Recovery Copper from a Low Grade and Ultra-Fine-Grained Dissemination Mixed Copper Ore by Flotation

The present study aims to characterize the copper ore from east area of Yunnan province. The results indicate that the ores is a representative low grade and and ultra-fine-grained ore. As a result, a suitable flotation flow i.e. “ultrafine grinding- sulphidizing and dispersing - bulk flotation with low dosage collector” was presented for processing of eligible copper concentrate with high recovery and the main factors i.e. grinding fineness, regulators types and dosage and collector dosage affecting the indexes of roughing concentration was investigated. As a result, a close-circuit flotation test scheme was proceeded, which obtained a high quality copper concentrate with Cu grade of 25.12%, copper recovery of 87.63%. This index is successful in the aim of recovery copper for such mixed copper ore.