GeoScience Enginee ing Volume 66 (2020), No. 1
h p://gse. sb.cz p. 53–59, ISSN 1802-5420
DOI 10.35180/gse-2020-0030
UTILIZATION OF FLOTATION IN COPPER EXTRACTION FROM
POLYMETALLIC ORE
Vě a VRLÍKOVÁ, Vladimí ČABLÍK, I a JANÁKOVÁ
Depa men o En i onmen al Enginee ing, Facul y o Mining and Geology, VŠB – TUO, Os a a,
Czech Republic
E-mail: e [email p o ec ed]
ABSTRACT
The aim o his s udy was o examine lo a ion o u ili y me als om poo polyme allic o es and
e i y he po en ial o p o i able yields in connec ion wi h po en ially economic deposi s o non- e ous
me als. The pape desc ibes esul s in lo a ion concen a e esea ch o eco e coppe om polyme allic
o e. The polyme allic o e om Zla e Ho y deposi (Czech Republic) was subjec ed o c ushing, g inding,
and sc eening o p epa e eed o sepa a ion wi h mesh size unde 200 mic ons. The hea y medium
sepa a ion was pe o med in e ab ome hane wi h a densi y o 2.967 g.cm-3. The loa and sink p oduc s
we e ob ained and es ed o chemical composi ion. Nex , he ea ed polyme allic o e sample was subjec ed
o lo a ion. In lo a ion, a ious dosages o collec o (PAX) and a ious pH we e es ed, a which py i e
was dep essed. The eco e y o me allic coppe in he concen a e inc eased wi h he collec o dose. As he
pH o he medium inc eased, he py i e con en in he concen a e d opped. The lowes con en o py i e,
i.e. 4.01 %, was ob ained a pH 10. In he o iginal polyme allic o e, he Cu con en was 0.41 % a e
subsequen ea men and lo a ion es s, he Cu con en inc eased o 1.38 % wi h Cu eco e y 86.18 %.
Keywo ds: Coppe ; Flo a ion, Polyme allic o e; Po assium amylxan ha e (PAX); Zla e Ho y
1 INTRODUCTION
Sepa a ion o mine als om o e is an impo an indus ial p ocess. O he commonly used me hods o
sepa a ion, lo a ion exploi s he hyd ophobic (i is pa ial o incomple e we abili y o a solid phase by he wa e )
and hyd ophilic (solids a e comple ely we ed by wa e ) p ope ies on he mine al su ace. Flo a ion is a me hod
ha is based on di e en su ace p ope ies occu ing a he con ac o h ee phases - solid (mine al pa icles),
liquid (wa e ), and gas (ai ). Hyd ophobic pa icles adhe e o ai bubbles ha mo e o he su ace o o m o h [1].
Sulphide o es a e impo an sou ces o base me als, e.g. coppe , zinc, lead. In mos cases, he mine als o
coppe , lead, zinc and i on coexis on he deposi [2]. Selec i e lo a ion o sulphide o es p esen s se e al p oblems
due o mine alogical p ope ies, incomple e libe a ion, and chemical di e ences be ween o es [3]. Flo a ion is in
many cases he only solu ion o concen a e sulphide mine als [4]. Fo sulphide mine als, hyd ophobici y may
occu due o he addi ion o a collec o o oxida ion leads o he o ma ion o elemen al sulphu , me al-de icien
and sulphu - ich su ace [5]. In lo a ion, xan ha es a e used as collec o s in he sepa a ion o sulphide mine als.
Thei consump ion is 300 o 500 g/ . Al hough he e a e a numbe o xan ha es, sodium e hyl xan ha e, isop opyl
xan ha e, sodium isobu yl xan ha e o po assium amylxan ha e a e used in p ac ice [6].
Na u al coppe is a e and ep esen s abou 1 % o all coppe compounds. Coppe may be p esen ei he in
he o m o sulphide o es, o ming 90 % o coppe compounds, o 9 % as oxidic o es [7]. The ypical con en s o
coppe in sulphide o es is 0.6 %, pa icula ly p ima y sulphides (e.g. chalcopy i e and bo ni e) o seconda y
sulphides (e.g. chalcoci e and co elli e) [8]. Chalcopy i e is one o he mos impo an sulphide mine als, which is
he main sou ce o coppe [9]. The p esence o gangue sulphide mine als such as py i e and non-sulphide mine als
educe he quali y o concen a es [10]. I is he only na u ally loa able coppe mine al, o o he sulphide coppe
mine als hiol collec o s a e added o c ea e he hyd ophobic su ace needed o lo a ion [11]. Chalcopy i e loa s
well wi h mode a e amoun s o xan ha e collec o s o e a wide pH ange [12].
Chalcopy i e is associa ed wi h py i e in o e; he e o e, py i e dep ession is equi ed o economic eco e y.
The main p oblem o chalcopy i e and py i e is hei selec i i y, which is caused by acciden al ac i a ion o py i e
by dissol ed Cu2+ ions om complex sulphide o es. This inc eases he in e ac ion o py i e wi h collec o s, he eby
inc easing i s loa abili y [13]. Va ious agen s, such as polyme s, hyd oxides, ca bona es, cyanides, o sulphi es,
a e used o supp ess py i e [14].
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GeoScience Enginee ing Volume 66 (2020), No. 1
h p://gse. sb.cz p. 53 – 59, ISSN 1802-5420
DOI 10.35180/gse-2020-0030
Mukunga [15] in es iga ed he selec i i y and kine ics o PAX and DANA (sodium amyl di hiophospha e)
in he eco e y o coppe om sulphide coppe -cobal o e. Na u al pH and pH 11 we e obse ed. A na u al pH,
he coppe con en o he concen a e ob ained was 16.1 % wi h a yield o 99.63 %. A pH 11, he coppe con en
was 16.1 % wi h a yield o 99.05 %. These esul s showed ha a na u al pH and pH 11, he kine ics o coppe
egene a ion wi h PAX is supe io o DANA.
2 MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fo his wo k, a sample o polyme allic o e was used om Zla e Ho y-Eas (Czech Republic). Fo
labo a o y es s, i was necessa y o p epa e he sample by c ushing and g inding. A o al o 9 kg o polyme allic
o e was c ushed and g ound. This was ollowed by sizing o -200 μm.
This modi ied sample was subjec ed o X- ay di ac ion o de e mine he mine al con en (Tab. 1). A
subs an ial pa o he polyme allic o e p oduc ion was ep esen ed by qua z (87.03 %). O he non-me allic
mine als ep esen ed we e ba i e, albi e, chlo i e and musco i e. Py i e, chalcopy i e and sphale i e we e p esen
as o e mine als. The la ges amoun in he sample was sphale i e (3.64 %). Chalcopy i e was 1.59 %.
Table 1. X- ay di ac ion esul s o o e sample - inpu
mine al
qua z
py i e
chalcopy i e
sphale i e
albi e
chlo i e
musco i e
ba i e
con en
[%]
87.03
2.30
1.59
3.64
1.89
1.28
0.48
1.79
Elemen al composi ion was de e mined using XRF analysis (Tab. 2). O he main o e mine als, Zn con en
was 2.79 % and Cu 0.41 %. In addi ion o he elemen s lis ed in he able in polyme allic o es occu ing elemen s
in ace amoun s.
Table 2. XRF analysis esul s o o e sample - inpu
elemen
Al2O3
SiO2
Fe2O3
Cu
Zn
Pb
S
con en [%]
1.91
76.08
6,95
0.41
2.79
0.11
4.96
To educe he qua z con en o he sample, we used hea y medium sepa a ion. The modi ied sample was
subjec ed o hea y medium sepa a ion. The medium was 1,1,2,2- e ab ome hane 98.8 % wi h a densi y o
2.967 g.cm-3. The sample was washed wi h me hanol and dis illed wa e , and le o d y a 105°C.
The ob ained sink ac ion was subjec ed o lo a ion es s. The p ocedu e scheme is shown in Fig. 1.
Flo a ion es s we e pe o med on a pneuma ic-mechanical lo a ion machine VRF-1 wi h a lo a ion cell olume
o 1dm3. Fo each expe imen , we used 100 g/l o sample. The sample was condi ioned o 2 minu es.
Subsequen ly, he collec o was added, and condi ioning con inued o 2 minu es, he o he was added and
condi ioned o 1 minu e. Concen a e was ob ained a e 10 minu es. Po assium amylxan ha e (PAX) was used as
he collec o , he polye hyleneglycol (PEG) was he o he and Ca(OH)2 was used o adjus he pH. I was used
o lo a ion es s 3180 g/ PEG and 36 g/ , 42 g/ , 56 g/ , 70 g/ and 84 g/ PAX. Following he lo a ion es s in
which he mos app op ia e collec o dose was selec ed, he pH was moni o ed 8, 9, 10, 11.
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DOI 10.35180/gse-2020-0030
Figu e 1. P ocedu e scheme
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Hea y medium sepa a ion
A 9 kg sample o polyme allic o e was used o hea y medium sepa a ion. O he o al amoun , 1 kg was
ob ained as a sink ac ion and he emaining ac ion was a loa ac ion. Based on XRD analysis, he loa ac ion
was mo e han 90 % qua z, musco i e, albi e and chlo i e. Because o i s composi ion, he loa ac ion was no
u he in e es ing o p ocessing.
Table 3 shows he composi ion o a sample o sink ac ion om hea y medium sepa a ion. The applica ion
o hea y medium sepa a ion was p epa ed using sulphidic concen a e con aining 30.10 % Fe2O3, 11.50 % Zn,
0.99 % Cu, 26.88 % S. The con en o SiO2 was educed om 76.08 % o 30.10 %.
Table 3. XRF analysis esul s o sink ac ion
elemen
Al2O3
SiO2
Fe2O3
Cu
Zn
Pb
S
con en [%]
1.35
30.10
30.10
0.99
11.50
0.14
26.88
Flo a ion
The i s lo a ion ocused on selec ing he mos sui able collec o amoun . The pH was cons an du ing he
lo a ion es s, he pH was 6.1. Figu e 2 and Table 4 show he esul s o lo a ion es s. Wi h inc easing dose o
PAX collec o , Cu eco e y in indi idual concen a es inc eased. The highes Cu eco e y o 94.23 % in he
concen a e was achie ed a a collec o dose o 84 g/ . Wi h inc easing dose o PAX, he lo a ion e iciency
inc eased. A a dose o 84 g/ PAX, an e iciency o 77.22 % was achie ed, while he lowes e iciency was
61.36 % a a dose o 70 g/ . The highes mass eco e y o 60 % was ob ained a he 56 g/ PAX dose, while he
lowes mass eco e y o 45 % was a he 42 g/ PAX dose. The Cu con en in he concen a es anged om 1.12
o 1.13 %, only a a dose o 36 g/ PAX he highes Cu con en o 1.2 % was achie ed. The en ichmen o Cu was
in ange o 1.13-1.20 %. The highes en ichmen o Cu was 1.20 % a he dose 36 g/ and 70 g/ PAX. Acco ding
o he esul s, a dose o 84 g/ PAX was selec ed o u he lo a ion es s.
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Figu e 2. Resul s o lo a ion es s
Rm – Cu eco e y, SE_Cu - sepa a ion e iciency o Cu, - mass eco e y
Table 4. Con en o Cu and en ichmen o Cu in he sample
dose collec o
con en Cu [%]
en ichmen Cu [%]
36 g/
1.2
1.20
42 g/
1.13
1.14
56 g/
1.13
1.14
70 g/
1.19
1.20
84 g/
1.12
1.13
Cu eco e y was calcula ed acco ding o he ollowing o mula [16]:
𝑅𝑚=𝑐∙(𝑓−𝑡)
𝑓∙(𝑐−𝑡)∙100% (1)
whe e:
= Cu in he o e, c = Cu in he concen a e, = Cu in ailings, Rm = he eco e y o he aluable mine al.
Sepa a ion e iciency was calcula ed acco ding o he o mula [17]:
𝑆𝐸𝐶𝑢 = 𝑅𝑚− 𝑅𝑔 (2)
whe e:
SECu = sepa a ion e iciency o Cu (%), Rm = he eco e y o he aluable mine al and Rg = eco e y o he
gangue in o he concen a e.
Vizca a e al. [18] s udied he e ec o pa icle shape p ope ies on chalcopy i e lo a ion kine ics. The
esul s o he s udy showed ha he pa icle shape p ope ies a e only impo an o mine als ha a e cha ac e ized
by slow lo a ion kine ics, so hey a e likely o be o g ea e impo ance o weakly hyd ophobic pa icles. In he
p esence o PAX, he shape p ope ies we e no ound o con ibu e signi ican ly o he a e a which he pa icles
loa .
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
36 g/ 42 g/ 56 g/ 70 g/ 84 g/
[%]
Collec o
Rm
SE_Cu
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The aim o he second pa o he lo a ion es s was o selec he op imal pH, a which py i e was dep essed.
Dep ession o py i e in coppe concen a e occu s a high pH. Lime is mos o en used o dep ess py i e a pH 11
[19]. The amoun o collec o used in hese es s was 84 g/ . Figu e 3 and Table 5 show he esul s o lo a ion es s
o di e en pH alues. Wi h inc easing pH, Cu eco e y in di e en concen a es inc eased. The e y highes Cu
eco e y o 86.22 % was ob ained a pH 11. The e iciency o indi idual lo a ions inc eased wi h inc easing pH.
The e y highes e iciency o 55.98 % was achie ed a pH 11, while he lowes e iciency o 14.15 % was a pH
8. The mass eco e y o concen a e inc eased wi h inc easing pH. The highes mass eco e y 60.37 % was
ob ained a pH 11. In con as , he lowes mass eco e y a pH 8 was 40.0 %. Wi h inc easing pH, he Cu con en
in he concen a e dec eased. A pH 8, he Cu con en was 1.86 %, bu a pH 11 only 1.25 %. Concu en ly wi h
inc easing pH, he Cu en ichmen in he concen a e dec eased. A pH 8, he Cu en ichmen was 1.88 %, bu a pH
11 was 1.26 %.
Figu e 3. Resul s o lo a ion es s
Rm - Cu eco e y, SE_Cu - sepa a ion e iciency o Cu, - mass eco e y
Table 5. Con en o Cu and en ichmen o Cu in he sample
pH
con en Cu [%]
en ichmen Cu [%]
8
1.86
1.88
9
1.72
1.74
10
1.38
1.40
11
1.25
1.26
Figu e 4 shows he esul s o dep essing py i e a di e en pH alues. Wi h inc easing pH, he con en o
py i e in he concen a e dec eased. A pH 8 he py i e con en o 9.26 %, bu a pH 11 py i e con en was only
4.20 %. The lowes amoun o py i e was a pH 10, he con en was 4.01 %. Based on he esul , in which py i e
was dep essed he bes pH was 10. A pH 10 he g ea es dep essing o py i e showed, whe ein he con en was
4.01 % and he con en chalcopy i e in he concen a e was 13.16 %.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
8 9 10 11
[%]
pH
Rm
SE_Cu

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DOI 10.35180/gse-2020-0030
Figu e 4. Resul s o py i e dep ession
4 CONCLUSION
A sample o polyme allic o es om he Zla e Ho y-Eas deposi was subjec ed o lo a ion. The sample was
adjus ed o a sui able g ain size and subjec ed o X- ay and XRF analysis. On he basis o he ob ained esul s, he
sepa a ion o qua z in hea y medium sepa a ion and subsequen lo a ion was pe o med. Fi s , he e ec a ious
dosages o collec o on he lo a ion e iciency was obse ed. The second se ies o lo a ion was used o de e mine
pH a which o achie e maximum dep essing o py i e. Wi h inc easing he dose o PAX collec o , Cu eco e y in
indi idual concen a es inc eased. As a esul , i u ned ou ha he dose o 84 g/ PAX was he bes dose o nex
lo a ion. As he pH o he medium inc eased, he py i e con en o he concen a e was educed. The con en py i e
in concen a e was 4.01 % o pH 10. Concu en ly wi h inc eased pH, lo a ion e iciency inc eased. In he o iginal
polyme allic o e, he Cu con en was 0.41 % a e subsequen ea men and lo a ion es s, he Cu con en was
inc eased o 1.38 % wi h Cu eco e y 86.18 %.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This wo k was suppo ed by S uden G an P ojec SP2019/63 Was e om mining ac i i ies - aw ma e ial
esou ces. P ojec sus ainabili y No. LO1406 - Ins i u e o Clean Technologies o Mining and Use o Ene gy Raw
Ma e ials and he g an p og am "Suppo o Science and Resea ch in he Mo a ian-Silesian Region 2018" (RRC
/ 10/2018) and inanced om he budge o he Mo a ian-Silesian Region.
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