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INFLUENCE OF SELECTED FROTHERS ON PRE-FLOTATION
OF THE KUPFERSHIEFER ORE
Magdalena Duchnowska1, Alicja Bakalarz1, Andrzej Luszczkiewicz1, Jan Drzymala1,
Przemyslaw B. Kowalczuk1, Andrzej Konieczny2, Witold Pawlos2
1
Wroclaw University of Technology, Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
T: (+48)713206864, E: [email protected]; [email protected];
[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
2
Division of Concentrators, KGHM Polska Miedz S.A., Kopalniana 1, 59-101 Polkowice, Poland
E: [email protected]; [email protected]
ABSTRACT
A pre-flotation process of the Kupferschiefer ore with only frothers provides a concentrate enriched in the
carbonaceous matter and the tailing directed to further upgrading steps. A partial removal of easy-to-float
components of the feed before the main enrichments steps by flotation (rougher, scavenger), improves
overall efficiency of separation of valuable elements from the ore. Since the type and dose of frother used
for pre-flotation effect the process, the aim of this study was to determine the influence of selected frothers
on the efficiency and selectivity of the Kupferschiefer ore processed by KGHM Polska Miedz S.A.
A series of pre-flotation tests in the presence of different poly(propylene glycols) ethers, poly(ethylene
glycols) ethers and aliphatic alcohols were conducted. The obtained results indicated that the type and dose
of frother determined the flotation selectivity of copper and total organic carbon. The evaluation of the preflotation process was based on the analysis of selectivity parameters calculated from the recovery-recovery
Fuerstenau upgrading curves as well as the values of copper and organic carbon grades in the flotation
products. It was shown that pre-flotation performed in the laboratory scale using a suitable frother provided
higher overall flotation selectivity of organic carbon with lower overall flotation selectivity of copper in
comparison to flotation without the pre-flotation step. Thus, the pre-flotation process improves the quality
and quantity of the final concentrates produced from the Kupferschiefer ore.
KEYWORDS
flotation, pre-flotation, frother, upgrading, selectivity, copper ore
*Corresponding author: Wroclaw University of Technology, Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and
Geology, Wybrzeze Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland. Phone: +48 71 3206864. Email:
[email protected]