Sulfidization of silver-polymetallic ores of «Goltsovoe» deposit for decreasing loss of silver in mill tailings
- 1 — Ph.D., Dr.Sci. professor Transbaikal State University
- 2 — Process engineer JSC «Serebro Magadana»
Abstract
The results of laboratory studies of flotation concentration of silver-polymetallic ores of the Goltsovoe deposit at the Omsukchansk concentrator are presented. The results of sieve analysis of mill tailings of the experimental sample of MTP N 101 (N 7577-i) are described. They indicate that a large amount of silver (123 g/t) is lost in the size class – 0.040 mm (yield 50.25 %). According to the results of mineralogical analysis, it is established that the major losses of noble metal are associated with its fine impregnation in oxides, sulfides and silicate rocks. The main silver-bearing minerals are acanthite, polybasite and kustelite (class – 0.040 mm). Experimental studies were carried out in two stages. The purpose of the first stage is to determine the influence of grinding fineness in flotation feed (for a finished class content of 0.074 mm in the range of 60-95 %) for silver recovery at different amounts of butyl potassium xanthate (50, 150, 300 g/t). The purpose of the second stage is to evaluate the effectiveness of sulfidization at different consumption of sodium sulfide Na2S·9H2O (50, 150, 200, 450, 750 g/t – 1 % aqueous solution) under the conditions of the optimal reagent mode established in the first stage of the study. The results of experiments to determine the optimum grinding fineness and studies on the enrichment of silver-polymetallic ore with the use of sodium sulfide as a sulfidizer are presented. The efficiency of the sulfidization process is estimated. The following experimental dependencies of silver recovery are established: on the degree of grinding and consumption of butyl potassium xanthate; on variations of grinding fineness and the consumption of sodium sulphide (with a consumption of butyl xanthate 150 g/t); and on grinding fineness at optimum consumption of sodium sulfide 150 g/t and butyl potassium xanthate 300 g/t. A comparative evaluation of dependence of silver recovery index from the degree of grinding fineness before and after introduction of sodium sulphide (collecting agent consumption of 150 g/t) is given. T\