The Beneficiation of Antimony Ore by Flotation B. Kocaba, O. Gven, , M. zer, O.

Kangal Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Mines, Mineral Processing Engineering Department, 34469, Maslak, Istanbul, Turkey, *e-mail: oguven@itu.edu.tr ABSTRACT: Antimony is a strategic metal which is used in many industrial areas. The content of the antimony ore is the most important point for determining the area of usage. Since, high-grade antimony ores are depleted, there are many research studies involving the enrichment of low-grade antimony ores. For this ores, mainly flotation is applied for beneficiation and pre-stage for metallurgical processes. In this study, flotation parameters as pH, the type and dosages of collector and depressor, number of cleaning stages and flotation time were investigated in order to obtain concentrates assaying high-grade antimony and limited scale of arsenic content. With these experimental studies, optimum values for each parameter were determined. And as a result of the flotation test carried out with optimum values, a concentrate assaying 66.8 % Sb content with 79.5 % recovery was obtained while the arsenic content was found as 0.3 % INTRODUCTION Most of the antimony minerals are combined with other elements as to form different minerals. However, antimony is rarely found at native form in nature [1]. The main source of antimony minerals and its compounds is Stibnite (Sb2S3). In general, beneficiations of antimony minerals are carried out by the order of pre-concentration either by ore or by product from metal beneficiation for obtaining saleable products. So, the selection of the beneficiation method is important and mineralogical composition and the texture of the ore plays an important role on this selection. Mineral processing involves many methods depending on the characteristics of the ore, but for antimony minerals, according to the liberation size and content of the fractions, gravity methods or flotation method is generally applied. In addition, the type of antimony ore as oxide or sulphur antimony is effective on determination of the method. In general, gravity concentration is mostly applied for oxide and coarse-grained ores, where flotation method is better for beneficiation of sulphide and fine-grained antimony ores [2]. Antimony grade of both ore and concentrate also determines the treatment method and also the usage areas for antimony metal [3]. The aim of this study is to determine the optimum conditions for flotation of antimony ore in terms of Sb and As content of concentrate. And also decreasing Sb content while increasing the As content of the tailings. MATERIAL AND METHOD
Physical and chemical properties of tailings samples

The antimony sample used in this study was obtained from Turhal district located in Tokat. The chemical analysis of the ore sample is shown in Table 1. On the basis of this preliminary information, it is clear that SiO2 is the major impurity which is present mainly according to the quartz mineral. Table 1. Chemical analysis of sample Element Content ( % ) Sb 5,84 As 1,38 Fe 5,01 S 2,89

The XRD graph of the antimony sample was shown in Figure 1. According to the XRD analysis, quartz constitutes the main gangue mineral of the antimony ore.

Figure 1. XRD graph of antimony sample RESULTS

Effect of pH on flotation

In order to determine the appropriate pH value for flotation, a series of tests were accomplished by considering the Sb and As content of products. In these tests, different pH values were taken as 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, 7.2 and 8.0. All the tests were conducted with single stage. During these tests, 100 g/t KAX was used as collector while 100 g/t AeroFroth 65 was used as frother. Furthermore, 100 g/t Pb(NO3)2 was also used as depressant in this group of tests. According to the results given in Table 2, pH: 6.5 was found as optimum pH value, considering the antimony and arsenic content of the concentrate and tailings. This results also indicated that increase on pH value resulted in an increasing oxidation on the sulphur mineral surfaces and it can be also thought that a competition between collector ion and hydroxyl ion occurring for absorption on the surface of the mineral. Table 2. The flotation studies for determining the effect of pH
pH 6.0 Products Weight, % Concentrate Tailings Total Concentrate Tailings Total Concentrate Tailings Total Concentrate Tailings Total Concentrate Tailings Total 11.6 88.4 100.0 5.3 94.7 100.0 8.3 91.7 100.0 10.9 89.1 100.0 9.1 90.9 100.0 Sb, % As, % Content Recovery Content Recovery 15.00 29.4 4.88 45.0 4.73 70.6 0.80 55.0 5.92 100.0 1.29 100.0 30.18 28.9 5.36 34.6 4.19 71.1 0.57 65.4 5.58 100.0 0.83 100.0 14.51 19.7 5.63 56.2 5.38 80.3 0.40 43.8 6.14 100.0 0.84 100.0 11.99 22.8 4.61 60.3 4.94 77.2 0.37 39.7 5.71 100.0 0.83 100.0 16.09 25.2 5.09 51.5 4.77 74.8 0.48 48.5 5.80 100.0 0.90 100.0

6.5

7.0

7.2

Under certain conditions as constant collector concentration, the medium becomes more basic, the possibility of reaction on mineral surface with collector is becoming harder and as a result the sulphur minerals are depressed.
Effect of KAX concentration

The effect of KAX concentration on flotation studies was evaluated by the addition of 50, 100, 150 and 200 g/t collector in single stage. During these tests, the pH value was taken as 6.5, Na2S2O5 was used as dispersant and 20 g/t MIBC was used as frother. The optimum collector concentration was determined

depending on the Sb and As content of concentrate and tailings. According to the results shown in Table 3, 100 g/t KAX addition was found as optimum in terms of Sb and As content of concentrate. Table 3. The flotation studies for determining the optimum collector dosage
KAX, g/t 50 Products Weight, % Concentrate Tailings Total Concentrate Tailings Total Concentrate Tailings Total Concentrate Tailings Total 10.0 90.0 100.0 5.3 94.7 100.0 11.8 88.2 100.0 12.3 87.7 100.0 Sb, % As, % Content Recovery Content Recovery 15.17 27.5 4.88 36.5 4.47 72.5 0.94 63.5 5.48 100.0 1.33 100.0 30.18 28.9 5.36 34.6 4.19 71.1 0.57 65.4 5.58 100.0 0.83 100.0 21.24 43.9 5.08 35.2 3.62 56.1 1.25 64.8 5.70 100.0 1.70 100.0 26.26 57.9 4.93 36.8 2.68 42.1 1.19 63.2 5.59 100.0 1.65 100.0

100

150

200

Although, the success criteria for this group of tests was Sb and As % content of concentrate, in order to decrease the Sb and As content of the tailings, addition of collector was carried out in more than one stage.
Effect of rougher stages

In order to determine the effect of number of stages, activator, depressor amounts, conditioning time and pH value were taken as constant. In these tests, only the effect of gradually addition of KAX was investigated. The KAX addition was carried out in 3 steps as (50+50+50 ; 100+100+100 ; 200+200+200 ; 250+250+250 g/t). The results of these tests were given in Table 4. The best results was obtained in the case of 750 g/t addition by 3 stages (250+250+250). The Sb and As content of the concentrate was found as 28.34 and 3.82 As while the recovery was found as 70.3 %. Table 4. The flotation studies for determining the effect of collector dosage
KAX, g/t 50+50+50 Products Weight, % 15.3 84.7 100 23.5 76.5 100 20.4 79.6 100 14.8 85.2 100 Concentrate Tailings Total Concentrate 100+100+100 Tailings Total Concentrate 200+200+200 Tailings Total Concentrate 250+250+250 Tailings Total Sb, % Content Recovery 16.74 47.2 3.38 52.8 5.42 100.0 24.54 98.9 0.08 1.1 5.83 100.0 27.75 97.3 0.20 2.7 5.82 100.0 28.34 70.3 2.08 29.7 5.97 100.0 As, % Content Recovery 4.80 55.3 0.70 44.7 1.33 100.0 3.69 62.5 0.68 37.5 1.39 100.0 5.02 65.1 0.69 34.9 1.57 100.0 3.82 49.0 0.69 51.0 1.15 100.0

Effect of lignosulphonate dosage

In addition to KAX, sodium sulfide was added as a sulphidizing agent to recover the possible oxide antimony minerals in feed. During these tests, the conditions were considered as the same as previous studies. According to the results given in Table 5, it was found that, addition of sodium sulphide was not effective on Sb content of concentrate.

Table 5. The flotation test results for determining the effect of sodium sulfide
Lignosulphonate, g/t 0.0 Products Weight, % Concentrate Tailings Total Concentrate Tailings Total Concentrate Tailings Total Concentrate Tailings Total 23.5 76.5 100.0 18.1 81.9 100.0 16.4 83.6 100.0 19.0 81.0 100.0 Sb, % As, % Content Recovery Content Recovery 24.54 98.9 3.69 62.6 0.08 1.1 0.68 37.4 5.84 100.0 1.39 100.0 26.28 83.3 3.81 52.2 1.16 16.7 0.77 47.8 5.70 100.0 1.32 100.0 24.51 73.0 3.66 45.5 1.78 27.0 0.86 54.5 5.50 100.0 1.32 100.0 21.36 74.3 3.54 50.4 1.74 25.7 0.82 49.6 5.47 100.0 1.34 100.0

250

500.0

750

On the other hand, it was also found that, increasing the number of cleaning stages resulted in an increase in Sb content and recovery. Therefore, considering the same parameters as collector, frother dosage, rougher stages were followed by seven cleaning stages. The results of this test were given in Table 6. Table 6. The flotation test results for determining the number of cleaning stages
Pb(NO 3 )2 , g/t 50.0 Products Weight, % Concentrate Tailings Total Concentrate Tailings Total Concentrate Tailings Total Concentrate Tailings Total 17.1 82.9 100.0 23.5 76.5 100.0 16.3 83.7 100.0 17.9 82.1 100.0 Sb, % As, % Content Recovery Content Recovery 21.03 67.4 4.49 46.5 2.09 32.6 1.06 53.5 5.32 100.0 1.64 100.0 24.54 98.9 3.69 62.6 0.08 1.1 0.68 37.4 5.84 100.0 1.39 100.0 27.94 86.1 4.54 45.2 0.88 13.9 1.07 54.8 5.29 100.0 1.64 100.0 26.45 83.1 4.40 48.2 1.17 16.9 1.03 51.8 5.69 100.0 1.63 100.0

100

150.0

200

CONCLUSIONS In series of tests for determining the optimum pH value, best results were obtained at pH : 6.5 considering the Sb and As content of concentrate and tailings. The optimum KAX dosage was found as 100 g/t depending on the Sb and As content of concentrate. However, in order to decrease the loss in tailings, gradually addition was also examined. In series of tests for determining the optimum KAX amount and number of stages, 750 g/t addition was found to be optimum REFERENCES B[1] Riaz M., Jan N., Hussain, T. M., Khan U. F. and Yamin A. : Flotation Studies of Low Grade Stibnite Ore From Krinj( Chitral) Area. J. Chem. Soc. Pak., Vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 584-587, Pakistan, 2008. Jain, S.K., Ore Processing, Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. p. 418, 1986. Bhatti A. M., Kazmi R. K., Nizami S. M., Anwar S. M., Saleemi A. A. and Butt K., Mineralogical and Liberation Characteristics of Antimony Ore of Chitral NWFP, Pakistan. J. Chem. Soc. Pak. Vol. 31 No. 1, pp. 39-45, Pakistan, 2009.