Copper and Molybdenite Recovery in Plant and Batch Laboratory Cells in Porphyry Copper Rougher Flotation
In this paper, the recovery of copper minerals and molybdenite in the rougher/scavenger banks of two separate mineral processing plants is compared with recovery in laboratory (batch) cells. A number of metallurgical surveys were conducted in two plants treating porphyry copper and molybdenum ore. Batch flotation tests were performed on plant conditioned flotation feed slurry, in parallel with the plant metallurgical surveys. The effect of flotation feed density on recovery of copper minerals and molybdenite in the plant and batch laboratory cells was investigated. Changes in flotation pulp density had little effect on copper mineral recovery, in both plant and laboratory cells. The ultimate recovery for molybdenite, on the contrary, increased considerably when the pulp density was reduced, both at plant and laboratory scale. Recovery of copper minerals in the plant and laboratory cells was comparable, while molybdenite recovery in laboratory flotation cells was 3%~13%higher than in plant. It is hypothesised that the flotation rate of molybdenite is sensitive to cell hydrodynamic conditions (i.e. local turbulent energy dissipation) more than the flotation rate of copper.The flotation behaviour of molybdenite particles is likely to be predominantly controlled by bubble-particle collision frequency, which is enhanced in high local turbulent energy dissipation environment. For chalcopyrite, the flotation recovery is mostly determined by attachment and stability efficiencies. An increase in local turbulent energy dissipation, while increasing collision efficiency,may negatively impact on attachment and stability efficiencies.The outcomes may have a considerable impact on increasing molybdenite recovery from porphyry ores.
Porphyry copper and molybdenite ore Flotation Copper recovery Molybdenite Recovery Flotation model Local energy dissipation
I. Ametov S. R. Grano M. Zanin S. Gredelj R. Magnuson T. Bolles Triffett
Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, Australia Freeport McMoRan Inc Process Technology Centre, Safford. USA Rio Tinto Kennecott Utah Copperton Concentrator, South Fremont Drive Salt Lake City, USA
国际会议
XXIV International Mineral Processing Congress(第24届国际矿物加工大会)
北京
英文
1129-1137
2008-09-24(万方平台首次上网日期,不代表论文的发表时间)