect of the frother type was also examined in this
work. These experiments followed the same flotation pro-
cedures used to test the collector type and dosage range.
The list of frothers used in this study is shown in Table 2.
Figure 2 shows the experimental procedures used to enrich
telluride hosted in pyrite from CT.
RESULTS
Characterization of Copper Tailings
Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass
Spectrometry Analysis
ICP-MS was used to determine the average concentration
of Te, Au, Ag, and other elements in the as-received CT
(Table 3). To enhance the process, the term “valuable ele-
ments” was assigned to commodities Te, Au, and Ag, indi-
cating that they could be positively impacted if concentrated
through flotation. Other elements were included in the
valuable elements list because they are part of the U.S.A.
critical elements list (Bauer, Nguyen, and Smith 2023). The
average grades for Te, Au, and Ag in CT were 0.45 ppm,
73.5 ppb, and 0.595 ppm, respectively.
TESCAN’S Integrated Mineral Analysis Studies
TESCAN’s Integrated Mineral Analysis (TIMA), indicated
that the CT samples have a particle size distribution analy-
sis (PSD) of P80 of 135 µm and a median size of 42 µm.
However, TIMA was mainly used to identify the major
mineral phases in the samples. It was found that 91.1% of
the minerals are silicates, out of which 16.8% are phyllo-
silicates. The samples contain 3.91% sulfides, where 0.09%
are Cu-sulfides, 2.25% are carbonates, 1.83% are oxides
and hydroxides, and 0.83% are phosphates.
Furthermore, the modal distribution of the major min-
erals in CT consists mostly of gangue minerals, with 36.5%
quartz, 23.6% K-Feldspar, 14.2% biotite, 5.13% albite,
2.23% calcite, 2.17% plagioclase, 2.0% Ca-Mg pyroxenes,
2.03% anorthoclase, 1.86% andradite, 1.55% muscovite
and 1.53% hematite/magnetite. Pyrite was the primary
sulfide, accounting for 3.82% of the sample, followed by
chalcopyrite at 0.08% in CT.
The initial scan of the as-received samples did not
detect any trace abundance of Te, Au, and Ag minerals.
Therefore, a gravity concentration step was carried out
using a Mozley Laboratory Mineral Separator with particles
less than 100 µm. This was done to concentrate Te-Au-Ag
Table 2. List of reagents used as frothers in CT flotation
studies
Frother Type Collector Dosage (g/ton)
MIBC (methyl isobutyl carbinol) 50
OREPREP X-237 (glycol) 50
Terpineol 50
Figure 2. Experimental procedures used in this study to enrich tellurides hosted in pyrite in CT
element or compound in the feed/head. Flotation concen-
trate yield was calculated using concentrate mass over feed
mass times 100. Flotation enrichment was calculated using
concentrate grade over feed grade. Calculations of recovery
and enrichment were based on CT-specific grades.
The effect of the frother type was also examined in this
work. These experiments followed the same flotation pro-
cedures used to test the collector type and dosage range.
The list of frothers used in this study is shown in Table 2.
Figure 2 shows the experimental procedures used to enrich
telluride hosted in pyrite from CT.
RESULTS
Characterization of Copper Tailings
Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass
Spectrometry Analysis
ICP-MS was used to determine the average concentration
of Te, Au, Ag, and other elements in the as-received CT
(Table 3). To enhance the process, the term “valuable ele-
ments” was assigned to commodities Te, Au, and Ag, indi-
cating that they could be positively impacted if concentrated
through flotation. Other elements were included in the
valuable elements list because they are part of the U.S.A.
critical elements list (Bauer, Nguyen, and Smith 2023). The
average grades for Te, Au, and Ag in CT were 0.45 ppm,
73.5 ppb, and 0.595 ppm, respectively.
TESCAN’S Integrated Mineral Analysis Studies
TESCAN’s Integrated Mineral Analysis (TIMA), indicated
that the CT samples have a particle size distribution analy-
sis (PSD) of P80 of 135 µm and a median size of 42 µm.
However, TIMA was mainly used to identify the major
mineral phases in the samples. It was found that 91.1% of
the minerals are silicates, out of which 16.8% are phyllo-
silicates. The samples contain 3.91% sulfides, where 0.09%
are Cu-sulfides, 2.25% are carbonates, 1.83% are oxides
and hydroxides, and 0.83% are phosphates.
Furthermore, the modal distribution of the major min-
erals in CT consists mostly of gangue minerals, with 36.5%
quartz, 23.6% K-Feldspar, 14.2% biotite, 5.13% albite,
2.23% calcite, 2.17% plagioclase, 2.0% Ca-Mg pyroxenes,
2.03% anorthoclase, 1.86% andradite, 1.55% muscovite
and 1.53% hematite/magnetite. Pyrite was the primary
sulfide, accounting for 3.82% of the sample, followed by
chalcopyrite at 0.08% in CT.
The initial scan of the as-received samples did not
detect any trace abundance of Te, Au, and Ag minerals.
Therefore, a gravity concentration step was carried out
using a Mozley Laboratory Mineral Separator with particles
less than 100 µm. This was done to concentrate Te-Au-Ag
Table 2. List of reagents used as frothers in CT flotation
studies
Frother Type Collector Dosage (g/ton)
MIBC (methyl isobutyl carbinol) 50
OREPREP X-237 (glycol) 50
Terpineol 50
Figure 2. Experimental procedures used in this study to enrich tellurides hosted in pyrite in CT