XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 3081
percentage in control ore is 0.36%, and the iron percentage
is 9.01%. The average Cu% in all samples is 0.35% and
standard deviation (std) is 0.023. So, there is no significant
variation between head grades. That is acceptable for the
next steps and flotation tests. Also, XRD results showed
there is no significant variance between samples. The aver-
ages of quartz, muscovite, swelling clay, pyrite, chlorite,
k-feldspar, and chalcopyrite were 36.6%, 15.3%, 10.8%,
9.6%, 6%, 3.6%, and 1%, respectively.
Estrella Pit Water Analyze
Some samples of Estrella pit water were taken and ana-
lyzed. The result showed it contains a significant dosage of
ions, and components. It contains 24000 mg/L of CaCO3,
23000 mg/L of Mg(CaCO3)( magnesium calcium carbon-
ate), 8600 mg/L of Al, 6400 mg/L of Fe, 5600 mg/L of Mg,
952 mg/L of Mn, 590 mg/L of Cu, and 8400 of SO42–.
The total hardness of the pit water is 24000 mg/L The pH
was 1.8. But the amount of these compound in the process
water is very low (Table 3).
Flotation Tests
Control Flotation Tests
Flotation tests were started with control tests to determine
the baseline for reagents. Each series of tests is repeated three
times. The type of reagents and their dosages are given in
Table 4. In these tests, AERO 7310 (aryl dithiophosphate,
SOLVAY) was used as a primary collector and AERO 7048
Promoter (formulated dithiophosphate, SOLVAY) as a sec-
ondary collector. Pine oil was used as a primary frother,
and QUADRAFROTH 222 (hexanal based, QUADRA)
was used as a secondary frother. Lime was used as a pH
modifier. Flotation time was 12 minutes.
The first set of control tests had a higher recovery
89.7%, and mass pull was high at 16.6% as the cleaner
circuit in the plant could not support it. In addition, lime
consumption was high. Moreover, there were issues with
Table 2. XRF studies for representative samples of all sets for flotation experiments
Control Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5
Cu Fe Cu Fe Cu Fe Cu Fe Cu Fe Cu Fe
0.364 9.01 0.320 8.98 0.326 8.72 0.340 10.35 0.358 9.20 0.388 8.84
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
XRD EST
GEO C1 x1
XRD EST
GEO C2 x1
XRD EST
GEO M1 x1
XRD EST
GEO M2 x1
XRD EST
GEO M3 x1
XRD EST
GEO M4 x1
XRD EST
GEO M5 x1
Sum of Swelling Clay2
Sum of Chalcopyrite
Sum of Kaolinite
Sum of K-feldspar
Sum of Chlorite
Sum of Pyrite
Sum of Quartz
Sum of Muscovite
Figure 6. XRD studies for representative samples of all sets for flotation experiments
percentage in control ore is 0.36%, and the iron percentage
is 9.01%. The average Cu% in all samples is 0.35% and
standard deviation (std) is 0.023. So, there is no significant
variation between head grades. That is acceptable for the
next steps and flotation tests. Also, XRD results showed
there is no significant variance between samples. The aver-
ages of quartz, muscovite, swelling clay, pyrite, chlorite,
k-feldspar, and chalcopyrite were 36.6%, 15.3%, 10.8%,
9.6%, 6%, 3.6%, and 1%, respectively.
Estrella Pit Water Analyze
Some samples of Estrella pit water were taken and ana-
lyzed. The result showed it contains a significant dosage of
ions, and components. It contains 24000 mg/L of CaCO3,
23000 mg/L of Mg(CaCO3)( magnesium calcium carbon-
ate), 8600 mg/L of Al, 6400 mg/L of Fe, 5600 mg/L of Mg,
952 mg/L of Mn, 590 mg/L of Cu, and 8400 of SO42–.
The total hardness of the pit water is 24000 mg/L The pH
was 1.8. But the amount of these compound in the process
water is very low (Table 3).
Flotation Tests
Control Flotation Tests
Flotation tests were started with control tests to determine
the baseline for reagents. Each series of tests is repeated three
times. The type of reagents and their dosages are given in
Table 4. In these tests, AERO 7310 (aryl dithiophosphate,
SOLVAY) was used as a primary collector and AERO 7048
Promoter (formulated dithiophosphate, SOLVAY) as a sec-
ondary collector. Pine oil was used as a primary frother,
and QUADRAFROTH 222 (hexanal based, QUADRA)
was used as a secondary frother. Lime was used as a pH
modifier. Flotation time was 12 minutes.
The first set of control tests had a higher recovery
89.7%, and mass pull was high at 16.6% as the cleaner
circuit in the plant could not support it. In addition, lime
consumption was high. Moreover, there were issues with
Table 2. XRF studies for representative samples of all sets for flotation experiments
Control Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5
Cu Fe Cu Fe Cu Fe Cu Fe Cu Fe Cu Fe
0.364 9.01 0.320 8.98 0.326 8.72 0.340 10.35 0.358 9.20 0.388 8.84
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
XRD EST
GEO C1 x1
XRD EST
GEO C2 x1
XRD EST
GEO M1 x1
XRD EST
GEO M2 x1
XRD EST
GEO M3 x1
XRD EST
GEO M4 x1
XRD EST
GEO M5 x1
Sum of Swelling Clay2
Sum of Chalcopyrite
Sum of Kaolinite
Sum of K-feldspar
Sum of Chlorite
Sum of Pyrite
Sum of Quartz
Sum of Muscovite
Figure 6. XRD studies for representative samples of all sets for flotation experiments