Surface properties of copper-sulfide minerals with sodium-hydrosulfide activation. (1st September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Matsuoka, Hidekazu; Mitsuhashi, Kohei; Kawata, Masanobu; Kato, Tatsuya; Tokoro, Chiharu; Haga, Kazutoshi; Shibayama, Atsushi
• Is Part Of: Minerals engineering. Volume 156(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-09-01
• Subjects: Copper sulfide -- Flotation -- Activator -- Sulfurization -- Kinetics; Mines and mineral resources -- Periodicals; Ressources minérales -- Périodiques; Mines and mineral resources; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 622
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mineng.2020.106530
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0892-6875

Abstract

Highlights: The surfaces of activated by NaHS chalcocite, bornite, and chalcopyrite were analyzed. NaHS sulfurizes oxidized copper species, but not oxidized iron species. Oxidized iron species dissolve as the complex ion then reprecipitates as ferric oxide. pH and NaHS concentration affect Fe2 O3 reprecipitation onto bornite and chalcopyrite. Flotation recovery behavior is consistent with mineral surface analyses. Abstract: The surface properties of slightly oxidized chalcocite, bornite, and chalcopyrite with sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) treatment were investigated by solid analyses of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, solution analyses, and zeta potential measurements. NaHS is known as a flotation activator for copper-oxide minerals by sulfurizing their surfaces. This study focused on the surface properties before/after sulfurization by the NaHS at several NaHS dosages and alkaline pHs. Iron leaching and precipitates of copper–iron-sulfide minerals have also been investigated. The analysis results showed that NaHS sulfurized the oxidized copper species, CuO and CuSO4, to copper sulfide, but oxidized iron species, Fe2 O3 and Fe(OH)3, were not sulfurized by NaHS. These oxidized iron species dissolved into solutions as complex ion, Fe(HS)2 0, then Fe(HS)2 0 was decomposed by dissolved oxygen and reprecipitated as Fe2 O3 . The results of chalcocite showed that Cu2 S was generated on the surfaces with NaHS treatment at any pH. The bornite and chalcopyrite results indicated that Fe2 O3 was produced on bornite surfaces with an increase in pH, whereas the chalcopyrite surfaces were covered as the pH decreased. A flotation test was conducted using a Chilean copper ore that contained chalcocite, bornite, and chalcopyrite, and the flotation recovery of each mineral was consistent with the surface sulfurization at several NaHS dosages and pHs.