A New Application For Flotation Of Oxidized Copper Ore

Recep Ziyadanogullari, Firat Aydin

Dicle University, Faculty of Science and Art, Chemistry Department,21280, Diyarbak?r-TURKEY.

DOI: 10.4236/jmmce.2005.42006                

Abstract

In this study, the flotation of oxidized copper ore obtained from Ergani Copper Mining Company in Turkey was performed. This ore contains 2.03% copper, 0.15% cobalt and 3.73% sulfur. An effective processing method has not been found to recover copper and cobalt from this ore, which has been stockpiled for 40-45 years in the idled plant. It was established that recovery of copper and cobalt from this ore with hydrometallurgical treatment is not economical, so using flotation to increase the concentration of copper and cobalt was chosen. When flotation of the oxidized copper ore was performed under standard operating conditions in the plant, good results were not obtained. Because of this, the flotation of samples obtained from sulfurized medium containing different ratios of H₂S+ H₂O gases was done under the same conditions. Following flotation, it was seen that copper, cobalt and sulfur present in the medium were concentrated. In this solution, concentration of copper and cobalt were found five times higher than normal level.

Keywords

Oxidized copper ore, sulfurization, flotation, copper, cobalt, sulfur

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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