Study on the effect of a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ferrous sulfate on the floatability of chalcopyrite and molybdenite

摘要

Oxidation treatment using hydrogen peroxide (H_2O_2) has been employed for selective flotation of copper-molybdenum ores. However, this treatment is not economically viable due to the high concentration of H_2O_2 used in this process. The depression mechanism of chalcopyrite using H_2O_2 is believed to involve the Fenton's reaction, which mainly the reaction between iron ions with H_2O_2. Therefore, in this study, ferrous sulfate (FeS04) was used to improve the oxidation performance of H_2O_2 aqueous solution. Contact angle readings showed that chalcopyrite surface was more sensitive to surface oxidation compared to that of molybdenite in H_2O_2 aqueous solution both with and without FeS04. In addition, a selective oxidation was observed in a mixture of FeS04 and H_2O_2 aqueous solution. The floatability test of single mineral confirmed the contact angle results, indicating a possibility for selective separation of chalcopyrite and molybdenite using a mixture of FeS04 and H_2O_2 aqueous solution.