Academic Platform Journal of Engineering and Science 9-2, 309-313, 2021

Academic Platform Journal of Engineering and Science

journal homepage: http://apjes.com/

The Effect of Aerophine 3418A Collector Dosage on Niğde (Ulukışla-Madenköy)

Complex Pb-Zn Sulphide Ore Flotation
*1Tevfik Agacayak, 2Nur Benan Yilmaz
1
Konya Technical University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Mining Engineering, Campus-Konya,
[email protected]/[email protected],
2
Gümüştaş Mining and Trade Co., Tepeköy Mineral Processing, Research and Development Laboratory, Ulukışla-Niğde,
[email protected],

Research Paper Arrival Date: 22.08.2020 Accepted Date: 16.04.2021

Abstract

In this study, grinding + flotation experiments were performed on the sample of complex Pb-Zn sulphide ore taken from Niğde
(Ulukışla-Madenköy) region in Turkey. According to the mineralogical analysis of the ore sample used in experimental studies,
it was determined that the ore composition contains calcite, quartz, pyrite, chalcopyrite, hematite, goethite, limonite, gypsum,
galena, sphalerite, jarosite, arsenopyrite and marcasite minerals. In addition, Au and Ag grains were found to be inclusions in
hematite, goethite and jarosite minerals. The experiments were carried out at a solid ratio of 30%, a flow rate of 10 L/min, a
stirring rate of 1250 rpm and pH = 9. In flotation tests, lime is used as the pH regulator, zinc sulphate, sodium silicate as the
depressant, sodium isobutyl dithiophosphine as the collector and methyl isobutyl carbinol as the frother. In the flotation studies,
the effect of Aerophine 3418A collector dosage on flotation was investigated. As a result, a lead concentrate of 55.13% Pb was
obtained and it was found that this concentrate contained 2489 ppm of Ag. The amount of Aerophine 3418A collector was
determined as 10 g/t.

Keywords: Pb-Zn complex ore, Ulukışla-Madenköy, grinding, flotation, Aerophine 3418A.

1. INTRODUCTION flotation. Foam flotation is the most commonly used method

in the mining and metallurgy industry [3-6]. In most of the
Niğde-Ulukışla zinc-lead deposits are located within a 12 km studies made in the recovery of sulphur minerals, xanthate
long and 6 km wide area extending between Horoz Village type collectors, alcohol type foaming agents, as well as
and Maden Village. The beds are available in three forms as various inorganic and organic regulatory reagents are used
both sulphide and carbonaceous and carstic placer type [1]. [3,7-9]. Especially, ZnSO4 is used for depression of
Bolkardağ and its region is known to be very important in sphalerite in the flotation of Pb-Zn-Cu complex ores. It is
terms of economics and has been known for many years known to be used in combination with zinc sulphate cyanide
since gold and silver high-lead-zinc deposits are also known. [10,11]. It is used in the suppression of pyrite, sphalerite and
These mineralizations are generally composed of sulphide galena in the form of sodium sulfide, sodium bi-sulfide,
minerals (pyrite, pyrrhotite, marcasite, galena, sphalerite, sodium metabisulfite or sulphur dioxide [12-15]. In order to
chalcopyrite) and are known to be of hydrothermal origin suppress silicates, sodium silicate is usually added. It is
[2]. Flotation is a physicochemical enrichment method that known that Aerophine 3418 is P-based sulphurous collector.
allows the separation of hydrophobic minerals from It was originally developed for flotation of copper minerals
hydrophilic grains by utilizing the surface-interface and active zinc minerals. As a result, it is stated that flotation
properties of the minerals within the ore [3,4]. Depending on of galena and other precious metals (especially silver) is also
the modified surface properties, the adhesion force between highly effective [16]. In addition, 3418A collector was used
the air bubble and the mineral grain will increase or decrease. with collector 208 coded collector in jewellery origin slag. It
As the adhesion strength increases in hydrophobic minerals, was determined to be effective in gold and silver recovery
adhesion strength will decrease in hydrophilic minerals. [17]. In this study, grinding + flotation experiments were
Therefore, hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties of performed on the sample of complex Pb-Zn sulphide ore
minerals are of great importance in order to achieve flotation. taken from Niğde (Ulukışla-Madenköy) region in Turkey. In
Sulphur-containing minerals, oxide-structured minerals and the flotation studies, the effect of Aerophine 3418A collector
non-metallic minerals are enriched by flotation method. dosage on flotation was investigated. In order to prevent the
There are three types of flotation process: foam, film and oil formation of critical micelle concentration, determining the

*Corresponding Author: Konya Technical University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Mining Engineering, Campus-Konya,
[email protected]/[email protected], 0 332 2232104.

Doi: 10.21541/apjes.783976
T AĞAÇAYAK Academic Platform Journal of Engineering and Science 9-2, 309-313, 2021

optimum dosage amount of 3418A is the main purpose of the

study.

2. MATERIAL AND METHODS

2.1. Preparation of ore sample

In this study, sulphur-containing complex ore (SCO) from

Niğde (Ulukışla-Madenköy) region was used. The ore
sample for use in laboratory scale studies was taken from the Figure 1. Slim and polished section view of the ore
stock area in the facility. Firstly, sample ore was passed sample.
through jaw crusher and reduced to below 25 mm. Then, in
the secondary crushing phase, the ore was crushed by a cone 2.4. Experimental procedure
crusher to a size of -6.3 mm. The crushed ore was prepared
in 1000 grams packs for use in grinding+flotation studies by The ore was reduced a size of 6.3 mm after two crushing
homogenizing them by conic- quartering method. stages. It is packaged with homogeneity for use in grinding
and flotation experiments. This ore sample was milled at a
2.2. Chemical analysis of ore sample mill size Ø180x362 mm with an internal volume of 9 L. It
was ground (d80=75 μm) and fed to the flotation cell (Fig. 2).
To determine the ore content, representative samples
obtained after the conic crusher were milled in the ring
grinding at a size of -75 microns. Approximately 2 grams of
sample were dissolved in aqua regia (3 volumes of HCl + 1
volume of HNO3). Ag, Pb, Zn, Fe, Cu and As elements were
analysed by Agilent brand AAS device. Fire-Assay method
was applied for Au analysis. Element analysis results were
given in Table 1.

Tablo 1. Elemental analysis values of the ore sample.

Element Content
Au (ppm) 2.58
Ag (ppm) 187
Zn (%) 6.36 Figure 2. The flotation device used in the experiments.
Pb (%) 3.20
Fe (%) 14.69 Flotation experiments were carried out using a Denver type
Cu (ppm) 230 flotation device with a constant solid ratio of 30%, a flow
As (%) 0.81 rate of 10 L/min, a stirring speed of 1250 rpm and pH = 9.
S (%) 18.60 Lime (pH adjuster), zinc sulphate, sodium silicate
(quencher), sodium isobutyl dithiophosphine (collector) and
2.3. Mineralogical analysis of ore sample methyl isobutyl carbinol (foaming agent) were used in
flotation tests. The chemical structure of Aerophine 3418A
According to the mineralogical analysis of this sample, the (sodium isobutyl dithiophosphine) given in Figure 3 is
main minerals are sphalerite (ZnS), galena (PbS), known as the P-based sulphurous mineral collector produced
chalcopyrite (CuFeS2), arsenopyrite (FeAsS), pyrite (FeS2), by Cytech [18].
marcasite (FeS2) and iron minerals (hematite (Fe2O3),
goethite (FeOOH), limonite (FeO(OH). nH2O). The gangues
of the ore are composed of gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O), quartz
(SiO2), calcite (CaCO3) and clay type minerals. It has been
determined that there are pyrite-marcasite, galena and
sphalerite minerals in polished section (Fig. 1). However, the
ore sample contains mainly natural gold, natural silver and
electrum. Gold and silver are present in the form of
inclusions in the iron and clay minerals.
Figure 3. Chemical structure of Aerophine 3418A.

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It is stated that flotation of galena and other precious metals pyrite [21]. Ceylan and Bulut, (2016) [19] performed
(especially silver) is highly effective in this collector [16]. It flotation experiments on a representative copper sample
provides a great selectivity against pyrite, arsenopyrite and from Siirt-Madenköy. It was determined that the most
suppressed sphalerite minerals in complex ores. Because of suitable collector for the purpose was Aerophine 3418A with
this feature, it is known that Aerophine 3418A is used instead the amount of 50 g/t. In a different study, chalcopyrite,
of xanthates in many plants [19]. galena and sphalerite were selectively recovered in three
rougher flotation cells using the Aero 3894 and 3418A
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION collectors [22].

The effect of Aerophine 3418A (sodium isobutyl

dithiophosphine) collector dosage was investigated in
grinding + flotation studies. Test conditions are summarized
in Table 2.

Table 2. Experimental conditions and reagents for grinding

and flotation conditions.

According to the best results obtained by Yılmaz, 2019 [20]

constant conditions were determined. Experiments were
carried out using these conditions given in Table 2. The test
results were given in Table 3. According to Table 3, the
amount of Ag and Pb in the concentrate appears to be very
high. Ag and Pb values and recoveries of the concentrate
were shown in Fig. 4.
Figure 4. Ag and Pb content and recoveries of concentrate
As can be seen from Table 3, it was observed that the depending on the amount of Aerophine 3418A.
contents of Ag and Pb in the concentrate increase. The reason
for this is the increased selectivity of both sphalerite and

Table 3. Results of experiments with Aerophine 3418

Amount Au Ag Zn Pb Fe Cu
Amount (%)
of Products
Content Rec. Content Rec. Content Rec. Content Rec. Content Rec. Content Rec.
collector
(ppm) (%) (ppm) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (ppm) (%)
(g/t)
Concentrate 6.34 3.78 11.99 1943 54.81 4.97 5.17 38.85 71.87 6.31 3.12 442 9.91
5
Tailing 93.66 1.88 88.01 109 45.19 6.18 94.83 1.03 28.13 13.29 96.88 272 90.09
Feed 100 2.00 100 225 100 6.10 100 3.43 100 12.85 100 283 100
Concentrate 5.29 4.79 11.70 2489 59.52 5.29 4.70 55.13 80.63 7.3 3.10 426 8.89
10 Tailing 94.71 2.02 88.30 95 40.48 5.99 95.30 0.74 19.37 12.73 96.90 244 91.11
Feed 100 2.17 100 221 100 5.95 100 3.62 100 12.44 100 254 100
Concentrate 8.20 3.56 13.43 1739 62.40 5.23 7.58 35.25 82.46 9.66 6.43 400 12.08
15 Tailing 91.80 2.05 86.57 94 37.60 5.70 92.42 0.67 17.54 12.55 93.57 260 87.92
Feed 100 2.17 100 229 100 5.66 100 3.51 100 12.31 100 271 100
Concentrate 7.47 3.29 11.47 2182 66.13 4.62 6.12 35.72 74.63 8.11 5.07 352 9.85
20 Tailing 92.53 2.05 88.53 90 33.87 5.72 93.88 0.98 25.37 12.25 94.93 260 90.15
Feed 100 2.14 100 246 100 5.64 100 3.57 100 11.94 100 267 100

As a result of studies carried out by Zhong et al. (2015) [23], and lead-zinc sulphide ores. As shown in Fig. 4, as a result
Aerophine 3418A was demonstrated more efficient of single-stage flotation experiments, Ag content of
aggregation ability and better selectivity for copper sulfide concentrate was obtained as 2489 ppm with a recovery of

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60% and Pb content of concentrate was obtained as 55.13% REFERENCES

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