3056
Evaluation of the Use of Mixtures of Recycled Vegetable
Oil Esters and Biosolids as Collectors for the Flotation of
Copper Sulfides
Daniel Zuluaga
Centro de Recursos Hídrico para la Agricultura y la Minería (CRHIAM), Universidad de Concepción-Chile
Carlos Moraga
Departamento de Ingeniería de Minas, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Talca-Chile
María del Pilar Caramantín
Laboratorio de Ciencias de los Materiales, Instituto de Química de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Talca-Chile
Lorenzo Reyes-Bozo
Grupo de investigación en energía y procesos sustentables, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Chile- Chile
Lina Uribe
Centro de Recursos Hídrico para la Agricultura y la Minería (CRHIAM), Universidad de Concepción-Chile
ABSTRACT: In the mining industry there is a need to advance in sustainable development. It is necessary to
propose new environmentally friendly reagents that achieve better performance and contribute to the circular
economy at the same time. In this research, the technical feasibility of the use of mixtures of recycled vegetable
oils esters (ERVOs) and biosolids (BSs) as collectors of copper sulphide minerals in the flotation process is
studied.The study considered flotation tests at laboratory scale with synthetic ores (chalcopyrite, pyrite, and
quartz) in order to evaluate the flotation kinetics of ERVOs and BSs by separated, analysis of the metallurgical
indexes to use different ERVOs/BSs mixtures and compare those results with the obtained with the conventional
collector potassium amyl xanthate (PAX).
Results obtained in this study showed that, the kinetic flotation of RVOs and BSs was faster than the obtained
with PAX collector. Also, although a lower recovery of copper with the mixtures of ERVOs/BS than PAX collec-
tor was obtained, the ERVOs/BS mixtures reached a higher enrichment ratio and selectivity index with respect
to pyrite. According to these results, it is possible to suggest that the use of ERVOs/BSs has the potential to be
used in the cleaner stages. This could represent a combined opportunity to reduce costs in the flotation process
and minimize the environmental impact generated in the mining and sanitary industries.
Evaluation of the Use of Mixtures of Recycled Vegetable
Oil Esters and Biosolids as Collectors for the Flotation of
Copper Sulfides
Daniel Zuluaga
Centro de Recursos Hídrico para la Agricultura y la Minería (CRHIAM), Universidad de Concepción-Chile
Carlos Moraga
Departamento de Ingeniería de Minas, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Talca-Chile
María del Pilar Caramantín
Laboratorio de Ciencias de los Materiales, Instituto de Química de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Talca-Chile
Lorenzo Reyes-Bozo
Grupo de investigación en energía y procesos sustentables, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Chile- Chile
Lina Uribe
Centro de Recursos Hídrico para la Agricultura y la Minería (CRHIAM), Universidad de Concepción-Chile
ABSTRACT: In the mining industry there is a need to advance in sustainable development. It is necessary to
propose new environmentally friendly reagents that achieve better performance and contribute to the circular
economy at the same time. In this research, the technical feasibility of the use of mixtures of recycled vegetable
oils esters (ERVOs) and biosolids (BSs) as collectors of copper sulphide minerals in the flotation process is
studied.The study considered flotation tests at laboratory scale with synthetic ores (chalcopyrite, pyrite, and
quartz) in order to evaluate the flotation kinetics of ERVOs and BSs by separated, analysis of the metallurgical
indexes to use different ERVOs/BSs mixtures and compare those results with the obtained with the conventional
collector potassium amyl xanthate (PAX).
Results obtained in this study showed that, the kinetic flotation of RVOs and BSs was faster than the obtained
with PAX collector. Also, although a lower recovery of copper with the mixtures of ERVOs/BS than PAX collec-
tor was obtained, the ERVOs/BS mixtures reached a higher enrichment ratio and selectivity index with respect
to pyrite. According to these results, it is possible to suggest that the use of ERVOs/BSs has the potential to be
used in the cleaner stages. This could represent a combined opportunity to reduce costs in the flotation process
and minimize the environmental impact generated in the mining and sanitary industries.