3016 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
CONCLUSIONS
During pyrite/pyrrhotite depression with lime, polysul-
fides (S
n
2- ,n=2–8) were rapidly produced in alkaline
pulp. Without Eh regulation, the generated polysulfides
were steadily present in the pulp and reacted with added
CuSO4 to produce precipitate CuS, which led to the failure
of activation for marmatite flotation and poor marmatite-
pyrite/pyrrhotite separation. When Eh was regulated by
aeration, the increasing Eh greatly accelerates the oxida-
tion of polysulfides generated in the pulp as such, they
were removed from the pulp in advance, thereby creating
a favourable pulp environment for subsequent marmatite
activation with CuSO4. Selective flotation with Eh regula-
tion provided a new insight into the selective separation of
marmatite from iron-bearing sulfide ores with high sulfur,
especially those containing pyrrhotite, whether in studies
or in practice.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research was funded by the National Natural Science
Foundation of China (Grant No. 51904339 and No.
51974364) Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for
Clean and Efficient Utilization of Strategic Calcium-
containing Mineral Resources (Grant No. 2018TP1002)
Co-Innovation Centre for Clean and Efficient Utilization
of Strategic Metal Mineral Resources.
REFERENCE
Chandra, A.P., Gerson, A.R., 2009. A review of the funda-
mental studies of the copper activation mechanisms for
selective flotation of the sulfide minerals, sphalerite and
pyrite. Adv. Colloid Interface Sci. 145, 97–100.
Ejtemaei, M., Nguyen, A.V., 2017. Characterisation of
sphalerite and pyrite surfaces activated by copper sul-
phate. Miner. Eng. 100, 223–232.
Forson, P., Zanin, M., Skinner, W., Asamoah, R., 2022.
Differential flotation of pyrite and Arsenopyrite: Effect
of pulp aeration and the critical importance of collec-
tor concentration. Miner. Eng. 178, 107421.
Hagen, M., Schiffels, P., Hammer, M., Dörfler, S., Tübke, J.,
Hoffmann, M.J., Althues, H., Kaskel, S., 2013. In-Situ
Raman Investigation of Polysulfide Formation in Li-S
Cells. J. Electrochem. Soc. 160(8), 1205–1214.
He, M., Qin, W., Li, W., Jiao, F., 2012. Flotation per-
formances of polymorphic pyrrhotite. J. Cent. South
Univ. 19, 238–243.
He, S., Fornasiero, D., Skinner, W., 2005. Correlation
between copper-activated pyrite flotation and surface
species: Effect of pulp oxidation potential. Miner. Eng.
18, 1208–1213.
Laskowski ,J.S., Liu ,Q., Zhan, Y., 1997. Sphalerite activa-
tion: flotation and electrokinetic studies. Miner. Eng.
10(8), 787–802.
Li, H., Qin, W., Tian, Z., Wu, C., Jiao, F., Yang, C., 2023a.
A case study on marmatite- pyrite/pyrrhotite selective
flotation with two-step pulp regulation. Journal of
Environmental Chemical Engineering 11(5), 110455.
Li, H., Yang, C., Qin, W., Tian, Z., Wu, C., Wei, Q.,
Jiao, F., 2023b. In situ Raman investigation of dis-
solved constituent and its evolution in pulp during
Zn-S selective flotation with two-step pulp regulation.
Miner. Eng. 192, 107994.
Li, Q., 2000. Electrochemical flotation separation of mar-
matite from pyrrhotite in the presence of copper ion.
Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. 10, 90–92.
Li, Y., Chen, J., Kang, D., Guo, J., 2012. Depression of
pyrite in alkaline medium and its subsequent activa-
tion by copper. Miner. Eng. 26, 64–69.
Mycroft, J.R., Bancroft, G.M., McIntyre, N.S.,
Lorimer, J.W., Hill, I.R., 1990. Detection of sul-
phur and polysulphides on electrochemically oxidized
pyrite surfaces by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
and Raman spectroscopy. J. Electroanal. Chem. 292,
139–152.
Nicol, E.A., Baron, J.Y., Mirza, J., Leitch, J.J., Choi, Y.,
Lipkowski, J., 2014. Surface-enhanced Raman spec-
troscopy studies of the passive layer formation in gold
leaching from thiosulfate solutions in the presence of
cupric ion. J. Solid State Electrochem. 18, 1469–1484.
Owusu, C., Fornasiero, D., Addai-Mensah, J., Zanin, M.,
2014. Effect of regrinding and pulp aeration on the flo-
tation of chalcopyrite in chalcopyrite/pyrite mixtures.
powder technology 267, 61–67.
Owusu, C., Fornasiero, D., Addai-Mensah, J., Zanin, M.,
2015. Influence of pulp aeration on the flotation of
chalcopyrite with xanthate in chalcopyrite/pyrite mix-
tures. Int. J. Miner. Process. 134, 50–57.
Pye, C.C., Rudolph, W.W., 2001. An ab initio and Raman
investigation of sulfate ion hydration. J. Phys. Chem.
A 105(5), 905–912.
Qin, W., He, M., Chen, Y., 2008. Improvement of flota-
tion behavior of Mengzi lead-silver-zinc ore by pulp
potential control flotation. Trans. Nonferrous Met.
Soc. 18, 949–954.
Shen, W.Z., Fornasiero, D., Ralston, J., 1998. Effect of col-
lectors, conditioning pH and gases in the separation
of sphalerite from pyrite. Miner. Eng. 11(2), 145–148.
CONCLUSIONS
During pyrite/pyrrhotite depression with lime, polysul-
fides (S
n
2- ,n=2–8) were rapidly produced in alkaline
pulp. Without Eh regulation, the generated polysulfides
were steadily present in the pulp and reacted with added
CuSO4 to produce precipitate CuS, which led to the failure
of activation for marmatite flotation and poor marmatite-
pyrite/pyrrhotite separation. When Eh was regulated by
aeration, the increasing Eh greatly accelerates the oxida-
tion of polysulfides generated in the pulp as such, they
were removed from the pulp in advance, thereby creating
a favourable pulp environment for subsequent marmatite
activation with CuSO4. Selective flotation with Eh regula-
tion provided a new insight into the selective separation of
marmatite from iron-bearing sulfide ores with high sulfur,
especially those containing pyrrhotite, whether in studies
or in practice.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This research was funded by the National Natural Science
Foundation of China (Grant No. 51904339 and No.
51974364) Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for
Clean and Efficient Utilization of Strategic Calcium-
containing Mineral Resources (Grant No. 2018TP1002)
Co-Innovation Centre for Clean and Efficient Utilization
of Strategic Metal Mineral Resources.
REFERENCE
Chandra, A.P., Gerson, A.R., 2009. A review of the funda-
mental studies of the copper activation mechanisms for
selective flotation of the sulfide minerals, sphalerite and
pyrite. Adv. Colloid Interface Sci. 145, 97–100.
Ejtemaei, M., Nguyen, A.V., 2017. Characterisation of
sphalerite and pyrite surfaces activated by copper sul-
phate. Miner. Eng. 100, 223–232.
Forson, P., Zanin, M., Skinner, W., Asamoah, R., 2022.
Differential flotation of pyrite and Arsenopyrite: Effect
of pulp aeration and the critical importance of collec-
tor concentration. Miner. Eng. 178, 107421.
Hagen, M., Schiffels, P., Hammer, M., Dörfler, S., Tübke, J.,
Hoffmann, M.J., Althues, H., Kaskel, S., 2013. In-Situ
Raman Investigation of Polysulfide Formation in Li-S
Cells. J. Electrochem. Soc. 160(8), 1205–1214.
He, M., Qin, W., Li, W., Jiao, F., 2012. Flotation per-
formances of polymorphic pyrrhotite. J. Cent. South
Univ. 19, 238–243.
He, S., Fornasiero, D., Skinner, W., 2005. Correlation
between copper-activated pyrite flotation and surface
species: Effect of pulp oxidation potential. Miner. Eng.
18, 1208–1213.
Laskowski ,J.S., Liu ,Q., Zhan, Y., 1997. Sphalerite activa-
tion: flotation and electrokinetic studies. Miner. Eng.
10(8), 787–802.
Li, H., Qin, W., Tian, Z., Wu, C., Jiao, F., Yang, C., 2023a.
A case study on marmatite- pyrite/pyrrhotite selective
flotation with two-step pulp regulation. Journal of
Environmental Chemical Engineering 11(5), 110455.
Li, H., Yang, C., Qin, W., Tian, Z., Wu, C., Wei, Q.,
Jiao, F., 2023b. In situ Raman investigation of dis-
solved constituent and its evolution in pulp during
Zn-S selective flotation with two-step pulp regulation.
Miner. Eng. 192, 107994.
Li, Q., 2000. Electrochemical flotation separation of mar-
matite from pyrrhotite in the presence of copper ion.
Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. 10, 90–92.
Li, Y., Chen, J., Kang, D., Guo, J., 2012. Depression of
pyrite in alkaline medium and its subsequent activa-
tion by copper. Miner. Eng. 26, 64–69.
Mycroft, J.R., Bancroft, G.M., McIntyre, N.S.,
Lorimer, J.W., Hill, I.R., 1990. Detection of sul-
phur and polysulphides on electrochemically oxidized
pyrite surfaces by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
and Raman spectroscopy. J. Electroanal. Chem. 292,
139–152.
Nicol, E.A., Baron, J.Y., Mirza, J., Leitch, J.J., Choi, Y.,
Lipkowski, J., 2014. Surface-enhanced Raman spec-
troscopy studies of the passive layer formation in gold
leaching from thiosulfate solutions in the presence of
cupric ion. J. Solid State Electrochem. 18, 1469–1484.
Owusu, C., Fornasiero, D., Addai-Mensah, J., Zanin, M.,
2014. Effect of regrinding and pulp aeration on the flo-
tation of chalcopyrite in chalcopyrite/pyrite mixtures.
powder technology 267, 61–67.
Owusu, C., Fornasiero, D., Addai-Mensah, J., Zanin, M.,
2015. Influence of pulp aeration on the flotation of
chalcopyrite with xanthate in chalcopyrite/pyrite mix-
tures. Int. J. Miner. Process. 134, 50–57.
Pye, C.C., Rudolph, W.W., 2001. An ab initio and Raman
investigation of sulfate ion hydration. J. Phys. Chem.
A 105(5), 905–912.
Qin, W., He, M., Chen, Y., 2008. Improvement of flota-
tion behavior of Mengzi lead-silver-zinc ore by pulp
potential control flotation. Trans. Nonferrous Met.
Soc. 18, 949–954.
Shen, W.Z., Fornasiero, D., Ralston, J., 1998. Effect of col-
lectors, conditioning pH and gases in the separation
of sphalerite from pyrite. Miner. Eng. 11(2), 145–148.