METHOD OF RECOVERING COPPER AND ZINC CONCENTRATES FROM COMPLEX SULFIDE ORES BY DIFFERENTIAL FLOTATION

摘要

The invention envolves a method of recovering coopre and zinc concentrates separately from complex sulfide ores containing sulfides of copper, zinc, iron and other minerals by differential flotation. The method comprises adjusting to 45 - 80 wt% the concentration of solids in a mineral pulp composed of water and as-ground feed ores or a mineral pulp of the bulk concentrate of copper and zinc sulfide ores that has been obtained as a froth in the bulk differential flotation of the copper and zinc minerals present in the first mineral pulp; conditioning either mineral pulp in the presence of sodium sulfide in an amount of 0.2 - 3 kg per ton of the ore; further conditioning the mineral pulp in the presence of zinc sulfate in an amount 1.5 - 3.5 times the weight of the sodium sulfide and 1.5 - 10 kg of sulfur dioxide per ton of the ore, while blowing 50 - 200 m3 of air per ton of the ore; and subsequently adding collectors, frothers and any other flotation reagents so as to separately recover copper and zinc concentrates by flotation. The copper and zinc concentrates obtained by this method are high not only in their grade but also in their recovery.