摘要 |
<p>A method is provided for reducing the consumption of alkaline pH modifier in a mineral separation circuit which employs sulfoxy radical-containing reagents. The method comprises the addition of a non-oxidizing gas to the mineral separation circuit prior to and/or simultaneously with the addition of the sulfoxy radical-containing reagent. The non-oxidizing gas is added in a quantity sufficient to achieve a chemical environment conducive to the flotation separation of minerals. The inventive process is suitable for a wide range of valuable minerals including sulfidic copper minerals or mixtures of sulfidic and non-sulfidic copper minerals, sulfidic iron minerals (particularly pyrite) and non-sulfidic gangue material. It is particularly suitable for sedimentary copper deposits, copper skarns, porphyry copper/molybdenum/gold deposits and super gene enrichments.</p> |