Solvent Extraction, Mineral Processing and Alumina Processing

Rejection of Pyrite: Challenges and Sustainable Chemical Solutions

Table 3: Reagent Scheme for the Study Using Ore-2.
N° Collector-1[M]
1 AP-9950; 20 g/t
2 XD-5002; 10 g/t
3 AP-9950; 15 g/t
4 MX-8522; 15 g/t
5 MX-7017; 15 g/t
STD PAX; 20 g/t
[M]: Grind mill; [C]: Conditioning
at pH 11.5, the regular condition for depression when lime is
used. For the evaluated alternatives, however, lime was not
Collector-2 [C]
added in the cleaning stage, so that comparisons could be
– made with results obtained for the subsequent study using
– depressants (see below).
MX-945; 5 g/t The selective collectors evaluated with Ore-3 included AERO
MX-945; 5 g/t 9950 promoter (structurally modified thionocarbamate)
and AERO® 9955 promoter (a mix of thionocarbamate and
MX-945; 5 g/t
dithiocarbamate). Their performance was compared to
– that of the non-selective collector SIPX (sodium isopropyl
xanthate), for which the standard conditions were used.

The third study included a cleaning stage (evaluated in an The following figure (Figure 3) shows both the rougher and
open cycle test). As indicated in the Experimental section, global recoveries (considering an open cycle test with two
for the standard collector, the cleaning stage was conducted cleaning stages and a scavenger stage) conducted on Ore-3.

100
Cu-FC Grade = Cu Fe Mo
90

80

70

60
Recovery (%)

50

40

30
FIGURE 3:
20
Comparative study between a
10 non-selective collector (SIPX)
0 and two selective collectors
Rougher Final Rougher Final Rougher Final
ST AP- AP-

It can be seen in the figure that similar copper rougher
recoveries were obtained for all three of the collectors,
while in the rougher stage, the xanthate and AERO® 9950
promoter had similar molybdenum recoveries and the
AERO® 9955 promoter provided a greater recovery. The iron
recoveries in the rougher stage were significantly different,
however. The xanthate had a high recovery (approximately
80%), followed by the AERO 9955 promoter (with a value
near 65%), but the AERO 9950 promoter was the most
selective (rougher Fe recovery of approximately 40%).
The overall recovery of iron for the xanthate was calculated
to be 30% based on analysis of the final concentrate
after the two cleaning steps and considering the classical
cleaning at high pH. AERO 9955 promoter, meanwhile, had
an overall iron recovery of close to 20%, while that of AERO
9950 promoter (the most efficient in the rougher stage)
was approximately 15%. With these values, the grades
obtained for the final concentrate in terms of the copper
content were determined and are indicated in Figure 3.
With both AERO 9950 promoter and AERO 9955 promoter,

27
IN PROCESS SEPARATION