2208 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
including the Cu-activating species (Cu-S), forming hydro-
philic oxidation products (SO42– and Fe(OH)3) which
resulted in pyrite depression.
CONCLUSIONS
Depression of high-concentration pyrite in Cu flotation
has been challenging due to strong pyrite activation, and
the traditional pyrite depression methods, which depress
pyrite via surface oxidation, also oxidize Cu sulfide miner-
als unselectively. In this paper, selective oxidation of high-
concentration pyrite in Cu flotation was explored through
the addition of PMS which produced radicals catalyzed by
Fe ions on the surface of pyrite galvanically coupled with
chalcopyrite. Flotation results indicated that the addition of
PMS in the flotation cell selectively depressed pyrite flota-
tion, while improving chalcopyrite flotation. However, the
addition of PMS in the mill improved both chalcopyrite
and pyrite flotation without a selectivity. Electrochemical
studies confirmed the strong capability of PMS in oxidiz-
ing both pyrite and chalcopyrite in the presence of Fe ions.
The combination of flotation tests and electrochemical
studies indicated that the radicals could only be produced
and showed selective oxidation of pyrite during flotation
under an oxidizing condition. This new approach may be
used to selectively oxidize and depress pyrite with a low or
high feed grade in selective flotation of base metal sulfide
minerals.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to acknowledge the financial sup-
port from the ARC Linkage Project LP160100039. The
first author also wishes to acknowledge the scholarship
offered by the University of Queensland.
REFERENCES
Aghazadeh, S., Mousavinezhad, S.K., Gharabaghi, M.,
Chemical and colloidal aspects of collectorless flota-
tion behavior of sulfide and non-sulfide minerals. Adv
Colloid Interface Sci, 2015, 225, 203–217.
Bakalarz, A., An analysis of copper concentrate from a kup-
ferschiefer-type ore from legnica-glogow copper basin
(SW Poland). Mineral processing and extractive metal-
lurgy review, 2021, 42(8), 552–564.
Bicak, O., Ekmekci, Z., Bradshaw, D.J., Harris, P.J.,
Adsorption of guar gum and CMC on pyrite. Minerals
Engineering, 2007, 20(10), 996–1002.
Chandra, A.P., Gerson, A.R., The mechanisms of pyrite
oxidation and leaching: A fundamental perspective.
Surface Science Reports, 2010, 65(9), 293–315.
Deng, Y., Zhao, R., Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs)
in Wastewater Treatment. Current Pollution Reports,
2015, 1(3), 167–176.
Devi, P., Das, U., Dalai, A.K., In-situ chemical oxidation:
Principle and applications of peroxide and persulfate
treatments in wastewater systems. Sci Total Environ,
2016, 571, 643–657.
Ekmekçi, Z., Demirel, H., Effects of galvanic interaction
on collectorless flotation behaviour of chalcopyrite and
pyrite. International journal of mineral processing,
1997, 52(1), 31–48.
Fairthorne, G., Fornasiero, D., Ralston, J., Effect of oxi-
dation on the collectorless flotation of chalcopyrite.
International journal of mineral processing, 1997,
49(1), 31–48.
Fuchida, S., Xue, J., Ishida, S., Tokoro, C., Kinetic
Investigation of Initial Oxidative Dissolution of Pyrite
in Alkaline Media (pH 9–12) and Influence of Ca
and Mg: A Fundamental Study for Pyrite Depression
in Froth Flotation. Journal of sustainable metallurgy,
2022, 8(2), 732–741.
Ghanbari, F., Moradi, M., Application of peroxymono-
sulfate and its activation methods for degradation of
environmental organic pollutants: Review. Chemical
engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland :1996),
2017, 310, 41–62.
Guo, B., Peng, Y., Espinosa-Gomez, R., Effects of free cya-
nide and cuprous cyanide on the flotation of gold and
silver bearing pyrite. Minerals engineering, 2015, 71,
194–204.
Hicyilmaz, C., Emre Altun, N., Ekmekci, Z., Gokagac,
G., Quantifying hydrophobicity of pyrite after copper
activation and DTPI addition under electrochemically
controlled conditions. Minerals engineering, 2004,
17(7), 879–890.
Hwang, M., Mu, Y., Cao, L., Peng, Y., The modification of
bubble characteristics and chalcopyrite surface hydro-
phobicity in water containing NaCl. Journal of molec-
ular liquids, 2023, 385, 122391.
Lee, R.L.J., Chen, X., Peng, Y., Flotation performance of
chalcopyrite in the presence of an elevated pyrite pro-
portion. Minerals Engineering, 2022, 177, 107387.
Lee, R.L.J., Peng, Y., Evaluate the Depression of High-
Concentration Pyrite in Copper Flotation by High-
Chromium Grinding Media. Mineral Processing and
Extractive Metallurgy Review, 2023, 1–12.
Matzek, L.W., Carter, K.E., Activated persulfate for organic
chemical degradation: A review. Chemosphere, 2016,
151, 178–188.
including the Cu-activating species (Cu-S), forming hydro-
philic oxidation products (SO42– and Fe(OH)3) which
resulted in pyrite depression.
CONCLUSIONS
Depression of high-concentration pyrite in Cu flotation
has been challenging due to strong pyrite activation, and
the traditional pyrite depression methods, which depress
pyrite via surface oxidation, also oxidize Cu sulfide miner-
als unselectively. In this paper, selective oxidation of high-
concentration pyrite in Cu flotation was explored through
the addition of PMS which produced radicals catalyzed by
Fe ions on the surface of pyrite galvanically coupled with
chalcopyrite. Flotation results indicated that the addition of
PMS in the flotation cell selectively depressed pyrite flota-
tion, while improving chalcopyrite flotation. However, the
addition of PMS in the mill improved both chalcopyrite
and pyrite flotation without a selectivity. Electrochemical
studies confirmed the strong capability of PMS in oxidiz-
ing both pyrite and chalcopyrite in the presence of Fe ions.
The combination of flotation tests and electrochemical
studies indicated that the radicals could only be produced
and showed selective oxidation of pyrite during flotation
under an oxidizing condition. This new approach may be
used to selectively oxidize and depress pyrite with a low or
high feed grade in selective flotation of base metal sulfide
minerals.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to acknowledge the financial sup-
port from the ARC Linkage Project LP160100039. The
first author also wishes to acknowledge the scholarship
offered by the University of Queensland.
REFERENCES
Aghazadeh, S., Mousavinezhad, S.K., Gharabaghi, M.,
Chemical and colloidal aspects of collectorless flota-
tion behavior of sulfide and non-sulfide minerals. Adv
Colloid Interface Sci, 2015, 225, 203–217.
Bakalarz, A., An analysis of copper concentrate from a kup-
ferschiefer-type ore from legnica-glogow copper basin
(SW Poland). Mineral processing and extractive metal-
lurgy review, 2021, 42(8), 552–564.
Bicak, O., Ekmekci, Z., Bradshaw, D.J., Harris, P.J.,
Adsorption of guar gum and CMC on pyrite. Minerals
Engineering, 2007, 20(10), 996–1002.
Chandra, A.P., Gerson, A.R., The mechanisms of pyrite
oxidation and leaching: A fundamental perspective.
Surface Science Reports, 2010, 65(9), 293–315.
Deng, Y., Zhao, R., Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs)
in Wastewater Treatment. Current Pollution Reports,
2015, 1(3), 167–176.
Devi, P., Das, U., Dalai, A.K., In-situ chemical oxidation:
Principle and applications of peroxide and persulfate
treatments in wastewater systems. Sci Total Environ,
2016, 571, 643–657.
Ekmekçi, Z., Demirel, H., Effects of galvanic interaction
on collectorless flotation behaviour of chalcopyrite and
pyrite. International journal of mineral processing,
1997, 52(1), 31–48.
Fairthorne, G., Fornasiero, D., Ralston, J., Effect of oxi-
dation on the collectorless flotation of chalcopyrite.
International journal of mineral processing, 1997,
49(1), 31–48.
Fuchida, S., Xue, J., Ishida, S., Tokoro, C., Kinetic
Investigation of Initial Oxidative Dissolution of Pyrite
in Alkaline Media (pH 9–12) and Influence of Ca
and Mg: A Fundamental Study for Pyrite Depression
in Froth Flotation. Journal of sustainable metallurgy,
2022, 8(2), 732–741.
Ghanbari, F., Moradi, M., Application of peroxymono-
sulfate and its activation methods for degradation of
environmental organic pollutants: Review. Chemical
engineering journal (Lausanne, Switzerland :1996),
2017, 310, 41–62.
Guo, B., Peng, Y., Espinosa-Gomez, R., Effects of free cya-
nide and cuprous cyanide on the flotation of gold and
silver bearing pyrite. Minerals engineering, 2015, 71,
194–204.
Hicyilmaz, C., Emre Altun, N., Ekmekci, Z., Gokagac,
G., Quantifying hydrophobicity of pyrite after copper
activation and DTPI addition under electrochemically
controlled conditions. Minerals engineering, 2004,
17(7), 879–890.
Hwang, M., Mu, Y., Cao, L., Peng, Y., The modification of
bubble characteristics and chalcopyrite surface hydro-
phobicity in water containing NaCl. Journal of molec-
ular liquids, 2023, 385, 122391.
Lee, R.L.J., Chen, X., Peng, Y., Flotation performance of
chalcopyrite in the presence of an elevated pyrite pro-
portion. Minerals Engineering, 2022, 177, 107387.
Lee, R.L.J., Peng, Y., Evaluate the Depression of High-
Concentration Pyrite in Copper Flotation by High-
Chromium Grinding Media. Mineral Processing and
Extractive Metallurgy Review, 2023, 1–12.
Matzek, L.W., Carter, K.E., Activated persulfate for organic
chemical degradation: A review. Chemosphere, 2016,
151, 178–188.