Mineral Processing
Ayman M. Ibrahim; Han Wang; Nazar Mekawi; Jaber A. Yousif; Emadeldin Adam; Alfarouq Alnoor; Mohammed Kabashi; Dianwen Liu
Abstract
This work investigates the surface enrichment of malachite during sulfurization flotation to enhance copper recovery. The goal is to improve flotation efficiency by modifying malachite’s surface properties through sulfurization, using sodium sulfide as the sulfurizing agent. The effects of pre-treatment ...
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This work investigates the surface enrichment of malachite during sulfurization flotation to enhance copper recovery. The goal is to improve flotation efficiency by modifying malachite’s surface properties through sulfurization, using sodium sulfide as the sulfurizing agent. The effects of pre-treatment reagents on flotation recovery were evaluated, focusing on their impact on the surface chemistry of malachite. The findings indicated that malachite treated with ammonium sulfate ((NH₄)₂SO₄) exhibited superior flotation recovery compared to ammonium phosphate ((NH₄)₃PO₄), achieving an optimal recovery rate of 87.5%. FESEM-EDS and ToF-SIMS analyses revealed a significant increase in sulfur species on the surface, promoting the formation of copper sulfide (CuS) films and enhancing the mineral's reactivity during flotation. Theoretical solution chemistry calculations corroborated these findings, showing that ammonium salt treatments facilitate the formation of copper-ammonium complexes, stabilizing copper ions in solution and preventing their precipitation as copper hydroxides or carbonates. By maintaining copper in a stable reactive form, these complexes improve flotation efficiency. Both theoretical calculations and experimental observations confirm that stabilizing copper ions is crucial for enhancing flotation, ensuring copper remains available for interaction with flotation reagents and ultimately, improving copper recovery. The integration of theoretical and experimental approaches enhances the understanding of the sulfurization process and provides an optimized method for improving flotation performance and copper recovery.
