Experimental Studies On Copper-lead Separation Of A Polymetal Sulphide Ore Of Yunnan

In conventional flotation of Cu/Pb separation,it is general to use cyanide or potassium dichromate as inhibitor.These agents are not only toxic,but also have bad effect to the environment.Therefore,it is of great importance to research the effect and mechanism of general pharmacy to the Cu/Pb separation.Pure specimens of chalcopyrite and galena were studied to investigate the pulp pH,type of collectors and inhibitors on flotation behavior of the two minerals. Zeta potential were used to study the mechanism of the inhibitors on galena.Pure specimens flotation results show that butyl xanthate、SN-9、 Z-200、DY-1have their characteristics as collectors at pH=2-12.The order of collecting ability for chalcopyrite is DY-1>Z-200>butyl xanthate>SN-9as well as SN-9>butyl xanthate>Z-200>DY-1.To have a general comparison,DY-1is the best collector for Cu/Pb separation.CMC and FeSO4have good inhibit function to galena and soluble glass have slender inhibit function. Though Na2SO3have no inhibit function to galena,it can promote the inhibition of CMC and FeSO4. The analyses of zeta potential show that zeta potential of galena surface can be affected by pH of pulp and type of inhibitors.It decreases with increasing pH value. CMC basically didn’t change the zeta potential of galena surface and Na2SO3、 FeS04can greatly reduce while sodium silicate slightly improves it.The analyses prove that in the galena surface CMC adsorbed as physical adsorption and the adsorption force is mainly Van Der Waals Force.Because of the reductive of Na2SO3,it can reduce zeta potential of galena surface,but cann’t adsorb in the surface.Chemisorption can occur between sodium silicate and part of the galena.Fe²⁺can not only reduce the zeta potential of galena surface but also adsorb in it chemically.Theoretical analysis shows that the reason of Na₂SO₃can promote the inhibited effect of CMC and Fe²⁺to galena is that Na₂SO₃can reduce the electron energy levels of the galena surface,then CMC and Fe²⁺can adsorb at the surface easier.