2144 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
Effects of AERO 8989 and Frother Type on Te, Au, and
Ag Enrichment
Based on the results from section 4.2.1, AERO 8989 at
150 g/t dosage was shown as the most effective collector at
that specific dosage and parameters. Flotation experiments
were performed to examine the recovery and grade of Te,
Au, and Ag in the concentrate products by the effect of
frother type. The results from AERO 8989 and MIBC pro-
vide a baseline for comparing the frother type’s effects on
Te, Au, and Ag flotation efficiency.
Tellurium enrichment results with MIBC, terpineol,
and OREPREP X-237 at 50 g/t are shown in Figure 8.
Terpineol’s effect on Te recovery and grade was detri-
mental, presenting 51.10% and 0.3 ppm, presenting a
steep decrease in recovery of 28.66%. Similar to MIBC,
OREPREP X-237 showed a high Te recovery of 87.14%
at a 0.3 ppm grade. The change of frother from MIBC to
OREPREP X-237 increased Te recovery by 7.38% how-
ever, the concentrate grades changed from 0.5 to 0.3 ppm,
respectively.
Table 6. Te, Au, and Ag enrichment and (%)yield for the collector type at 150 g/t using MIBC at 50 g/t. Yield (%)shows mass
pull calculated by concentrate mass over feed mass times 100
Collector Type Yield (%)Au Enrichment Ratio Ag Enrichment Ratio Te Enrichment Ratio
EXP300422 (150 g/t) 55.04 0.99 1.03 1.14
SIPX (150 g/t) 56.50 0.56 1.10 1.14
AERO 8989 (150 g/t) 31.90 1.90 1.93 2.50
AERO 412 (150 g/t) 30.16 1.19 1.74 1.50
Figure 9 shows the effect of the frother type on Ag
enrichment. Results for Ag showed a similar behavior to the
effect of frothers on Te. The effect of terpineol on Ag recov-
ery and grade were 44.61% and 0.55 ppm. Therefore, a
recovery decrease of 16.92% was observed when compared
to experiments with MIBC, and a reduction of 0.26 ppm
Ag grade. Moreover, OREPREP X-237 positively affected
the recovery and grade for Ag, showing 92.67% and
0.67 ppm, respectively. The positive effect was quanti-
fied in the increased recovery of 31.14% using OREPRE
X-237 from MIBC, but at the cost of a decrease in grade
of 0.14 ppm.
Figure 10 presents the effect of the frother type on Au
enrichment. As shown, with terpinol, the Au recovery and
grade were 27.14% and 0.047 ppm, indicating a recovery
decrease of 33.42% compared to experiments with MIBC
and a reduction of 0.065 ppm Au grade. In contrast with Te
and Ag, OREPREP X-237 resulted in a drop of Au recov-
ery and grade to 39.38% and 0.04 ppm, respectively. This
corresponds to a total decrease in recovery by 21.18% com-
pared to MIBC and at a grade loss of 0.072 ppm.
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0
20
40
60
80
100
05(loenipreT )t/g05(CBIM g/t) OREPREP X-237 (50 g/t)
AERO 8989 (150 g/t) and Frother type (50 g/t)
Te Recovery Te Grade (ppm)
Figure 8. Effect of Frother type at 50 g/t on the enrichment of Te using AERO 8989 collector at 150 g/t
Grade
(ppm) Recovery
(%)
Effects of AERO 8989 and Frother Type on Te, Au, and
Ag Enrichment
Based on the results from section 4.2.1, AERO 8989 at
150 g/t dosage was shown as the most effective collector at
that specific dosage and parameters. Flotation experiments
were performed to examine the recovery and grade of Te,
Au, and Ag in the concentrate products by the effect of
frother type. The results from AERO 8989 and MIBC pro-
vide a baseline for comparing the frother type’s effects on
Te, Au, and Ag flotation efficiency.
Tellurium enrichment results with MIBC, terpineol,
and OREPREP X-237 at 50 g/t are shown in Figure 8.
Terpineol’s effect on Te recovery and grade was detri-
mental, presenting 51.10% and 0.3 ppm, presenting a
steep decrease in recovery of 28.66%. Similar to MIBC,
OREPREP X-237 showed a high Te recovery of 87.14%
at a 0.3 ppm grade. The change of frother from MIBC to
OREPREP X-237 increased Te recovery by 7.38% how-
ever, the concentrate grades changed from 0.5 to 0.3 ppm,
respectively.
Table 6. Te, Au, and Ag enrichment and (%)yield for the collector type at 150 g/t using MIBC at 50 g/t. Yield (%)shows mass
pull calculated by concentrate mass over feed mass times 100
Collector Type Yield (%)Au Enrichment Ratio Ag Enrichment Ratio Te Enrichment Ratio
EXP300422 (150 g/t) 55.04 0.99 1.03 1.14
SIPX (150 g/t) 56.50 0.56 1.10 1.14
AERO 8989 (150 g/t) 31.90 1.90 1.93 2.50
AERO 412 (150 g/t) 30.16 1.19 1.74 1.50
Figure 9 shows the effect of the frother type on Ag
enrichment. Results for Ag showed a similar behavior to the
effect of frothers on Te. The effect of terpineol on Ag recov-
ery and grade were 44.61% and 0.55 ppm. Therefore, a
recovery decrease of 16.92% was observed when compared
to experiments with MIBC, and a reduction of 0.26 ppm
Ag grade. Moreover, OREPREP X-237 positively affected
the recovery and grade for Ag, showing 92.67% and
0.67 ppm, respectively. The positive effect was quanti-
fied in the increased recovery of 31.14% using OREPRE
X-237 from MIBC, but at the cost of a decrease in grade
of 0.14 ppm.
Figure 10 presents the effect of the frother type on Au
enrichment. As shown, with terpinol, the Au recovery and
grade were 27.14% and 0.047 ppm, indicating a recovery
decrease of 33.42% compared to experiments with MIBC
and a reduction of 0.065 ppm Au grade. In contrast with Te
and Ag, OREPREP X-237 resulted in a drop of Au recov-
ery and grade to 39.38% and 0.04 ppm, respectively. This
corresponds to a total decrease in recovery by 21.18% com-
pared to MIBC and at a grade loss of 0.072 ppm.
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0
20
40
60
80
100
05(loenipreT )t/g05(CBIM g/t) OREPREP X-237 (50 g/t)
AERO 8989 (150 g/t) and Frother type (50 g/t)
Te Recovery Te Grade (ppm)
Figure 8. Effect of Frother type at 50 g/t on the enrichment of Te using AERO 8989 collector at 150 g/t
Grade
(ppm) Recovery
(%)