Impact of aqueous species and fine colloidal matter in process water on flotation performance at Rio Tinto Kennecott's Copperton Concentrator

摘要

The Rio Tinto Kennecott Cu-Mo-Au-Ag operation has pockets of skarn ores, which have been treated periodically. Processing of this ore type typically results in lower Cu and Mo recoveries as well as plant upsets, both when the ore is treated by itself or in conjunction with the non-skarn ores. Mineralogical studies of these skarn ores suggest higher concentrations of deleterious gangue with no significant difference in the valuable mineral composition (mostly chalcopyrite) or the degree of liberation of the value minerals. The gangue mineral composition led to the hypothesis that aqueous species in process water emanating from non-sulfide gangue are responsible for the poor recoveries. The present investigations using flotation tests, spiking experiments, and water chemistry studies indicate that the changes in water quality are attributed to both fine colloidal matter, as well as soluble mineral species, resulting in poor flotation performance. Restoration of flotation performance with modifiers is also discussed. Affiliationsa) Rio Tinto Kennecott, Bingham Canyon, UT, USA b) Solvay Mining Solutions, 1937 W Main St, Stamford, CT, USA