Abstract

In this study, experiments were carried out on copper ore containing gold and silver obtained from Kisecik village of Hatay, which is in the south of Turkey. Analyses of original ore showed that the sample contained 4.93 % Cu, 0.007 % Co, 0.92 % Zn, 11.41 % Fe, 10.72, % S, 4.72 g/t Au and 12.80 g/t Ag. It was determined that gold and silver could not be reached with satisfactory yields by flotation of original ore at the defined size. Thus, original ore was sulfurized before the flotation. By the flotation of the sulfurized ore, it was seen that Au, Ag, Cu, Zn and Co were collected with fairly high yields in the concentrate phase. In the optimum flotation conditions, all of gold, 96.52 % Ag, 98.52 % Cu, 97.20 % Zn and 94.77 % Co passed into concentrate phase. The concentrate grades of Au, Ag, Cu, Zn and Co were found as 8.62 g/t, 21.42 g/t, 7.81%, 0.01%, and 1.81%, respectively. From the concentrate obtained from this process, it was determined that Au, Ag, Cu, Zn and Co can be recovered by hydrometallurgical method. The effect of the parameters such as pH, pulp density, particle size and collector amount were investigated. KAX was used as collector and Dow-250 was used as frother.

Keywords

Sulfurization, flotation, copper, gold, silver

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Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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