International Mining Congress and Exhibition of Turkey-IMCET

ABSTRACT: Several different reagents have been used in flotation process all around the world. Flotation response of minerals could be changed not only by the type of reagents used in the plant but by the addition points of these reagents also. Therefore, it is important to determine the most appropriate reagent addition points in the flotation plant in order to obtain the best metallurgical results. In this study, flotation tests were performed in order to determine the effects of reagent addition points and aeration on the flotation behaviour of sulphide minerals. Collector and lime were added together or separately before grinding or after grinding at the flotation tests. Moreover, flotation pulp was aerated in two tests in order to determine the effect of aera tion. It was found that the pulp potential changed significantly as the collector and/or lime addition points were changed. Also, the flotation behaviour of ehalcopyrite, pyrite and sphalerite was affected by the changes in the reagent addition points and aeration. Not only the copper grade and recovery of Cu rougher concentrate were affected but also chalcopyrite-sphalerite and chalcopyrite-pyrite selectivity was considerably affected. It was concluded that both reagent addition points and aeration affected the flotation behaviour of sulphide minerals in different ways. Hence, the selection of reagent addition points in a flotation plant was very im portant that it affects the recovery and the selectivity in the flotation of sulphide minerals. The subject has to be studied in detail in order to obtain the best results in the plant