Mineral flotation separation by deoxygenating slurries and mineral surfaces

摘要

A process for the separation of minerals of different mineralogical character. The process involves conditioning a milled slurry or a slurry of a flotation concentrate which contains a mixture of valuable sulfidic minerals and non-sulfidic gangue material with an inert/non-oxidizing gas and/or a reducing/deoxifying agent. The conditioning is conducted to achieve a controlled dissolved oxygen content or electrochemical reduction potential conducive to the separation of the valuable sulfidic mineral, non-sulfidic gangue material. The inert/non-oxidizing gas and/or reducing/deoxifying agent may be added to the slurry in a quantity sufficient to increase rejection of the non-sulfidic gangue minerals or to improve the selectivity between the valuable sulfidic minerals and non-sulfidic gangue minerals.