3041
Research of Flotation Theory/Reagents and Key Technologies for
Comprehensive Utilization of Low-Grade Copper-Zinc-Indium-
Tin Co-Associated Complex Ore
Xiong Tong, Xian Xie, Jinfang Lv, Lingyun Huang, Qiang Song, Peiqiang Fan
Faculty of Land Resource Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
National &Regional Engineering Research Center for Green comprehensive Utilization of Tailing Resources from Metal
Minerals, Kunming, Yunnan, China
ABSTRACT: Copper, tin and indium are important strategic metals, and zinc is an important basic metal. Due
to the decreasing of high-quality ore resources, the refractory complex poly-metallic ore has become the main
resources. The super-large low-grade poly-metallic deposit in Dulong, Wenshan, Yunnan Province in P.R.C. is
a typical representative of complex polymetallic resources. Its indium reserves rank first over the world, which
account for 36% of the indium over the world. Its tin reserves rank third in P.R.C., which account for 21.3% tin
over China. Its zinc reserves account for 9.6% over China. This deposit has large reserves of many co-associated
elements. The disseminated grain size of the valuable minerals is fine and the grade is low. Sphalerite is mainly
indium-carrying marmatite which has 20% iron. Partial sphalerite has similar floatability to chalcopyrite and
pyrrhotite. The floatability difference among iron sulfide minerals is huge, and cassiterite is easy to be over crushed.
The separation and recovery of this ore resource is extremely hard. Therefore, it used to be called a “refractory ore”.
As a consequence, more than 20 years of research work was carried out aiming at the efficient separation of
low-grade copper-zinc-indium-tin co-associated complex polymetallic ore in DuLong, Yunnan Province. The
activation effect of copper ammonia complex by slow-release during the flotation of sphalerite was discovered,
and a new flotation theory of precise activation of sphalerite and synchronous depression of iron sulfide ore was
established. Meanwhile, four green flotation reagents with high efficiency have been developed. For examples,
an efficient activator X-43 for spontaneously improving the grade and recovery of zinc was developed, which
can replace the traditional activator of copper sulfate and has independent intellectual property rights. New
flotation reagents YK-8 was developed, which can substitute the concentrated sulfuric acid to activate iron
sulfides. Meanwhile, it not only can act as activator, but also can act as collector at same time. It shows signifi-
cant effect on the removing of sulfides and impurities with non-acid, low-alkaline and low carbon. Besides, the
highly efficient collector YK-Sn and other reagents were also developed. Furthermore, five key technologies
were developed, including the technology of priority flotation of low-grade copper mineral without depres-
sants, the technology of high efficiency activation and synchronous depression zinc mineral and iron sulfides
respectively, the technology of desliming by multi-stage swirl and deep separation of fine iron minerals and
sulfides, the technology of deep recovery of cassiterite by combination of classification and flotation-magnetic
separation-gravity separation, and the technology recovery and utilization of waste rock at large-scale. By using
new flotation reagents and new technologies, 7 pricing elements of tin, zinc, indium, copper, silver, sulfur and
iron were efficiently recovered from the “refractory ore” and the annual metal output grows from 115 tons
in 1998 to 430,000 tons until now. The achievements of this project provide 25% of China’s tin concentrate
products every year.
Research of Flotation Theory/Reagents and Key Technologies for
Comprehensive Utilization of Low-Grade Copper-Zinc-Indium-
Tin Co-Associated Complex Ore
Xiong Tong, Xian Xie, Jinfang Lv, Lingyun Huang, Qiang Song, Peiqiang Fan
Faculty of Land Resource Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
National &Regional Engineering Research Center for Green comprehensive Utilization of Tailing Resources from Metal
Minerals, Kunming, Yunnan, China
ABSTRACT: Copper, tin and indium are important strategic metals, and zinc is an important basic metal. Due
to the decreasing of high-quality ore resources, the refractory complex poly-metallic ore has become the main
resources. The super-large low-grade poly-metallic deposit in Dulong, Wenshan, Yunnan Province in P.R.C. is
a typical representative of complex polymetallic resources. Its indium reserves rank first over the world, which
account for 36% of the indium over the world. Its tin reserves rank third in P.R.C., which account for 21.3% tin
over China. Its zinc reserves account for 9.6% over China. This deposit has large reserves of many co-associated
elements. The disseminated grain size of the valuable minerals is fine and the grade is low. Sphalerite is mainly
indium-carrying marmatite which has 20% iron. Partial sphalerite has similar floatability to chalcopyrite and
pyrrhotite. The floatability difference among iron sulfide minerals is huge, and cassiterite is easy to be over crushed.
The separation and recovery of this ore resource is extremely hard. Therefore, it used to be called a “refractory ore”.
As a consequence, more than 20 years of research work was carried out aiming at the efficient separation of
low-grade copper-zinc-indium-tin co-associated complex polymetallic ore in DuLong, Yunnan Province. The
activation effect of copper ammonia complex by slow-release during the flotation of sphalerite was discovered,
and a new flotation theory of precise activation of sphalerite and synchronous depression of iron sulfide ore was
established. Meanwhile, four green flotation reagents with high efficiency have been developed. For examples,
an efficient activator X-43 for spontaneously improving the grade and recovery of zinc was developed, which
can replace the traditional activator of copper sulfate and has independent intellectual property rights. New
flotation reagents YK-8 was developed, which can substitute the concentrated sulfuric acid to activate iron
sulfides. Meanwhile, it not only can act as activator, but also can act as collector at same time. It shows signifi-
cant effect on the removing of sulfides and impurities with non-acid, low-alkaline and low carbon. Besides, the
highly efficient collector YK-Sn and other reagents were also developed. Furthermore, five key technologies
were developed, including the technology of priority flotation of low-grade copper mineral without depres-
sants, the technology of high efficiency activation and synchronous depression zinc mineral and iron sulfides
respectively, the technology of desliming by multi-stage swirl and deep separation of fine iron minerals and
sulfides, the technology of deep recovery of cassiterite by combination of classification and flotation-magnetic
separation-gravity separation, and the technology recovery and utilization of waste rock at large-scale. By using
new flotation reagents and new technologies, 7 pricing elements of tin, zinc, indium, copper, silver, sulfur and
iron were efficiently recovered from the “refractory ore” and the annual metal output grows from 115 tons
in 1998 to 430,000 tons until now. The achievements of this project provide 25% of China’s tin concentrate
products every year.