Discussion on Copper Sulfide Flotation Reagent

Copper sulfide minerals are different in properties. The four common copper sulfide minerals, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, copper blue and bornite, have slight differences in buoyancy and reaction with chemicals. The properties of copper sulfide minerals are generally similar to other sulfide minerals, and copper sulfide minerals are often composed of several different copper sulfide minerals, resulting in differences in the type and amount of chemicals required and the pH value.

In the selection of flotation agents for copper sulfide minerals, the main purpose includes two points: separation of sulfide minerals and gangue minerals; separation of copper sulfide minerals and other sulfide minerals

Common copper sulfide collectors include xanthate collectors, black drug collectors, thiourethane collectors, sulfur nitrogen collectors and so on. Among these agents, xanthate collectors are commonly used collectors for copper sulfide minerals, which have strong collecting power, but also have the problem of poor selectivity. They can not only collect copper sulfide minerals, but also Sulfide minerals that trap other metals. Among the copper sulfide minerals, the strength of the reaction with xanthate is also different, and the order of the strength of the reaction with xanthate from large to small is chalcocite, copper blue, bornite, and chalcopyrite.

Black drug collectors have the characteristics of various types and good selectivity, but their disadvantage is that their ability to collect copper sulfide minerals is weaker than that of xanthate. Thiocarbamate collectors are also important collectors, and their selectivity is better than that of xanthate collectors and black drug collectors, but the disadvantage is higher cost.

Therefore, in the chemical system of flotation copper sulfide ore, combined collectors are often used, which can not only increase the selectivity of copper sulfide minerals, but also ensure the ability to collect copper sulfide minerals. At the same time, some new collectors such as BK901h, EMZ-91, and CSU31, which are more selective to copper sulfide minerals, have also been developed.

For copper sulfide minerals in different regions, the reagent system for separation is different, and beneficiation tests should be carried out in a targeted manner to determine the appropriate reagent and dosage.