1
25-009
Alternatives Chemistries to Improve Copper Recovery from
Secondary Sulphides with Low Floatability and Presence of Clays
Patricio Zarate
Clariant AG, Chile
INTRODUCTION
Due to the intrinsic variability in orebodies, similar metal-
lurgical behaviour of all material sent to the concentrator
is expected to have some variability. Still some specific ores
have anomalous performance which can severely impact on
the concentrator’s production of metal, in this case copper.
The study first will show the mineralogical characteris-
tics of “usual ore” and of this specific “abnormal ore” which
will have to be processed by the concentrator in the future.
After that base conditions on both ores and flotation test
procedure will be explained. Later the different alterna-
tives tested regarding collectors and modifiers results will
be compared.
Finally, after discussing the different results with dif-
ferent reagents and considering operational variables of the
concentrator, Floticor PD 702 is recommended to obtain
the best copper recovery without increase in excess mass
recovery.
METHODOLOGY
Initial characterization of the sample was done with chemi-
cal assays as seen on Table 1, where both sample present
similar content of copper (0.52% and 0.53%). The anom-
alous ore has 0.86% higher iron, half the molybdenum
content and double soluble copper. Arsenic and silver are
higher in the regular ore.
Two representative samples were sent for mineralogi-
cal study, from now on we will refer to them as “regular”
(ore with characteristics very common on this concentrator
operation) and “anomalous” (which corresponds to an ore
with similar copper content, 1% higher iron concentration
but very different metallurgical results). As seen on Figure 1
Table 1. Sample characterization
Sample Date Cu Fe Mo Ag As SCu SCu/Cu
Regular 04.09 0,52 3,50 0,021 5,67 0,024 0,025 4,8
Anomalous 04.09 0,53 4,36 0,010 4,45 0,014 0,044 8,3
Figure 1. Modal mineralogy and Cu sulphides distribution
25-009
Alternatives Chemistries to Improve Copper Recovery from
Secondary Sulphides with Low Floatability and Presence of Clays
Patricio Zarate
Clariant AG, Chile
INTRODUCTION
Due to the intrinsic variability in orebodies, similar metal-
lurgical behaviour of all material sent to the concentrator
is expected to have some variability. Still some specific ores
have anomalous performance which can severely impact on
the concentrator’s production of metal, in this case copper.
The study first will show the mineralogical characteris-
tics of “usual ore” and of this specific “abnormal ore” which
will have to be processed by the concentrator in the future.
After that base conditions on both ores and flotation test
procedure will be explained. Later the different alterna-
tives tested regarding collectors and modifiers results will
be compared.
Finally, after discussing the different results with dif-
ferent reagents and considering operational variables of the
concentrator, Floticor PD 702 is recommended to obtain
the best copper recovery without increase in excess mass
recovery.
METHODOLOGY
Initial characterization of the sample was done with chemi-
cal assays as seen on Table 1, where both sample present
similar content of copper (0.52% and 0.53%). The anom-
alous ore has 0.86% higher iron, half the molybdenum
content and double soluble copper. Arsenic and silver are
higher in the regular ore.
Two representative samples were sent for mineralogi-
cal study, from now on we will refer to them as “regular”
(ore with characteristics very common on this concentrator
operation) and “anomalous” (which corresponds to an ore
with similar copper content, 1% higher iron concentration
but very different metallurgical results). As seen on Figure 1
Table 1. Sample characterization
Sample Date Cu Fe Mo Ag As SCu SCu/Cu
Regular 04.09 0,52 3,50 0,021 5,67 0,024 0,025 4,8
Anomalous 04.09 0,53 4,36 0,010 4,45 0,014 0,044 8,3
Figure 1. Modal mineralogy and Cu sulphides distribution