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Penalty Element Separation from Copper Concetrates Utilizing Froth Flotation

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Penalty Element Separation from Copper Concetrates Utilizing Froth Flotation PENALTY ELEMENT SEPARATION FROM COPPER CONCETRATES UTILIZING FROTH FLOTATION by Zachery Zanetell A thesis submitted to the Faculty and the Board of Trustees of the Colorado School of Mines in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (Metallurgical and Materials Engineering). Golden, CO Date: Signed: Zachery A. Zanetell Signed: Dr. Patrick R. Taylor Thesis Advisor Golden, CO Date: Signed: Dr. Michael Kaufman Professor and Head Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering ii ABSTRACT The copper ores that are currently being considered for development and processing are lower in grade and contain higher amounts of deleterious elements, which create difficulty in achieving a final copper concentrate that meets current restrictions. This presents increasing challenges to the process metallurgists during project development as well as to presently operating mines and mills. This thesis will focus on the separation of the deleterious elements, also known as penalty elements, mainly bismuth and arsenic from a copper concentrate using froth flotation techniques. The ability to separate penalty elements from copper concentrates will directly benefit mining companies by creating a final copper concentrate that will result in fewer financial penalties from smelter refineries. iii Table of Contents Abstract ......................................................................................................................................................... iii List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................... vii List of tables ................................................................................................................................................ viii List of Equations ........................................................................................................................................... xi Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................................... xii Chapter 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 Chapter 2 Literature Review ........................................................................................................................ 3 2.1. Fundamentals of Froth Flotation ..................................................................................................... 3 2.2. Selective Oxidation of Arsenic Minerals during Flotation ............................................................... 6 2.3. Depression of Arsenic Minerals in Flotation by Controlled Potentials ............................................ 7 2.4. Depression/Flotation of Arsenic Minerals ....................................................................................... 8 2.5. Bismuth Flotation ............................................................................................................................ 9 2.6. Characterization of Ores and Flotation Products ......................................................................... 11 Chapter 3 Experimental Procedures .......................................................................................................... 13 3.1. Testwork Samples ........................................................................................................................ 13 3.2. Blending, Splitting and Storage of Testwork Samples ................................................................. 13 3.3. Mineralogical Sample Preparation ................................................................................................ 14 3.3.1. Preparation of Epoxy Mounts ................................................................................................ 15 3.3.2. Surface Preparation of Epoxy Mounts .................................................................................. 16 3.3.3. Carbon Coating ..................................................................................................................... 17 3.3.4. Mineral Liberation Analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy ............................................. 17 3.4. Analytical Methods ........................................................................................................................ 19 3.4.1. Four Acid Digestion ICP-260-X to determine Ag, Bi, Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb and Zn ....................... 19 3.5. Analysis of Bismuth by Bi-ICP-MS ............................................................................................... 20 iv 3.5.1. Standard Operating Procedure- Perkin Elmer NexION ICPMS 300D .................................. 20 3.5.2. Perkin Elmer NexION ICP-MS 300D Method ........................................................................ 21 3.6. Chemicals ..................................................................................................................................... 21 3.7. Metallurgical Methods ................................................................................................................... 22 3.7.1. Flotation Procedure ............................................................................................................... 22 3.7.2. Particle Size Characterization – Screen Analysis ................................................................. 23 3.7.3. Particle Size Analysis – Cyclosizer Analysis ......................................................................... 24 Chapter 4 Characterization of Copper Ore and Testwork Feed Samples ................................................. 25 4.1. Analytical Characterization of Head Samples .............................................................................. 25 4.2. Mineralogical Characterization by XRD ........................................................................................ 28 4.3. Mineralogical Characterization by MLA ........................................................................................ 28 4.3.1. MLA Calculated Assay vs. Chemical Analysis ...................................................................... 29 4.3.2. Distribution of Penalty Element Minerals – Final and Rougher Concentrates ...................... 30 4.3.3. Modal Mineralogy .................................................................................................................. 30 4.3.4. Mineral Liberation by Free Surface – Bismuth Minerals ....................................................... 35 4.3.5. Mineral Association – Bismuth Minerals ............................................................................... 41 4.3.6. Penalty Element Transport – Flowsheet Distribution ............................................................ 42 Chapter 5 Metallurgical Testwork Results ................................................................................................. 44 5.1. Metallurgical Testwork Approach ................................................................................................. 44 5.2. Baseline Metallurgical Testwork Results- Final Concentrate ....................................................... 45 5.3. Depression of Copper Minerals – Final Concentrate ................................................................... 50 5.4. Depression of Bismuth Minerals – Final Concentrate .................................................................. 52 5.5. Baseline Metallurgical Testwork Results- Rougher Concentrate ................................................. 58 5.6. Depression of Bismuth Minerals – Rougher Concentrate ............................................................ 61 5.7. Pre-aeration Screening Tests – Rougher Concentrates .............................................................. 70 5.8. Summary of Successful Separation Tests – Final and Rougher Concentrates ........................... 70 5.9. Confirmation Test – Rougher Concentrate ................................................................................... 70 Chapter 6 Conclusions and Recommendations ........................................................................................ 74 References Cited ........................................................................................................................................ 77 v Appendix A .................................................................................................................................................. 80 Appendix B .................................................................................................................................................. 86 Appendix C .................................................................................................................................................. 90 Appendix D .................................................................................................................................................. 93 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1: Classical flotation cell schematic (Zhengzhou ZY Machinery CO.,LTD n.d.) ............................. 4 Figure 2.2: General flotation diagram ........................................................................................................... 5 Figure 3.1: Grinding and polishing sequence for Struers TegraPol-35 ...................................................... 17 Figure 3.2: Carbon coating brass stub color with corresponding
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