TITLE:
The Effect of Sulfurization Process on Flotation of Copper Ore Containing Gold and Silver
AUTHORS:
Ibrahim TEGIN, Recep ZIYADANOGULLARI
KEYWORDS:
Sulfurization, flotation, copper, gold, silver
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering,
Vol.7 No.3,
September
20,
2008
ABSTRACT: In this study, experiments were carried out on copper ore containing gold and
silver obtained from Kisecik village of Hatay, which is in the south of Turkey. Analyses of
original ore showed that the sample contained 4.93 % Cu, 0.007 % Co, 0.92 % Zn, 11.41
% Fe, 10.72, % S, 4.72 g/t Au and 12.80 g/t Ag. It was determined that gold and silver
could not be reached with satisfactory yields by flotation of original ore at the defined size.
Thus, original ore was sulfurized before the flotation. By the flotation of the sulfurized ore,
it was seen that Au, Ag, Cu, Zn and Co were collected with fairly high yields in the
concentrate phase. In the optimum flotation conditions, all of gold, 96.52 % Ag, 98.52 %
Cu, 97.20 % Zn and 94.77 % Co passed into concentrate phase. The concentrate grades of
Au, Ag, Cu, Zn and Co were found as 8.62 g/t, 21.42 g/t, 7.81%, 0.01%, and 1.81%,
respectively. From the concentrate obtained from this process, it was determined that Au,
Ag, Cu, Zn and Co can be recovered by hydrometallurgical method.
The effect of the parameters such as pH, pulp density, particle size and collector
amount were investigated. KAX was used as collector and Dow-250 was used as frother.