Performance evaluation of PHGMS technology for superfine chalcopyrite-molybdenite separation

• Published in: Separation and purification technology 2024-05, Vol.336, p.126136, Article 126136
• Main Authors: Yang, Jing, Chen, Luzheng, Xue, Zixing, Yang, Kangning, Shao, Yanhai, Zeng, Jianwu, Gao, Yanxiong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Performance evaluation; Porphyry copper ore; Pulsating high gradient magnetic separation; Superfine chalcopyrite-molybdenite separation
• ISSN: 1383-5866; 1873-3794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2023.126136

[Display omitted] •Pulsating HGMS achieved excellent performance for superfine Cu-Mo separation.•Pulsating HGMS effectively separated chalcopyrite above 11.4 μm from molybdenite.•Molybdenite loss in copper concentrate was mainly due to mechanical entrainment. Chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) and molybdenite (MoS2) as typical sulfide minerals are very easy for co-flotation in practice, but their mutual separation consumes a large quantity of flotation reagents, particularly for superfinely associated chalcopyrite and molybdenite as encountered in most porphyry copper deposits. Pulsating high gradient magnetic separation (PHGMS) was effectively applied for pre-concentration of relatively coarse chalcopyrite ore, therefore in this work, its feasibility for separation of superfine chalcopyrite from molybdenite was firstly attempted, with the separation performance under key operating parameters elucidated via a SLon-100 cyclic PHGMS separator in separating a primary superfine chalcopyrite-molybdenite co-flotation concentrate, which assays 8.12 % Cu and 20.00 % Mo, with − 23 μm superfine fraction weighting 79.14 %. The separator achieved a high-selective separation under optimized conditions, producing a copper concentrate of 19.12 % Cu and 6.60 % Mo at 70.90 % Cu recovery, with the Cu content and Mo recovery in the molybdenum concentrate reduced to 3.38 % and reaching 90.88 %, respectively. It was found that low feed weight and velocity, fine matrix, high magnetic induction, and a gentle pulsation were required for producing the effective separation; and the chalcopyrite above 11.4 μm was sufficiently recovered into the copper concentrate, while the high-sufficient recovery for those below 11.4 μm remains a challenge to be overcome, due to its extremely weak magnetic force subjected. This detailed investigation provided a requisite understanding for industrializing the PHGMS technology for fine chalcopyrite-molybdenite separation.