2532 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
this dose, the performance of BRD to depress zinc sulfides
in the flotation process of a polymetallic mineral, compared
to regular Zinc sulfate, is greater.
EFFECT ON SILVER RECOVERY:
According to the graphs shown in (Figure 4), silver recovery
is increased when using higher doses of BRD. The use of
BRD also increases the grade, rising from 4.6 in the normal
dose of zinc sulfate to 5, using the BRD completely replac-
ing the zinc sulfate with a dose of 20g/t.
Zinc sulfate has the disadvantage of affecting the grade
and recovery of silver when applied at those dosages as a
zinc depressant in polymetallic minerals. BRD is a selective
depressant, it does not interfere with the collection of other
sulfides it even allows more valuable sulfides to be released
into the concentrate generating additional value to the
operation.
RESULTS WITHOUT SODIUM CYANIDE
Going deeper on our investigation we performed compara-
tive flotation tests removing sodium cyanide from the tests
with zinc sulfate and BRD (Figure 5) Both tests were com-
pared with the result of zinc sulfate with cyanide (10 g/t) as
in the standard process, obtaining the same grade in both
tests without cyanide. However, the difference is in the
recovery of zinc sulfide on the rougher bulk (which should
Figure 4. Effect on Silver recovery of comparative tests of zinc sulfate and different dosages of BRD-400
Figure 5. Results without sodium cyanide in comparative tests of zinc sulfate and BRD-400
this dose, the performance of BRD to depress zinc sulfides
in the flotation process of a polymetallic mineral, compared
to regular Zinc sulfate, is greater.
EFFECT ON SILVER RECOVERY:
According to the graphs shown in (Figure 4), silver recovery
is increased when using higher doses of BRD. The use of
BRD also increases the grade, rising from 4.6 in the normal
dose of zinc sulfate to 5, using the BRD completely replac-
ing the zinc sulfate with a dose of 20g/t.
Zinc sulfate has the disadvantage of affecting the grade
and recovery of silver when applied at those dosages as a
zinc depressant in polymetallic minerals. BRD is a selective
depressant, it does not interfere with the collection of other
sulfides it even allows more valuable sulfides to be released
into the concentrate generating additional value to the
operation.
RESULTS WITHOUT SODIUM CYANIDE
Going deeper on our investigation we performed compara-
tive flotation tests removing sodium cyanide from the tests
with zinc sulfate and BRD (Figure 5) Both tests were com-
pared with the result of zinc sulfate with cyanide (10 g/t) as
in the standard process, obtaining the same grade in both
tests without cyanide. However, the difference is in the
recovery of zinc sulfide on the rougher bulk (which should
Figure 4. Effect on Silver recovery of comparative tests of zinc sulfate and different dosages of BRD-400
Figure 5. Results without sodium cyanide in comparative tests of zinc sulfate and BRD-400