Principles and Practice of Sulphide Mineral Flotation: R. Herrera-Urbina S. Hanson G. H. Harris D. W. Fuerstenau

Principles and practice of sulphide mineral
flotation
R. Herrera-Urbina
J. S.Hanson
G . H. Harris
D. W. Fuerstenau
Department of Materials Science and Mineral Engineering, University of California
at Berkeley, Berkeley, California, U.S.A.
SYNOPSIS compiled recently by the United States Bureau of Mines,

This paper presents both the fundamentals of sulphide the largest tonnage of ores treated by flotation
mineral flotation and the practical aspects of sulphide corresponds to sulphide ores, which also consume the
ore flotation. The fundamental aspects of the flotation largest amount of reagents.2 Today, froth flotation of
of sulphide minerals both in the absence and presence of sulphide ores constitutes the single most important
thiol collectors are discussed in relation to their crystal operation for the concentration of sulphide minerals.
structure, surface chemistry and electrochemical Current flotation practice often involves the separation
characteristics. Since the electrochemistry of the of three or four sulphides from the same ore.
sulphide mineral/aqueous solution interface and of Industrially important sulphide minerals include
various sulphide mineral/aqueous thio-compound galena, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, pyrite, chalcocite and
systems has been amply investigated over the past two molybdenite. Traditionally, these minerals have been
decades, the results of these modem electrochemical separated from each other using relatively simple
studies are briefly reviewed. Mechanisms of the action flotation schemes to process high-grade, coarse-gra ined
of various flotation reagents, including collectors, ores. Because of the depletion of these easy-to-process
activators and depressants, commonly used in sulphide ores, however, flotation scientists and engineers are
mineral flotation are discussed in terms of the chemical now confronted with the need to exploit existing low-
and electrochemical principles presented within this grade sulphide deposits with complex mineralogical
paper. Simplified flow sheets of representative flotation composition and finely disseminated values. As a result
plant operations are given to illustrate how these of this need, in recent years the flotation of complex
principles are applied for the commercial separation of sulphide ores has been the topic of a number of
sulphide minerals from their ores. Various novel symposia and workshops.3-5
techniques that take advantage of controlling the In contrast to the extensive amount of progress
electrochemical and physical behaviour of the flotation that has been gained ind ustrially, a clear understanding
system are also presented. of the basic principles of the flotation of sulphide
minerals has not yet been achieved though most of the
early fundamental flotation research involved
The practice of sulphide minerals flotation is as old as investigation of the flotation behaviour of this group of
the flotation process itself. In the United States, for minerals. The way by which those sulphides that do not
example, the first froth flotation plant began operation exhibit natural flotability are made to respond to
in 1911 at the Butte and Superior Copper mill in Basin, flotation has been perhaps the aspect investigated more
Montana and recovered sphalerite from slimes intensively and in the greatest detail. This aspect
(material 92% finer than 150 meshl.I Although in 1911 involves the interaction of the mineral with
sphalerite was the only sulphide mineral concentrated amphiphatic surfactants, which are called collectors in
commercially by flotation, over the years the industrial flotation term inology, that adsorb at the solid/solution
flotation of sulphides has grown impressively in size, interface and make the attachment of an air bubble to
complexity and importance. According to statistics the mineral surface thermodynamically favourable.
87
P. M. J. Gray et al. (eds.), Sulphide deposits—their origin and processing
© The Institution of Mining and Metallurgy 1990
Since the discovery in 1925 by Keller6 that the alkali sulphide minerals flotation and the practical aspects of
xanthates act as collectors of sulphide minerals, these sulphide ores flotation . Since the crystal structure and
thio-eompounds have become the universal collectors surface chemistry of sulphides determine their response
for sulphide minerals other than molybdenite. In spite to flotation, the nature of the sulphide mineral surface
of over half a century of continued research on the will be examined first to delineate the effect of crystal
interaction of this thiol collector and sulphide minerals, structure on the inherent hydrophobicity of some of
this system is nowyielding both new results and these minerals. For sulphide minerals that do not
problems as new experimental techniques are exhibit natural flotability, approaches to render their
introduced in modem flotation research and ultimately surfaces hydrophobic and the phenomena involved are
into flotation plant practice. In addition to xanthates, discussed. How the surfaces of sulphides interact with
such thio-eompounds as dithiophosphates (patented by thiol collectors, depressants and activators used
Whitworth in 1926) and thiocarbamates (patented by commercially for the concentration of sulphide
Harris and Fischback in 1954) are also common sulphide minerals by flotation are analysed. Over the past two
minerals collectors. Although the interaction of thiol decades, the electrochemical aspects of these interactions
collectors and sulphide minerals is not completely have received considerable attention. Results of these
understood, both its chemical and electrochemical studies will be reviewed briefly and discussed to the
nature has been amply documented. Galena, bornite extent that various working hypotheses can be applied
and chalcocite, for example, interact chemically with to plant practice. To illustrate how these fundamental
thiol collectors producing a surface metal thiolate.7 On aspects of flotation chemistry are applied for the
the basis of modem electrochemical studies, on the separation of sulphide minerals from their ores,
other hand, it has been possible to propose a mixed- simplified flowsheets of representative commercial
potential model to rigorously explain the electro- operations will be given. In addition, various novel
chemical nature of this interaction. This model states techniques that take advantage of controlling the
that the hydrophilic/hydrophobic transformation of the electrochemical and physical aspects of the system are
sulphide mineral surface by the interaction with a thio- also presented.
compound involves simultaneous electrochemical
reactions. The cathodic step is usually the reduction of CRYSTAL STRUCTURE AND SURFACE CHEMISTRY
oxygen, while the anodic step involves the oxidation of OF SULPHIDES
the collector.8 Surface chemistry is the very basis of flotation.
Apart from the issue of how thiol collectors Therefore, a complete understanding of the physical-
interact with sulphide minerals making them amenable chemical characteristics of solid surfaces is essential to
to flotation, various aspects of these flotation systems better understand the complex phenomena taking place
remain unclear. For example, the role of oxygen has during flotation . These surface characteristics are
become the most controversial issue mainly because of determined by such crystal properties as the types of
lack of adequate oxygen control in many investigations. forces that hold the solid together, that is the chemical
Based on the most recent results on electrochemical bonding, and its atomic or molecular structure. Surfaces
research, however, it is now widely recognized that an created by the rupture of bonds other that van der Waals
electron transfer is associated with the adsorption of a bonds contain very reactive, ionic sites, while those
thiol collector to make most sulphide surfaces surfaces created by the rupture of van der Waals bonds
hydrophobic. Industrially, oxygen acts as the electron are capable of reacting with the environment only
acceptor but can be substituted by other oxidizing agents through van der Waals type interactions. Furthermore,
such as sodium hypochlorite,9 or by anodic oxidation . the interaction between the surfaces of solids and their
After many years of being denied as a real phenomenon, environment depends on the solid's cleavage
the flotation response of sulphide minerals in the characteristics, which are determined by the type of
absence of collectors and under certain conditions is bonds that are most susceptible to breakage during size
now well documented. lO Mildly oxidizing reduction. Using such techniques as X-ray diffraction
environments render some sulphide minerals and 8 -a solution diffractometry, Lindqvist and Stridh ll
amenable to flotation without collectors. have demonstrated that the flotation behaviour of
This paper presents both the fundamentals of galena, pyrite and sphalerite is directly related to a
88

Principles and Practice of Sulphide Mineral Flotation: R. Herrera-Urbina S. Hanson G. H. Harris D. W. Fuerstenau

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Principles and Practice of Sulphide Mineral Flotation: R. Herrera-Urbina S. Hanson G. H. Harris D. W. Fuerstenau

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Principles and Practice of Sulphide Mineral Flotation: R. Herrera-Urbina S. Hanson G. H. Harris D. W. Fuerstenau

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Principles and practice of sulphide mineral

SYNOPSIS compiled recently by the United States Bureau of Mines,

You might also like