XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 2479
peristaltic pumps, model Gamma Xla 4 bar y 50 L/min
through 2 1 m3 bins each that were in the feed of rougher
flotation as shown on Figure 3.
RESULTS
Characterization of Minerals by Optical Microscopy
and Chemical Analysis
Minerals Ores A and B evaluated at laboratory level cor-
respond to sectors of phase 6 of the Caserones deposit,
where mineral A corresponds to an area that is normally
processed in the grinding and flotation plant, while min-
eral B is an extreme condition which has a K factor of 22.6
(ratio between no sulfide copper and overall copper grade),
which by regulation is sent to Dump Leaching. However,
it was evaluated to know the response of the frother to this
condition.
Table 1 shows the chemical characterization of miner-
als A and B, where mineral A has a higher molybdenite
grade and a lower K factor, 7.6.
In terms of mineralogy, Table 2, optical microscopy
shows that mineral B has a higher proportion of chal-
cocite than chalcopyrite, and mineral A, on the contrary,
has a higher content of chalcopyrite, with a Cpy/Cc ratio
of 3.04. Operationally, there is already evidence that
processing minerals with values less than 1 generates a sig-
nificant decrease in copper recovery in rougher flotation,
this is because chalcocite occurs mainly in fine fractions,
less than 45 microns, which makes it very difficult to float
in conventional cells such as the Wemco 300 m3 cells that
Caserones has. Furthermore, the chalcocite that is recov-
ered in this stage cannot be sufficiently concentrated in the
cleaning circuit, which generates an increase in the circulat-
ing load and a decrease in both recovery and concentrate
grade of this circuit.
Results of the Use of OrePrep T-100 in the Laboratory
The laboratory results show an improvement in copper
recovery over time by reducing the dose of MIBC by 50%
and replacing it with Oreprep T-100. In the case of mineral
A, an increase of 2.7% in recovery is observed. while for
mineral B the increase was 1.2% at minute 15, Figure 4.
In the case of the iron grade in the rougher concentrate,
Figure 5, there is no significant difference at the laboratory
level in both kind of ores.
The grade of gangue in the concentrate increases in
both mineral A and B by 10.8 and 4. 3% at minute 15
respectively in the laboratory, which is expected at pH 9
with the Oreprep T-100 reagent whose chemistry is based
on glycol, Figure 6. Nevertheless, moving to pH 10.5 while
the plant trial in the cleaning circuit this didn’t generate an
increase in this variable in the final concentrate.
Rougher Recovery Results in Plant
The use of MIBC and Oreprep T-100 in a ratio of 50:50
was favorable in both cases, with high and low grade of
copper in the feed of rougher flotation. The Figure 7 show
that when the particle size increases (P80 higher than 200
microns) the use of T-100 have a better performance, gain-
ing a few points of copper recovery in this stage. In addition,
the mass pull with the addition of T-100 wasn’t a problem,
neither the quantity of gangue in the final concentrate.
This successful plant trial (the plant trial was carried
out for 3 months) allows us to keep this reagent and nowa-
days we are using it daily.
Table 1. Chemical characterization of minerals A and B.
Cu, %Fe, %Mo, ppm CuOx, %Gangue, %
Mineral A 0,5 1,5 212,5 0,038 84,3
Mineral B 0,6 1,42 53,1 0,136 79,1
Table 2. Characterization by optical microscopy of minerals
A and B
Mineral
Mineral A,
wt%
Mineral B,
wt%
Chalcopyrite 0,76 0,04
Chalcocite 0,25 0,71
Covellite 0,05 0,03
Copper 0,01
Pyrite 1,14 2,14
Molybdenite 0,03 0,02
Sphalerite 0,01
Magnetite 0,17 0,13
Hematite 0,03 0,08
Limonite 0,03
Rutile 0,11 0,12
Gangue 97,45 96,68
peristaltic pumps, model Gamma Xla 4 bar y 50 L/min
through 2 1 m3 bins each that were in the feed of rougher
flotation as shown on Figure 3.
RESULTS
Characterization of Minerals by Optical Microscopy
and Chemical Analysis
Minerals Ores A and B evaluated at laboratory level cor-
respond to sectors of phase 6 of the Caserones deposit,
where mineral A corresponds to an area that is normally
processed in the grinding and flotation plant, while min-
eral B is an extreme condition which has a K factor of 22.6
(ratio between no sulfide copper and overall copper grade),
which by regulation is sent to Dump Leaching. However,
it was evaluated to know the response of the frother to this
condition.
Table 1 shows the chemical characterization of miner-
als A and B, where mineral A has a higher molybdenite
grade and a lower K factor, 7.6.
In terms of mineralogy, Table 2, optical microscopy
shows that mineral B has a higher proportion of chal-
cocite than chalcopyrite, and mineral A, on the contrary,
has a higher content of chalcopyrite, with a Cpy/Cc ratio
of 3.04. Operationally, there is already evidence that
processing minerals with values less than 1 generates a sig-
nificant decrease in copper recovery in rougher flotation,
this is because chalcocite occurs mainly in fine fractions,
less than 45 microns, which makes it very difficult to float
in conventional cells such as the Wemco 300 m3 cells that
Caserones has. Furthermore, the chalcocite that is recov-
ered in this stage cannot be sufficiently concentrated in the
cleaning circuit, which generates an increase in the circulat-
ing load and a decrease in both recovery and concentrate
grade of this circuit.
Results of the Use of OrePrep T-100 in the Laboratory
The laboratory results show an improvement in copper
recovery over time by reducing the dose of MIBC by 50%
and replacing it with Oreprep T-100. In the case of mineral
A, an increase of 2.7% in recovery is observed. while for
mineral B the increase was 1.2% at minute 15, Figure 4.
In the case of the iron grade in the rougher concentrate,
Figure 5, there is no significant difference at the laboratory
level in both kind of ores.
The grade of gangue in the concentrate increases in
both mineral A and B by 10.8 and 4. 3% at minute 15
respectively in the laboratory, which is expected at pH 9
with the Oreprep T-100 reagent whose chemistry is based
on glycol, Figure 6. Nevertheless, moving to pH 10.5 while
the plant trial in the cleaning circuit this didn’t generate an
increase in this variable in the final concentrate.
Rougher Recovery Results in Plant
The use of MIBC and Oreprep T-100 in a ratio of 50:50
was favorable in both cases, with high and low grade of
copper in the feed of rougher flotation. The Figure 7 show
that when the particle size increases (P80 higher than 200
microns) the use of T-100 have a better performance, gain-
ing a few points of copper recovery in this stage. In addition,
the mass pull with the addition of T-100 wasn’t a problem,
neither the quantity of gangue in the final concentrate.
This successful plant trial (the plant trial was carried
out for 3 months) allows us to keep this reagent and nowa-
days we are using it daily.
Table 1. Chemical characterization of minerals A and B.
Cu, %Fe, %Mo, ppm CuOx, %Gangue, %
Mineral A 0,5 1,5 212,5 0,038 84,3
Mineral B 0,6 1,42 53,1 0,136 79,1
Table 2. Characterization by optical microscopy of minerals
A and B
Mineral
Mineral A,
wt%
Mineral B,
wt%
Chalcopyrite 0,76 0,04
Chalcocite 0,25 0,71
Covellite 0,05 0,03
Copper 0,01
Pyrite 1,14 2,14
Molybdenite 0,03 0,02
Sphalerite 0,01
Magnetite 0,17 0,13
Hematite 0,03 0,08
Limonite 0,03
Rutile 0,11 0,12
Gangue 97,45 96,68