Mixed Copper Ore Recovery Method - Zhengzhou Jinquan Mining Equipment Co., Ltd.
Global demand for copper continues to grow. As a result, efficient, environmentally friendly mixed copper ore recovery has become a core focus for mining enterprises worldwide. Zhengzhou Jinquan Mining Equipment Co., Ltd. has developed a high-efficiency combined beneficiation-metallurgy method for this purpose. This method integrates flotation, magnetic separation and hydrometallurgy technologies. It achieves a high comprehensive copper recovery rate and offers advantages like simplicity, efficiency, economy, energy savings and environmental friendliness.
This mixed copper ore recovery method has clear characteristics. Specifically, it follows strict process parameters to ensure stable, reliable results. The key steps are as follows:
1. Grinding Process
First, we grind the mixed copper ore to a specific particle size. Specifically, -0.075mm particles should account for 60~80%. A reasonable grinding particle size is critical for effective mineral separation. It fully dissociates copper minerals from gangue and lays a solid foundation for subsequent beneficiation operations.
2. Flotation Process
After grinding, we add reagents based on the raw ore mass. These reagents include 500~1200g/t of Na₂S, 100~1000g/t of butyl xanthate, and 25~100g/t of pine camphor oil. We then perform froth flotation to separate copper minerals from gangue. This process yields copper concentrate and flotation tailings. Butyl xanthate acts as a collector to boost the hydrophobicity of copper minerals. Meanwhile, pine camphor oil serves as a frother to form stable froth for mineral separation.
3. Magnetic Separation Process
Next, we subject flotation tailings to magnetic separation. We use a magnetic field intensity of 0.35~1.30T for this step. Its main purpose is to recover magnetic copper-bearing minerals in the tailings. This action improves the overall copper recovery rate. After magnetic separation, we obtain magnetic concentrate and magnetic tailings, thus achieving secondary recovery of copper resources.
4. Hydrometallurgy Process
First, we concentrate and dehydrate the magnetic concentrate to a liquid-solid ratio of 2~3:1. We then add concentrated sulfuric acid to adjust the pH value to 1. After that, we conduct stirred leaching for 20~60 minutes. This acid leaching process fully dissolves copper from the magnetic concentrate into the solution. We then perform solid-liquid separation to get leachate and leaching residue. Finally, we use hydrometallurgical technology to treat the leachate, producing cathode copper and achieving deep recovery of copper resources.
Advantages of the Method
This combined beneficiation-metallurgy method integrates the advantages of physical and chemical separation. It overcomes the limitations of single beneficiation or metallurgy methods when processing mixed copper ore. Its prominent advantages include the following:
-
High Comprehensive Recovery Rate: By combining flotation, magnetic separation and hydrometallurgy, the method fully recovers copper minerals in mixed ore. It effectively improves the utilization rate of copper resources. Notably, its comprehensive copper recovery rate exceeds that of traditional methods.
-
Simple and Efficient: The process flow is concise and easy to operate. It also features high processing efficiency, which can meet the large-scale production needs of mining enterprises.
-
Economic and Energy-Saving: The reagent dosage is reasonable, and the entire process consumes little energy. This effectively reduces production costs and brings considerable economic benefits to enterprises.
-
Environmentally Friendly: The process uses green, environmentally friendly reagents. Additionally, we can properly treat leaching residue and tailings, which avoids obvious environmental pollution. It complies with global environmental protection standards for the mining industry.
Zhengzhou Jinquan Mining Equipment Co., Ltd. is committed to providing professional, efficient mineral processing solutions for global mining enterprises. Specifically, this mixed copper ore recovery method is tailor-made for mixed copper ore. It can be widely applied in various mixed copper ore processing projects. We have rich experience in equipment R&D, process design and project implementation. Moreover, we can provide customized solutions based on the actual ore characteristics and customer needs.
If you are looking for reliable mixed copper ore recovery technology and equipment, please contact us. Zhengzhou Jinquan Mining Equipment Co., Ltd. will provide you with high-quality products and professional services. Ultimately, we will help you achieve efficient, green development in copper mining.
Call us now: