Flotation with xanthate

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR THE FLOTATION OF COPPER VALUES FROM COPPER ORES CONTAINING COPPER SULPHIDES AND AT LEAST ONE OF THE SULPHURIC ACID SOLUBLE COPPER MINERALS TO SEPARATE SAID VALUES FROM HOST ROCK MATERIALS CONTAINING CLAY OR TALCOSE MATERIALS, SAID PROCESS COMPRISING: CONDITIONING AN APPROPRIATELY PREPARED PULP OF AN ORE CONTAINING SUCH MINERALS IN THE PRESENCE OF AN ALKALINE AGENT AND ALKALI METAL XANTHATE AT A PH OF FROM ABOUT 9.5 TO ABOUT 12 TO PRODUCE HEAVY ACTIVATION OF SAID COPPER VALUES, PRIOR TO FLOTATION, SUBJECTING THE PULP TO A FINAL STAGE OF AGITATION CONDITIONING IN THE PRESENCE OF A SELECTED AGENT FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF DISPERSING AGENTS AND FLOCCULATING AGENTS AT A PH OF FROM ABOUT 9.5 TO ABOUT 12 TO DEPRESS THE HOST ROCK INGREDIENTS OF THEORE, AND THEN SUBJECTING THE PULP CONTAINING BOTH THE COPPER SULPHIDE VALUES AND THE SULPHURIC ACID SOLUBLE COPPER MINERAL VALUES TO FROTH FLOATION TO PRODUCE A CONCENTRATE OF SAID COPPER VALUES.

Claim 3

A process according to claim 1 wherein the said flotation comprises a rougher float, and then a period of conditioning of the rougher concentrate by agitation with the addition of dispersing agent or flocculating agent to depress host rock ingredients, followed by a cleaner float.

Claim 4

A process according to claim 2 wherein The rougher concentrate is conditioned by agitation with lime at a pH in excess of 12 to about 12.35 prior to a cleaner float.

Claim 5

A process according to claim 1 in which the final stage of conditioning is continued for a period of at least 10 minutes.

Claim 6

A process according to claim 1 wherein the ore contains molybdenum sulphide mineral and including at least one alkaline agitation conditioning step at a pH in the range of above 12.0 to about 12.3 prior to said final stage of conditioning, which final stage is conducted at a pH in the range of about 9.5 to about 12.0.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 1 wherein the alkali metal xanthate is potassium amyl xanthate.

Claim 8

A process according to claim 1 wherein a dispersing agent is used in said final stage of conditioning and the dispersing agent is sodium silicate.

Claim 9

A process according to claim 1 wherein the alkaline agent is lime, and the selected agent from the group consisting of dispersing agents and flocculating agents is a dispersing agent.

Claim 10

A process according to claim 1 wherein said appropriately prepared pulp of said ore is prepared by wet grinding said ore in the presence of an alkaline agent.

Claim 11

A process according to claim 1 wherein said conditioning an appropriately prepared pulp of an ore is substantially carried out by wet grinding said ore in the presence of an alkaline agent and an alkali metal xanthate at a pH of from about 9.5 to about 12.

Claim 12

A process according to claim 1 wherein said conditioning an appropriately prepared pulp of an ore is substantially carried out by wet grinding said ore in the presence of lime and alkali metal xanthate and the selected agent from the group consisting of dispersing agents and flocculating agents is a dispersing agent.

Claim 13

A process according to claim 1 wherein the alkaline agent is soda ash.

Claim 14

A process according to claim 1 wherein the alkaline agent is a combination of soda ash and lime and the final conditioning stage prior to flotation is conducted in the presence of a flocculating agent.

Claim 15

A process for the recovery by flotation of copper values from copper ores containing copper sulphides and at least one of the sulphuric acid soluble copper minerals said process comprising communiting said ore by wet grinding in the presence of calcium hydroxide and an alkali metal xanthate collecting agent to produce a prepared pulp of the ore, subjecting the said prepared pulp of the ore to at least one alkaline agitation conditioning stage within the pH range of about 9.5 to 12.0 in the presence of at least one alkaline agent selected from the group consisting of lime, calcium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide and ammonium hydroxide and in the presence of sufficient collector and in the presence of sufficient dispersing agent wherein the residence time of the pulp in at least one alkaline agitation conditioning stage is of sufficiently long duration to enable the effective recovery of copper values and effective depression of the waste non-sulphide host rock minerals in at least one subsequent flotation stage: and subsequently in the presence of a suitable frother subjecting the pulp to froth flotation to produce a flotation concentrate enriched in copper values and a tailing products low in copper values and high in waste non-sulphide host rock minerals.

Claim 16

A process for the recovery by flotation of copper values from copper ores containing copper sulphides and at least one of the sulphuric acid soluble copper minerals said process comprising communiting said ore by wet grinding in the presence of calcium hydroxide and an alkali metal xanthate collecting agent to produce a prepared pulp of the ore, subjecting the said prepared pulp of the ore to at least one alkaline agitation conditioning stage within the pH range of about 9.5 to 12.0 in the presence of at least one alkaline agent selected from the group consisting of lime, calcium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide and ammonium hydroxide and in the presence of sufficient collector and in the presence of sufficient dispersing agent wherein the residence time of the pulp in at least one alkaline agitation conditioning stage is of sufficiently long duration to enable the effective recovery of copper values and effective depression of the waste non-sulphide host rock minerals in at least one subsequent flotation stage: and subsequently in the presence of a suitable frother subjecting the pulp to froth flotation to produce a flotation concentrate enriched in copper values and a tailing products low in copper values and high in waste non-sulphide host rock minerals.

Claim 17

A process as defined in claim 14 wherein a dispersant is present during wet grinding of the ore.