A New Innovative Method of Flotation
Separation for High Sulfur Lead–Zinc
Sulfide Ore
Changtao Wang, Runqing Liu, Wei Sun, Yuehua Hu and Zhangyuan Ni
Abstract In response to the environment and economic problems attributed to the
usage of large amount of lime and sulfuric acid in high alkaline preferential process
(HAPP), this research systematically investigated a new, environment friendly and
cost-effective flotation approach for the selective separation of galena, sphalerite, and
pyrite from a high sulfur lead–zinc sulfide ore. In this study, the sample was obtained
from Fankou Mine in Guangdong Province. With the new scheme, it was found that
most of galena (Pb Recovery : 93.5%) and pyrite (S Recovery : 87.5%) were gathered through
galena–pyrite mixed flotation without the usage of lime, and then galena and pyrite
were effectively separated using a little amount of lime (2000 g/t). More important,
the product of high-grade pyrite (S Grade : 46.8%) was recovered without sulfuric acid.
Totally, the new innovative method can reduce the amount of lime and eliminate
sulfuric acid requirement. At the same time, the closed circuit flotation results can be
obtained with Pb Recovery : 82.60%, Zn Recovery : 95.26%, and S Recovery : 64.47%. Besides,
both the reagents’ costs and power requirements were minimized, and 4.5 million
RMB could be saved annually in Fankou plant of China. Therefore, the developed
approach has significant environmental and economic benefits possessing a broad
prospect in the mineral industry.
Keywords Flotation · High alkaline preferential process (HAPP) · Lead–zinc ore ·
Lime · Sulfuric acid
C. Wang · R. Liu (B) · W. Sun · Y. Hu · Z. Ni
School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083,
China
e-mail: liurunqing@126.com
C. Wang
e-mail: 1044004190@qq.com
W. Sun
e-mail: sunmenghu@126.com
Y. Hu
e-mail: hyh@csu.edu.cn
Z. Ni
e-mail: 1402460314@qq.com
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
A. Siegmund et al. (eds.), PbZn 2020: 9th International Symposium
on Lead and Zinc Processing, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37070-1_54
625
Separation for High Sulfur Lead–Zinc
Sulfide Ore
Changtao Wang, Runqing Liu, Wei Sun, Yuehua Hu and Zhangyuan Ni
Abstract In response to the environment and economic problems attributed to the
usage of large amount of lime and sulfuric acid in high alkaline preferential process
(HAPP), this research systematically investigated a new, environment friendly and
cost-effective flotation approach for the selective separation of galena, sphalerite, and
pyrite from a high sulfur lead–zinc sulfide ore. In this study, the sample was obtained
from Fankou Mine in Guangdong Province. With the new scheme, it was found that
most of galena (Pb Recovery : 93.5%) and pyrite (S Recovery : 87.5%) were gathered through
galena–pyrite mixed flotation without the usage of lime, and then galena and pyrite
were effectively separated using a little amount of lime (2000 g/t). More important,
the product of high-grade pyrite (S Grade : 46.8%) was recovered without sulfuric acid.
Totally, the new innovative method can reduce the amount of lime and eliminate
sulfuric acid requirement. At the same time, the closed circuit flotation results can be
obtained with Pb Recovery : 82.60%, Zn Recovery : 95.26%, and S Recovery : 64.47%. Besides,
both the reagents’ costs and power requirements were minimized, and 4.5 million
RMB could be saved annually in Fankou plant of China. Therefore, the developed
approach has significant environmental and economic benefits possessing a broad
prospect in the mineral industry.
Keywords Flotation · High alkaline preferential process (HAPP) · Lead–zinc ore ·
Lime · Sulfuric acid
C. Wang · R. Liu (B) · W. Sun · Y. Hu · Z. Ni
School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083,
China
e-mail: liurunqing@126.com
C. Wang
e-mail: 1044004190@qq.com
W. Sun
e-mail: sunmenghu@126.com
Y. Hu
e-mail: hyh@csu.edu.cn
Z. Ni
e-mail: 1402460314@qq.com
© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2020
A. Siegmund et al. (eds.), PbZn 2020: 9th International Symposium
on Lead and Zinc Processing, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-37070-1_54
625