A study on the effect of active pyrite on flotation of porphyry copper ores

Active pyrite is one of the most undesirable phenomena in the flotation of porphyry copper ores. Misreported pyrite into copper concentrates decreased the grade and recovery of copper. In this study, the effective parameters on the flotation process including grinding condition and chemical parameters were evaluated in order to decrease the active pyrite recovery by flotation. Firstly, optical microscopic and grinding studies were carried out to determine the optimal particle size and grinding time. The results showed that 43 minutes of grinding is necessary to achieve the optimum liberation degree of 53 µm for flotation. Then, the flotation effective parameters such as pH (7.3, 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5 and 12), collector type (Nascol, Aero 407, Aero 3477 and X231), collector concentration (12 and 25 mg/dm3), depressant concentration (0 and 25 mg/dm3) and frother concentration (0 and 25 mg/dm3) were investigated in a Denver-type laboratory flotation cell with a constant capacity of 2.5 dm3. The results showed that the optimal conditions for chalcopyrite flotation were pH of 11.5, Aero 407 as a collector with concentration of 25 mg/dm3, Dowfroth 250 (DF250) as a frother with concentration of 25 mg/dm3 and Na2SO3 as a depressant with concentration of 25 mg/dm3. The type of collector had greater effect on the chalcopyrite flotation than the other parameters. The recovery and grade of chalcopyrite and pyrite were obtained as 79.95%, 49% and 5.3%, 7.98% using the Aero 407, respectively. Under the optimum conditions, the grade of final concentrate increased from 0.94% to 21.3% with three cleaner stages.