XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 2253
mill grinding. At the same Figure, the liberation curves
derived for the tailings at 15 °C and 35 °C are nearly over-
lapping, in contrast to the observed trend for the tailings
obtained at 25 °C.
It should be noted that the mean size of the native cop-
per particles in the feed slag is around 10.5 μm, while this
drops to approx. 4–5 μm in the tailings, whatever the flo-
tation temperature. At the same time, fayalite’s grain sizes
remain virtually unchanged both in feed and in tailings—
around 12 μm. This might suggest that fine-grained copper
bearing particles (5 μm) are difficult to float and hence
are lost in tailings, and that these losses are inevitable what-
ever the pulp temperature is. This reaffirms the assumption
that the lab-scale grinding step merely is refreshing slag/
mineral surfaces, rather than reducing slag particles size
and therefore contributed to surfaces reactivation (e.g.,
refreshed surfaces).
The primary objective of the work was to examine
pulp temperature effect on the overall copper recovery. To
reach this aim, the recovery of copper presented both as
native and as mixed sulfides was calculated based on copper
deportment in the tailings and in the feed (SEM-based
automated mineralogy data).
The results depicted in Figure 7, indicate that the raise
in temperature provoked recovery increase for both native
copper and mixed sulfides fractions. For native copper, a
recovery difference of 1.6% is observed when temperature
was modified from 15 to 35 °C, while the respective value
for the mixed sulfides recovery was close to 5% (4.73%).
The recovery figures are calculated based on the absolute
percentages of mineral/element grades assayed in the tail-
ings. Like evoked earlier, these two phases, constitute the
principle Cu-bearing fractions.
Figure 9 summarizes the cumulative Cu recovery and
grades achieved at each of the investigated temperature
range. At first glance, the tests performed at the two extreme
temperature ranges offer the best metallurgical results,
while those at 20 °C were the worst performing ones. The
results however should be considered with caution in light
of the different flotation behavior of the two principal cop-
per bearing phases – native Cu and mixed sulfides.
The results shown in Figure 9 clearly reveal the positive
impact from temperature increase on copper metallurgy,
Figure 6. Liberation curves for native copper in the feed slag before milling, ground slag after ball milling and tailings for the
three temperature conditions (15°C, 25°C and 35°C)
mill grinding. At the same Figure, the liberation curves
derived for the tailings at 15 °C and 35 °C are nearly over-
lapping, in contrast to the observed trend for the tailings
obtained at 25 °C.
It should be noted that the mean size of the native cop-
per particles in the feed slag is around 10.5 μm, while this
drops to approx. 4–5 μm in the tailings, whatever the flo-
tation temperature. At the same time, fayalite’s grain sizes
remain virtually unchanged both in feed and in tailings—
around 12 μm. This might suggest that fine-grained copper
bearing particles (5 μm) are difficult to float and hence
are lost in tailings, and that these losses are inevitable what-
ever the pulp temperature is. This reaffirms the assumption
that the lab-scale grinding step merely is refreshing slag/
mineral surfaces, rather than reducing slag particles size
and therefore contributed to surfaces reactivation (e.g.,
refreshed surfaces).
The primary objective of the work was to examine
pulp temperature effect on the overall copper recovery. To
reach this aim, the recovery of copper presented both as
native and as mixed sulfides was calculated based on copper
deportment in the tailings and in the feed (SEM-based
automated mineralogy data).
The results depicted in Figure 7, indicate that the raise
in temperature provoked recovery increase for both native
copper and mixed sulfides fractions. For native copper, a
recovery difference of 1.6% is observed when temperature
was modified from 15 to 35 °C, while the respective value
for the mixed sulfides recovery was close to 5% (4.73%).
The recovery figures are calculated based on the absolute
percentages of mineral/element grades assayed in the tail-
ings. Like evoked earlier, these two phases, constitute the
principle Cu-bearing fractions.
Figure 9 summarizes the cumulative Cu recovery and
grades achieved at each of the investigated temperature
range. At first glance, the tests performed at the two extreme
temperature ranges offer the best metallurgical results,
while those at 20 °C were the worst performing ones. The
results however should be considered with caution in light
of the different flotation behavior of the two principal cop-
per bearing phases – native Cu and mixed sulfides.
The results shown in Figure 9 clearly reveal the positive
impact from temperature increase on copper metallurgy,
Figure 6. Liberation curves for native copper in the feed slag before milling, ground slag after ball milling and tailings for the
three temperature conditions (15°C, 25°C and 35°C)