Flotation of a copper sulphide ore from Okiep using thiol collectors and their mixtures


HANGONE G., BRADSHAW D. J., Ekmekci Z.

JOURNAL OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF MINING AND METALLURGY, cilt.105, sa.3, ss.199-206, 2005 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

Özet

This paper investigates the effects of thiol collectors: xanthates, dithiophosphates, dithiocarbamates and mixtures of these on the froth flotation performance obtained with a bornite-rich copper sulphide ore from Okiep Copper Mine with a feed grade of 1.8% copper. Batch flotation tests were used to assess the performance in terms of mass-water recovery, sulphur grade-recovery and copper grade-recovery relationships and the Klimpel rate constant for copper recovery. The results showed that the di-ethyl-dithiocarbarnate (di C2-DTC) was the weakest collector of copper sulphide minerals. Highest copper recoveries were obtained with the di-ethyldithiophosphate (di C2-DTP), which were accompanied with more watery froths and lower copper grades demonstrating frothing properties in addition to collector action. Superior copper recoveries were obtained with the 90% ethyl xanthate (C2-X): 10% di-ethyldithiophosphate (di C2-DTP) and 90% ethyl xanthate (C2-X):10% di-ethyl-dithiocarbamate (di C2-DTC) collector mixtures compared to that obtained with ethyl xanthate at an equivalent collector dosage of 0.139 mol/ton ore (a dosage equivalent to 20 g sodium ethyl xanthate per ton ore). A superior copper grade was obtained with the 90% ethyl xanthate:10% di-ethyl-dithiocarbamate collector mixture at a dosage of 0.0695 mol/ton ore compared to that obtained with ethyl xanthate at the same equivalent dosage.