3044 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
OH– in solution, which could cause the formation of more
Fe(OH)3 films on the surface of iron sulfide minerals and
reduce the floatability of iron sulfide minerals.
Zn(OH)2(s) +nNH3 → Zn(NH3)n2+ +2OH– (5)
New Flotation Reagents Were Developed
In order to achieve highly efficient flotation, a series of
new flotation reagents such as green activator of cassiter-
ite KT-51, efficient collector of cassiterite YK-Sn and green
low carbon flotation reagent TK-8 used in removing sulfide
minerals had been developed. Lead nitrate, as traditional
activator of cassiterite, has the problems of low activation
efficiency, high safety risk, high environmental pollution
and high price. The green activator of cassiterite KT-51 was
environmentally friendly and safe, and its dosage was small.
Compared with lead nitrate, the recovery of cassiterite was
increased from 67.81% to 70.38%, and the COD in water
was reduced from 152 mg/L to 105.5 mg/L [8] .The tra-
ditional collector of cassiterite has problems such as poor
solubility, high price and low recovery of tin. The efficient
collector of cassiterite YK-Sn had good solubility and could
solve the problem of pipeline clog. In addition, the cost
of this reagent was reduced by 10%, and the tin recovery
was increased by more than 3%. The collector was safe and
environmentally friendly, and the wastewater of mineral
processing met the requirements of environmental protec-
tion [9] .The traditional reagent used in removing sulfide
mineral was concentrated sulfuric acid and xanthate, which
has some problems such as high cost and high-risk. The
green low carbon flotation reagent TK-8 used in remov-
ing sulfide minerals could replace the use of 5,000 tons/
year of concentrated sulfuric acid, which could avoid the
production of toxic gases such as H2S and SO2, reduce the
dissolution of toxic and harmful ions and the corrosion
of equipment and pipelines, and avoid the CO2 emission
from the reaction between carbonate minerals and concen-
trated sulfuric acid [10,11] .
Key Technology Was Broken Through
Five key technologies were broken through, including the
technology of priority flotation of low-grade copper with-
out depressants, the technology of highly efficient activa-
tion and synchronous depression of zinc and iron sulfide
respectively, the technology of desliming by multi-stage
swirl and deep separation of iron-bearing minerals and
sulfides, the technology of deep recovery of cassiterite by
combination of flotation- magnetic separation-gravity
separation and classification, and the technology of waste
rock’s recovery and utilization at large-scale. The priority
flotation of low-grade copper without depressants solved
the problem of strong depression and low recovery of met-
als. The highly efficient activation and synchronous depres-
sion of zinc and iron sulfide respectively avoided the high
alkali condition, reduced the reagents’ consumption, and
realized selective simultaneous activation and depression.
The technology of desliming by multi-stage swirl and deep
separation of iron-bearing minerals and sulfides reduced
the effect of slime on the flotation of fine cassiterite. The
deep recovery of cassiterite by combination of flotation-
magnetic separation-gravity separation and classification
solved the problem of comprehensive recovery of cassiterite
with multi size fraction and reduced the influence of sulfide
minerals and iron minerals on the recovery of cassiterite.
The waste rock recovery and utilization at large-scale (as
shown in Figure 3) solved the technical problem of green
recovery of very low-grade waste rock and laid the technical
foundation of efficient polymetallic utilization.
The new flotation reagents and technology had been
widely used in many domestic and foreign enterprises
such as Yunnan Hualian Zinc and Indium Company
Limited, Yunnan Tin Group (Holding) Company Limited,
Inner Mongolia Huanggang Mining Company Limited,
Myanmar Manxiang Tin Mine, etc., realizing the efficient
utilization of polymetallic resources. By using new flotation
reagents and new technologies on low-grade copper-zinc-
indium-tin co-associated polymetallic complex ore resource
in DuLong Mine, Yunnan Province, 7 pricing elements of
tin, zinc, indium, copper, silver, sulfur and iron were effi-
ciently 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.
CONCLUSION
This project firstly found the activation effect of copper
ammonia complex by slow-release during the separation of
zinc and iron’s sulfides, and established a new flotation theory
of precise activation of sphalerite and synchronous depres-
sion of iron sulfide ore. Meanwhile, a series of green flotation
reagents with high efficiency had been developed. On this
basis, five key technical bottlenecks of green comprehensive
utilization in Doulong Mine, Yunnan Province were broken
through, and the technical achievements had been applied to
many enterprises at home and abroad, and achieved remark-
able economic, social and environmental benefits.
OH– in solution, which could cause the formation of more
Fe(OH)3 films on the surface of iron sulfide minerals and
reduce the floatability of iron sulfide minerals.
Zn(OH)2(s) +nNH3 → Zn(NH3)n2+ +2OH– (5)
New Flotation Reagents Were Developed
In order to achieve highly efficient flotation, a series of
new flotation reagents such as green activator of cassiter-
ite KT-51, efficient collector of cassiterite YK-Sn and green
low carbon flotation reagent TK-8 used in removing sulfide
minerals had been developed. Lead nitrate, as traditional
activator of cassiterite, has the problems of low activation
efficiency, high safety risk, high environmental pollution
and high price. The green activator of cassiterite KT-51 was
environmentally friendly and safe, and its dosage was small.
Compared with lead nitrate, the recovery of cassiterite was
increased from 67.81% to 70.38%, and the COD in water
was reduced from 152 mg/L to 105.5 mg/L [8] .The tra-
ditional collector of cassiterite has problems such as poor
solubility, high price and low recovery of tin. The efficient
collector of cassiterite YK-Sn had good solubility and could
solve the problem of pipeline clog. In addition, the cost
of this reagent was reduced by 10%, and the tin recovery
was increased by more than 3%. The collector was safe and
environmentally friendly, and the wastewater of mineral
processing met the requirements of environmental protec-
tion [9] .The traditional reagent used in removing sulfide
mineral was concentrated sulfuric acid and xanthate, which
has some problems such as high cost and high-risk. The
green low carbon flotation reagent TK-8 used in remov-
ing sulfide minerals could replace the use of 5,000 tons/
year of concentrated sulfuric acid, which could avoid the
production of toxic gases such as H2S and SO2, reduce the
dissolution of toxic and harmful ions and the corrosion
of equipment and pipelines, and avoid the CO2 emission
from the reaction between carbonate minerals and concen-
trated sulfuric acid [10,11] .
Key Technology Was Broken Through
Five key technologies were broken through, including the
technology of priority flotation of low-grade copper with-
out depressants, the technology of highly efficient activa-
tion and synchronous depression of zinc and iron sulfide
respectively, the technology of desliming by multi-stage
swirl and deep separation of iron-bearing minerals and
sulfides, the technology of deep recovery of cassiterite by
combination of flotation- magnetic separation-gravity
separation and classification, and the technology of waste
rock’s recovery and utilization at large-scale. The priority
flotation of low-grade copper without depressants solved
the problem of strong depression and low recovery of met-
als. The highly efficient activation and synchronous depres-
sion of zinc and iron sulfide respectively avoided the high
alkali condition, reduced the reagents’ consumption, and
realized selective simultaneous activation and depression.
The technology of desliming by multi-stage swirl and deep
separation of iron-bearing minerals and sulfides reduced
the effect of slime on the flotation of fine cassiterite. The
deep recovery of cassiterite by combination of flotation-
magnetic separation-gravity separation and classification
solved the problem of comprehensive recovery of cassiterite
with multi size fraction and reduced the influence of sulfide
minerals and iron minerals on the recovery of cassiterite.
The waste rock recovery and utilization at large-scale (as
shown in Figure 3) solved the technical problem of green
recovery of very low-grade waste rock and laid the technical
foundation of efficient polymetallic utilization.
The new flotation reagents and technology had been
widely used in many domestic and foreign enterprises
such as Yunnan Hualian Zinc and Indium Company
Limited, Yunnan Tin Group (Holding) Company Limited,
Inner Mongolia Huanggang Mining Company Limited,
Myanmar Manxiang Tin Mine, etc., realizing the efficient
utilization of polymetallic resources. By using new flotation
reagents and new technologies on low-grade copper-zinc-
indium-tin co-associated polymetallic complex ore resource
in DuLong Mine, Yunnan Province, 7 pricing elements of
tin, zinc, indium, copper, silver, sulfur and iron were effi-
ciently 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.
CONCLUSION
This project firstly found the activation effect of copper
ammonia complex by slow-release during the separation of
zinc and iron’s sulfides, and established a new flotation theory
of precise activation of sphalerite and synchronous depres-
sion of iron sulfide ore. Meanwhile, a series of green flotation
reagents with high efficiency had been developed. On this
basis, five key technical bottlenecks of green comprehensive
utilization in Doulong Mine, Yunnan Province were broken
through, and the technical achievements had been applied to
many enterprises at home and abroad, and achieved remark-
able economic, social and environmental benefits.
