Skip to main content

The Use of Tecflote Family Collectors in Copper–Nickel Ore Flotation

Journal of Mining Science volume 57, pages 1014–1024 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Tecflote non-ionic organic agents are investigated as potential flotation collectors for copper–nickel sulfide ores. Adsorbability of four Tecflote agents having different-structure alkyl radicals and different numbers of functional groups is analyzed. The efficiency of the agents toward copper- and nickel-bearing minerals is estimated in non-frothing flotation of ore samples treated with chalcopyrite and pentlandite–pyrrhotine. The behavior specificity of Tecflote agents as compared with sulfhydryl collectors is illustrated. Tecflote agents are more active relative to nickel-bearing minerals. The flotation tests prove that inclusion of Tecflote collectors as additives to standard flotation regime enhances efficiency of the process. Partial replacement of xanthate favors higher recovery of copper and nickel in flotation froth at lower recovery of nickel in flotation tailings.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

REFERENCES

  1. Chanturia, V.A., Innovative Processes of Comprehensive and Deep Processing of Complex Minerals. Innovative Processes of Comprehensive Processing of Natural and Man-Made Minerals, Proc. Int. Conf. Plaksin’s Lectures, Apatity, 2020.

  2. Algebraistova, N.K., Mikheev, V.G., Markova, S.A., Gaivoronskaya, M.V., Kondrat’eva, A.A., Groo, A.A., and Razvyaznaya, A.V., Engineering Evaluation of Processing Disseminated Copper–Nickel Ore, GIAB, 2013, no. 2, pp. 57–67.

  3. Shubov, L.Ya., Flotatsionnye reagenty v protsessakh obogashcheniya mineral’nogo syr’ya (Flotation Agents in Mineral Processing), Moscow: Nedra, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Marabini, A. and Barbaro, M., Chelating Reagents for Flotation of Sulphide Minerals, Sulphide Deposits—Their Origin and Proc., Springer, Dordrecht, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Ackerman, P.K., Use of Chelating Agents as Collectors in the Flotation of Copper Sulfides and Pyrite, Miner. Metall. Proc., 1999, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 27–35.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Matveeva, T.N. and Gromova, N.K., Effect of Mercaptobenzothiazole and Dithiophosphate in the Flotation of Au- and Pt-bearing Minerals, GIAB, Instalment: Mineral Dressing: Collection of Sci. Papers based on the Materials of Miner’s Week Symphosium-2009.

  7. Chai, W., Huang, Ya., Peng, W., Han, G., Yijun, C., and Liu, J., Enhanced Separation of Pyrite from High-Sulfur Bauxite Using 2-Mercaptobenzimidazole as Chelate Collector: Flotation Optimization and Interaction Mechanisms, Miner. Eng., 2018, vol. 129, pp. 93–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Solozhenkin, P.M., Interaction of Thionocarbamates with Clusters of Sulfide Minerals according to Computer Simulation Data, Tsvet. Metallurgiya, 2016, no. 6, pp. 4–13.

  9. Bocharov, V.A., Ignatkina, V.A., and Alexeichuk, D.A., New Scientific Approaches to Selecting the Compositions of Sulfhydryl Collectors, the Mechanism of their Action and Substantiation of the Conditions for Selective Flotation of Sulfide Minerals, GIAB, 2013, no. 10, pp. 59–67.

  10. Lu, J., Tong, Zh., Yuan, Zh., and Li, L., Investigation on Flotation Separation of Chalcopyrite from Arsenopyrite with a Novel Collector: N-butoxycarbonyl-O-isobutyl Thiocarbamate, Miner. Eng., 2019, vol. 137, pp. 118–123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Forson, Ph., Skinner, W., and Asamoah, R., Decoupling Pyrite and Arsenopyrite in Flotation Using Thionocarbamate Collector, Powder Technol., 2021, vol. 385, pp. 12–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Huang, X., Huang, K., Wang, Sh., Cao, Zh., and Zhong, H., Synthesis of 2-hydroxyethyl Dibutyldithiocarbamate and its Adsorption Mechanism on Chalcopyrite, Appl. Surface Sci., 2019, vol. 476, pp. 460–467.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Huang, X., Jia, Yu., Cao, Zh., Wang, Sh., Ma, X., and Zhong, H., Investigation of the Interfacial Adsorption Mechanisms of 2-hydroxyethyl Dibutyldithiocarbamate Surfactant on Galena and Sphalerite, Colloids and Surfaces, Physicochem. Eng. Aspects, 2019, vol. 583.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Hamilton, D., Natarajan, R., and Nirdosh, I., Sphalerite Flotation Using an Arylhydroxamic Acid Collector: Improving Grade while Using a Reduced Amount of Copper Sulfate for Activation, Industrial Eng. Chemistry Res., 2009, vol. 48, no. 12, pp. 5584–5589.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Lee, K., Archibald, D., McLean, J., and Reuter, M.A., Flotation of Mixed Copper Oxide and Sulphide Minerals with Xanthate and Hydroxamate Collectors, Miner. Eng., 2009, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 395–401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Elizondo-Álvarez, M.A., Uribe-Salas, A., and Nava-Alonso, F., Flotation Studies of Galena (PbS), Cerussite (PbCO3) and Anglesite (PbSO4 with Hydroxamic Acids as Collectors, Miner. Eng., 2020, vol. 155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Chekanova, L.G., Zabolotnykh, S.A., Kharitonova, A.V., El’chishcheva, Yu.B., and Yurovskikh, E.S., Hydrazides of Branched Carboxylic Acids—Reagents for Recovery Flotation of Minerals of Non-Ferrous Metals, Vestn. Perm. Univ., 2019, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 359–370.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Chekanova, L.G., Radushev, A.V., Baigacheva, E.V., and Chernova, G.V., New Collectors for Sulfide Ore Flotation, Obogashch. Rud, 2009, no. 9, pp. 34–36.

  19. Mitrofanova, G.V., Chernousenko, E.V., Bazarova, E.A., and Tyukin, A.P., Search for New Complexing Agents for Flotation of Copper-Nickel Ores, Tsvet. Metally, 2019, no. 11, pp. 27–33.

  20. Holness, T., An Investigation of the Adsorption Mechanism of an Aliphatic Nitrile (Tecflote S11) on Sulphide Mineral Surfaces, Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository, 2020.

  21. Lewis, A. and Lima, O., Tecflote—New Collector Chemistry for Sulfide Flotation, Procemin Geomet, 14th Int. Miner. Proc. Conf., Santiago, Chile, 2018.

  22. Schach, E., Lewis, A., and Rudolph, M., Investigations on the Working Mechanism of the Nitrile Based Sulfide Collector Tecflote TM, Conference: MEI Flotation, Cape Town, South Africa, 2019.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mining Institute, Kola Science Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 184209, Apatity, Russia

    E. V. Chernousenko & Yu. S. Kameneva

Authors
  1. E. V. Chernousenko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yu. S. Kameneva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to E. V. Chernousenko or Yu. S. Kameneva.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chernousenko, E.V., Kameneva, Y.S. The Use of Tecflote Family Collectors in Copper–Nickel Ore Flotation. J Min Sci 57, 1014–1024 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062739121060144

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062739121060144

Keywords

  • copper-nickel ore
  • chalcopyrite
  • pentlandite
  • pyrrhotine
  • flotation
  • sulfhydryl collectors
  • complexing agents
  • Tecflote collectors