Date

2017

Author

Çetin, Mahir Can

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This study was aimed at investigating the amenability of Artvin-Dereiçi ore to concentration by flotation method. Initially, mineralogical characterization study of run-of-mine Artvin-Dereiçi ore was conducted using both optical microscope and XRD technique. Optical microscope images of samples, prepared as polished sections, and XRD analysis revealed that the ore consisted of minerals with potential economic value, chalcopyrite (CuFeS2), galena (PbS), and sphalerite (ZnS), together with gangue minerals, mainly pyrite (FeS2), calcite (CaCO3), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2), and quartz (SiO2). In addition to mineralogical analysis, the elemental analysis of the ore was carried out and the mean metal grades were determined as 1.43% copper (Cu), 1.05% lead (Pb), and 6.32% zinc (Zn). Both mineralogical and elemental characterization studies showed Artvin-Dereiçi ore was a complex sulfide ore. Prior to selective flotation tests, conducted to obtain separate concentrates of copper, lead, and zinc metals with marketable grade and recovery values, the ore was subjected to a series of laboratory scale batch-flotation tests to determine the optimum flotation conditions for obtaining bulk concentrates. In the selective flotation tests, two main methods were applied that in the first method, a bulk copper-lead-zinc concentrate was obtained, while the second one was designed to obtain a bulk copper-lead concentrate. Following the both test methods, the selective flotation studies were conducted. In the flowsheet applied for the first method, two different copper concentrates assaying 23.25% Cu at 88.43% recovery and 9.05% Cu at 6.20% recovery were obtained. In addition, the first method yielded a zinc concentrate, assaying 50% Zn at 90.35% recovery and a lead concentrate having 16.75% Pb grade at 89.32% recovery. As compared to the first method, metallurgical values of copper, lead, and zinc concentrates increased remarkably in the second method. This method yielded a copper concentrate assaying 19.1% Cu at 98.79% recovery and a zinc concentrate assaying 54.52% Zn at 80.0% recovery. Lead grade of the run-of-mine ore was upgraded from 1% to 45.6% Pb with 96.81% recovery utilizing the second method. 

Subject Keywords

Flotation., Chalcopyrite., Copper ores., Galena., Lead ores., Sphalerite., Zinc ores., Sulfide minerals.

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12621081/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/26566

Collections

Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis