A new technique for recovering copper from complex copper oxide ore by flotation and metallurgical processing.

A combination of flotation, high-gradient magnetic separation and leaching is proposed for Cu recovery from complex refractory ore from Zambia with a high proportion of oxidation, analysed at 0.18% chalcopyrite, 0.7% malachite and 1.1% chrysocolla with 20.36% quartz, 28% biotite, 31% potassium feldspar and 3.1% limonite, the Cu minerals found to be mechanically mixed into the limonite and biotite. Test results showed that flotation with sodium sulphide as vulcanising agent and butyl xanthate as collector gave concentrates grading 29.37% Cu with 32.22% recovery. Flotation tailings separated by high-gradient magnetic separation yielded a concentrate and a tailing whose leaching recoveries of Cu were 28.44% and 26.95% respectively. Overall Cu recovery was 87.61%. The process combines low energy consumption with high Cu recovery efficiency.
A combination of flotation, high-gradient magnetic separation and leaching is proposed for Cu recovery from complex refractory ore from Zambia with a high proportion of oxidation, analysed at 0.18% chalcopyrite, 0.7% malachite and 1.1% chrysocolla with 20.36% quartz, 28% biotite, 31% potassium feldspar and 3.1% limonite, the Cu minerals found to be mechanically mixed into the limonite and biotite. Test results showed that flotation with sodium sulphide as vulcanising agent and butyl xanthate as collector gave concentrates grading 29.37% Cu with 32.22% recovery. Flotation tailings separated by high-gradient magnetic separation yielded a concentrate and a tailing whose leaching recoveries of Cu were 28.44% and 26.95% respectively. Overall Cu recovery was 87.61%. The process combines low energy consumption with high Cu recovery efficiency.