Investigating the effects of different collectors on sulfide minerals kinetic flotation of Miduk copper mine

Abstract

Miduk has sulfide copper mine and produces copper concentrate with an alloy of more than 30 percent. Flotation tests have been conducted using Sodium isobutyl ditiophosphate collectors (A3477) and sodium isopropyl xanthate (Z11) and thionocarbamate (X231). Denver cell flotation tests in laboratory scale are performed by injecting a type of collector at a dose of 35 gram/tone. Parameters such as recovery, alloy, using mineralogy results, kinetics constant in flotation reaction were measured for sulfide copper minerals (chalcopyrite chalcosite, covellite and pyrite). By comparing and analyzing the obtained results, it was determined by that collector A3477 with kinetics constant of 1.2285 (min-1) has been more effective in floating copper and also has resulted in most alloy percentage; and with kinetic constant of 1.09878 (min-1) had the highest kinetics constant for chalcopyrite mineral; and with kinetic constant of 1.6347 (min-1 (it has been the most effective collector in floating covellite comparing to Z11 and X231. X231 collector with kinetic constant of 1.42074 (min-1) is the most effective collector in floating chalcosite mineral. Z11 collector has achieved a greater recovery of 95 percent. X231 and A3477 collectors had a better performance in pyrite abatement and have showed less selective properties toward flotation of pyrite.