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j m a t e r r e s t e c h n o l .

2 0 1 6;5(2):131–135

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com

www.jmrt.com.br

Original Article

The critical importance of pulp concentration on


the flotation of galena from a low grade lead–zinc
ore

Xianping Luo a,b , Bo Feng a,b,∗ , Cunjian Wong a , Jiancheng Miao c , Bin Ma c , Hepeng Zhou a

a Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Mining Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou, China
b Western Mining Co., LTD, Qinghai Key Laboratory of Plateau Comprehensive Utilization and Mineral Processing Engineering, Xining,
China
c Nanjing Yinmao Lead-Zinc Mining Co., Ltd., China

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The Qixia orebody is a complex lead–zinc sulfide system with pyrite gangue and minor
Received 6 April 2015 amounts of copper. In order to improve the flotation results, laboratory scale flotation testing
Accepted 22 October 2015 of ore samples taken from this operation was performed. Flotation tests used a sequential
Available online 11 December 2015 recovery protocol for selective flotation of first the lead and thereafter the zinc. The key
parameters that influence flotation performance of lead mineral were tested in this paper.
Keywords: The test data show that, for comparable collector, grinding time, flotation pH and solid-
Lead–zinc sulfide ore in-pulp concentration, the increase of solid-in-pulp concentration has the most significant
Low grade effect on the recovery and selective separation of lead mineral. The increase of solid-in-pulp
Pulp concentration concentration from 27% to 55% makes the recovery of lead mineral increased from 60% to
Flotation 80% and the lead grade increased from 27.5% to 29.1%.
© 2015 Brazilian Metallurgical, Materials and Mining Association. Published by Elsevier
Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

In general, there are two basic approaches to achieve


1. Introduction lead–zinc sulfide mineral separation: to depress zinc sulfide
and float lead sulfide, or a bulk lead sulfide and zinc sulfide
Lead and zinc metals are widely used in the fields such as elec- concentrate is floated first, followed by the Pb–Zn separation
trical, mechanical, military, metallurgical, chemical, light and [3,4]. In the past decades, many studies on flotation separation
medical [1]. As an important resource of lead and zinc min- of lead–zinc sulfide ores have been carried out [5–7].
eral, sulfide ore plays an important role in the development of The Qixia orebody located in Jiangsu province of China is
world economy. However, in most cases, lead–zinc–iron sulfide a complex lead–zinc sulfide system with pyrite gangue and
ores are grouped together in the deposits [2]. minor amounts of copper. In order to improve the flotation


Corresponding author.
E-mail: fengbo319@163.com (B. Feng).
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2015.10.002
2238-7854/© 2015 Brazilian Metallurgical, Materials and Mining Association. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.
132 j m a t e r r e s t e c h n o l . 2 0 1 6;5(2):131–135

Table 1 – The main chemical composition of the lead–zinc ore sample (mass fraction,%).
Element Cu Pb Zn Fe S Mn CaO

Content 0.12 1.30 3.15 28.88 30.06 2.27 6.68

Element MgO Al2 O3 SiO2 Others

Content 1.05 0.56 8.45 17.48

Table 2 – The mineral composition of the lead–zinc ore sample (%).


Mineral Content Mineral Content Mineral Content

Pyrite 43.45 Graphite 0.50 Marcasite Trace


Sphalerite 9.50 Quartz 14.06 Magnetite Trace
Galena 4.28 Clay minerals 1.52 Pyrrhotite Trace
Chalcopyrite 0.26 Calcite 25.10 Covellite Trace
Tetrahedrite 0.30 Sericite 1.00 Hematite Trace

performance of this ore, many studies have been done. The feed
However, the flotation performance is difficult to be improved
although many reagents and flotation flowsheets have been Grinding
tested. In this study, some factors that may influence the
flotation performance of this ore were tested. The objective thickening pulp
of this study is to point out a solution to the flotation problem
of low grade lead–zinc sulfide ore. Lime
Zinc sulfate and Sodium silicate
Collector
2. Experimental
Methyl isobutyl carbinol

2.1. Materials and reagents Lead flotation

The lead–zinc ore was supplied by Nanjing Yinmao Lead-


zinc Mining Co., Ltd., China. The ore is of low lead grade Lead concentrate
(approximately 1.3%). The results of the chemical analysis are
Zinc flotation
shown in Table 1. A quantitative mineralogy determination
using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and mineral liberation
analyzer (MLA) were done by the analytical laboratory and
Zinc concentrate Tailing
the results indicated that the main valuable minerals are
galena, sphalerite and the gangue minerals are pyrite, quartz Fig. 1 – The flowsheet of flotation tests.
and calcite (Table 2). According to this result, the flotation
flowsheet and the reagents can be determined.
The reagents used were: depressant (Lime, Zinc sulfate and
depressant (Zinc sulfate and Sodium silicate), collector and
Sodium silicate), collector (Diethyldithiocarbamate; Ammo-
frother (Methyl isobutyl carbinol) were added and conditioned
nium butyl aerofloat; Potassium butylxanthate and Thiamine
for 5 min, respectively, to allow reagent adsorption. After the
ester) and frother (Methyl isobutyl carbinol).
conditioning time, the flotation of lead minerals started with
the injection of air in the flotation cell, the air flow rate was
2.2. Methods
kept at 0.1 Nm3 /h monitored with a flow meter. Flotation was
performed for 5 min and the concentrate was collected. In this
2.2.1. Grinding
paper, only the flotation of lead minerals was shown.
Ore samples were crushed to −2 mm, riffled into represen-
tative samples of 500 g, purged with nitrogen during storage.
For each flotation experiment, samples were ground in a mild 3. Results and discussion
steel rod mill for a certain time. Lime, as pH regulator was
added at the grinding stage. As most minerals are finely disseminated and intimately
associated with the gangue minerals, they must be initially
2.2.2. Flotation liberated before separation can be undertaken [8–10]. The
As shown in Fig. 1, the flotation tests were performed in a effective liberation of lead minerals is the foundation of sep-
XFD-63 flotation cell (self aeration) whose volume for flota- arating lead minerals. Thus, the effect of grinding time on
tion was 1.5 L using an agitation speed of 1800 rpm. The lead mineral flotation was investigated and the results are
solid density in the flotation cell was changed according shown in Fig. 2. The grinding pulp density was about 66%.
to the experimental requirements. During the conditioning, The detailed flotation experimental conditions are as follows:
j m a t e r r e s t e c h n o l . 2 0 1 6;5(2):131–135 133

Content of particles below 0.074 mm (%)


100 35 100

30
90 90
25

Recovery (%)

Grade(%)
80 80
20

15
70 70

10
60 Recovery 60
Grade 5

50 0 50
4 5 6 7 4 5 6 7
Grinding time Grinding time (min)

Fig. 2 – Effect of grinding time on the lead concentrate recovery and grade.

solid concentration: 35%; the dosages of lime, zinc sulfate, can be seen from the results shown in Fig. 3 that the increase of
sodium silicate, thiamine ester and methyl isobutyl carbinol lime dosage from 500 to 800 g/t greatly improved the grade of
were 800, 600, 300, 60 and 21 g/t, respectively. The grinding the lead concentrate without the change of recovery. Accord-
time increased from 4.5 to 7 min. According to the results ing to Fig. 3, the optimum lime dosage is 800 g/t and the pulp
shown in Fig. 2, the increase of grinding time from 4 to 5.8 min pH is 9 at this time.
increased the lead mineral recovery from 66% to 70.5% and The effects of distinct kinds of collectors on the flotation
decreased the lead grade from 31% to 29%. However, grinding performance of lead mineral were studied and the results are
time longer than 5.8 min produces little change in the flotation shown in Fig. 4. The detailed flotation experimental conditions
recovery and selective separation of the lead mineral. Thus, are as follows: solid concentration: 35%; the dosages of lime,
5.8 min (5 min and 48 s) is considered as the optimum grind- zinc sulfate, sodium silicate and methyl isobutyl carbinol were
ing time. When the grinding time is 5.8 min, the fraction of 800, 600, 300 and 21 g/t, respectively. The results show that
particles below 0.074 mm approximately accounts for 80 wt% thiamine ester has selective collecting ability to lead mineral
of the feed. and produces a concentrate with lead grade of 32%, which is
The floatability of pyrite is similar to galena under low pH higher than other collectors. So, thiamine ester was chosen as
condition, which is harmful to the separation of galena from the flotation collector of this ore.
sulfur minerals. However, the galena will be depressed as well The effect of collector (thiamine ester) dosage on the flota-
as pyrite if the pH is too high [11]. Thus, the pH value of the tion of lead mineral was also studied and the results are shown
flotation pulp should be neither too high nor too low. The effect in Fig. 5. The increase of collector dosage from 40 to 60 g/t
of lime dosage on the lead flotation was studied and the results increased the concentrate recovery from 64.5% to 68.5% and
are shown in Fig. 3. The detailed flotation experimental con- then the recovery never changed with further increase of col-
ditions are as follows: solid concentration: 35%; the dosages lector dosage. On the other hand, the lead grade of concentrate
of zinc sulfate, sodium silicate, thiamine ester and methyl decreases from 32.13% to 29.11% with the increase of collector
isobutyl carbinol were 600, 300, 60 and 21 g/t, respectively. It dosage from 60 to 100 g/t. Hence, collector dosage 60 g/t was
maintained as it gives the optimal flotation index.
All the conventional parameters that may influence the
100 35
flotation performance of lead minerals were tested and
Recovery
30
Grade
90 100 50
1. Diethyldithiocarbamate 50k/t Recovery
25
2. Ammonium butyl aerofloat 50k/t Grade
80 3. Potassium butylxanthate 50k/t 40
Recovery (%)

80
Grade (%)

20 4. Thiamine ester 50k/t


Recovery (%)

Grade (%)

60 30
15
70

10 40 20

60
5
20 10

50 0
500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200
0 0
Lime dosage 1 2 3 4

Fig. 3 – Effect of lime dosage on the lead concentrate Fig. 4 – Effect of collector type on the lead concentrate
recovery and grade. recovery and grade.
134 j m a t e r r e s t e c h n o l . 2 0 1 6;5(2):131–135

100 35 concentration enables optimize action of reagents on the min-


eral, and improves the flotation results.
30 The mass balance for flowsheet 1 is shown in Table 3. The
90
lead concentrate contains 2.40% of the original mass, and
25 grades 46.17 wt% Pb, 5.78 wt% Zn, compared to a feed compo-
Recovery (%)

80
sition of 1.3 wt% Pb and 3.15 wt% Zn. A zinc concentrate with

Grade (%)
20
grades of 0.69 wt% Pb, 49.49 wt% Zn was also obtained.

15
70

10
4. Conclusions
Recovery
60
Grade The flotation of lead mineral from a low grade lead–zinc sulfide
5
ore has been investigated using a laboratory scale mechan-
50 0 ical flotation cell. The effect of various operating parameters
40 50 60 70 80 90 100 including type and concentration of collectors, pulp pH, grind-
Collector dosage (g/t)
ing time, solid-in-pulp concentration on the flotation behavior
Fig. 5 – Effect of collector dosage on the lead concentrate of lead mineral have been studied. The following conclusions
recovery and grade. can be made from the experimental results. (a) Thiamine ester
is a suitable collector for the flotation of lead–zinc sulfide
100 30 ore and the optimum collector concentration is 60 g/t. (b) The
optimum pH for the process when using CaO as modifier is
Recovery
Grade 9 and the optimum grinding time is 5.8 min. (c) The solid-in-
90 29
pulp concentration is the most important parameter that will
influence the flotation of lead mineral. The recovery and lead
Recovery (%)

80 28 grade increased with the increase of solid-in-pulp concentra-


Grade (%)

tion until 50%.

70 27

Conflicts of interest
60 26
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

50 25
25 30 35 40 45 50 55
solid-in-pulp concentration Acknowledgements

Fig. 6 – Effect of solid-in-pulp concentration on the lead The authors acknowledge the support of the National Nat-
concentrate recovery and grade. ural Science Foundation of China (No. 51374116), Jiangxi
Province Technology Demonstration Project of Industrializa-
tion of Invention Patent (20143BBM26047), and Jiangxi Province
optimized. However, the recovery of lead mineral is still low. Science and Technology Support Program (20111BBE50015).
Drawing on the literature in flotation area, a dependence
of mineral recovery upon solid-in-pulp concentration can be
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