摘要 |
<p>The present invention relates to an improved process for beneficiating an ore containing sulfide materials with selective rejection of pyrite, pyrrhotite and other metals and gangue. In particular, the process is useful for beneficiating ores and recovering copper from said ores. In one embodiment the process comprises the steps of (A) grinding the ore to an appropriate size range; (B) preparing a slurry comprising (B-1) said ground ore; (B-2) at least one collector which is a water-dispersible or soluble dihydrocarbyldithiodiphosphoric acid or salt having formula (I), wherein R<1> and R<2> are different hydrocarbyl groups containing up to about 12 carbon atoms, n is an integer equal to the valence of X and X<n+> is a dissociating cation; and (B-3) water; (C) conditioning the slurry with SO2 under aeration at a pH of about 5.5 to about 7.5; (D) subjecting the conditioned slurry to froth flotation to produce a froth containing a metal rougher concentrate; (E) collecting said froth; and (F) recovering the metal rougher concentrate containing the desired metal values.</p> |