SELECTIVE SEPARATION BETWEEN PYRITE AND ARSENOPYRITE
The objective is to separate pyrite and arsenopyrite by froth flotation. The ore to be tested indicates that gold is associated with arsenopyrite. In this case, the first step is to get an arsenopyrite-pyrite bulk concentrate which will be treated by selective flotation. Several tests were done with the objective of obtaining a good amount of arsenopyrite-pyrite bulk concentrate.
During the separation tests was use PAX as pyrite collector and Sodium Sulphide as arsenopyrite depressor. Pine oil was the frother. The results obtained gave an arsenopyrite concentrate assaying 1.35 oz/t gold, 2.12 oz/t silver, 34.19% iron, and 21.26% arsenic. The gold recovery was 72.01%.
The conditions used during the tests were the following;
Grinding:
- Bulk concentrate: 100 g.
- Solids: 50%.
- Fineness of grind: 86% < 200 mesh
Conditioning:
- Solids: 12%
- Time: 10 minutes
Flotation:
- Solids: 12%
- Time: 5 minutes
- pH: 6.5
- Sodium Sulphide: 3500 g/t
- PAX: 120 g/t
- Pine oil: 50 g/t
Pyrite Cleaning:
- Solids: 15%
- Time: 2 minutes
- Sodium Sulphide: 1500 g/t
- Pine oil: 10 g/t
Product |
Weight |
Assays (oz/t, %) |
% Distribution | ||||||
|
% |
Au |
Ag |
Fe |
As |
Au |
Ag |
Fe |
As |
Py Conc |
48.87 |
0.45 |
3.21 |
42.46 |
6.11 |
24.85 |
58.69 |
54.17 |
21.69 |
Py Middlings |
3.92 |
0.71 |
2.64 |
36.07 |
19.00 |
3.14 |
3.87 |
3.69 |
5.41 |
As Conc |
47.21 |
1.35 |
2.12 |
34.19 |
21.26 |
72.01 |
37.44 |
42.14 |
72.90 |
Calc. Head |
100.00 |
0.89 |
2.67 |
38.31 |
13.77 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
100.00 |
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