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Replacing Dichromate with Polysaccharide Depressant in Cu-Pb Separation: Lab Bench Tests and Plant Trials in Zijin Mining

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Abstract

ZJ 201 (modified starch) is a non-toxic, odorless, and biodegradable polymeric depressant, which selectively depressed galena in batch flotation tests while chalcopyrite was not significantly affected. In a plant trial, copper-lead separation was successful for the first time without using dichromate. Moreover, the plant process could be changed to sequential Cu-Pb flotation using ZJ 201 for higher grade lead concentrate. A copper concentrate was obtained with a Cu grade of 24.91% and a Pb grade of 5.11%, which recovered 76.6% of the copper from the original ore; a lead concentrate was also obtained with a Pb grade of 21.90% and a Cu grade of 5.31%, which recovered 52.6% of the lead. In addition to the effective copper-lead separation observed in the plant trial, another improvement observed is that gold was recovered mostly in copper concentrate, which could be sold for higher prices. Au grade reached 230.64 g/t, and its recovery reached 65.8% in the copper concentrate. Au grade in lead concentrate was only 18.90 g/t.

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Acknowledgements

This study was sponsored financially by Zi Jin Mining and Fujian Provincial Department of Science and Technology (Area Development Project 2020H4030). Xiuzhu Su and Xiaofang Chen in Zi Jin Xia Men Technology Company are gratefully acknowledged for their accurate assaying works.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Comprehensive Utilization of Low Grade Refractory Gold Ores, Shang Hang, 364200, Fujian, People’s Republic of China

    Zhian Liang, Guoyao Li, Zhuanhua Wei, Weixin Wu, Xiong Huang, Junrong Wang, Lifeng Cui, Xiao Ni & Shuiping Zhong

  2. Zijin Mining Group Co. Ltd, Shang Hang, 364200, Fujian, People’s Republic of China

    Zhian Liang, Guoyao Li, Zhuanhua Wei, Weixin Wu, Xiong Huang, Junrong Wang, Lifeng Cui, Xiao Ni & Shuiping Zhong

  3. College of Zijin Mining, Fu Zhou University, Fu Zhou, 350108, People’s Republic of China

    Shuiping Zhong

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  1. Zhian Liang
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  2. Guoyao Li
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  3. Zhuanhua Wei
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  4. Weixin Wu
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  5. Xiong Huang
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  6. Junrong Wang
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  7. Lifeng Cui
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  8. Xiao Ni
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  9. Shuiping Zhong
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Correspondence to Xiao Ni or Shuiping Zhong.

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Appendix

Appendix

Table 11 Results of plant scale trial-copper flotation stage in April 2019
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Liang, Z., Li, G., Wei, Z. et al. Replacing Dichromate with Polysaccharide Depressant in Cu-Pb Separation: Lab Bench Tests and Plant Trials in Zijin Mining. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 38, 2285–2295 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-021-00479-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-021-00479-8

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