Assessment of the flotability of chalcopyrite, molybdenite and pyrite using biosolids and their main components as collectors for greening the froth flotation of copper sulphide ores.

Biosolids and representative compounds of their main components ? humic acids, sugars, and proteins ? have been tested as possible environment-friendly collectors and frothers for the flotation of copper sulphide ores. The floatability of chalcopyrite and molybdenite ? both valuable sulphide mineral...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Sobarzo, Francisco, Herrera Urbina, Ronaldo, Higueras Higueras, Pablo León, Sáez Navarrete, César, Godoy Faúndez, Alex, Reyes Bozo, Lorenzo, Vásquez Bestagno, Jorge
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2014
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha
Repositorio:RUIdeRA. Repositorio Institucional de la UCLM
OAI Identifier:oai:ruidera.uclm.es:10578/3747
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10578/3747
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Tecnología química
Ingenierías
Ciencias de la tierra
Descripción
Sumario:Biosolids and representative compounds of their main components ? humic acids, sugars, and proteins ? have been tested as possible environment-friendly collectors and frothers for the flotation of copper sulphide ores. The floatability of chalcopyrite and molybdenite ? both valuable sulphide minerals present in these ores ? as well as non-valuable pyrite was assessed through Hallimond tube flotation tests. Humic acids exhibit similar collector ability for chalcopyrite and molybdenite as that of a commercial collector (Aero 6697 promoter). Biosolids show more affinity for pyrite. The copper recovery (85.9%) and copper grade (6.7%) of a rougher concentrate obtained using humic acids as main collector for the flotation of a copper sulphide ore from Chile, were very similar to those of a copper concentrate produced by froth flotation under the same conditions with a xanthate type commercial collector. This new and feasible end-use of biosolids and humic acids should be new environment-friendly organic froth flotation agents for greening the concentration of copper sulphide ore. Now, further research is needed in order to scale current laboratory assays to operational mining scales to determine efficiencies to industrial scale.