IVS Joint Venture, Saint-Petersburg, Russia:

E. N. Shumskaya, Leading Researcher, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, rivs@rivs.ru
O. Yu. Poperechnikova, Head of a sector
A. V. Kuptsova, Mineralogist

A feature of complex ores is a wide diversity of stages and conditions of minerogenesis, ratios of ore and rock-forming minerals, ore body configurations as well as texture and structure. Ore can be of different genetic types but some characteristics of the material constitution of ores govern their process properties: dissemination and size of sulfide minerals, their intergrowth degree, ratio of extractable and nonextractable minerals, selectively unfavorable ratio of Cu: Pb: Zn: Py, presence of clay and micaceous minerals, presence of chemically active hydrophilic rocks that actively adsorb collecting agents (pyroxene, coal-bearing carbonate, talcum, hydromica, etc.), presence of minerals favoring generation of ions of heavy metals in pulp, and acid-base characteristics capable to change pulp pH. The integrated mineralogical analysis of complex ores yielded basic technological parameters for their processing: stages and cycles of mineral extraction, use of selective agents, studies of liquid phase in mineral pulp during grinding and flotation, and employment of pulp processing machine Zimar. Developed based on extensive laboratory testing, the new complex ore processing technology ensures high selectivity of separation of lead, copper and zinc minerals irrespective of the material constitution of ore, and has no negative effects on the environment.

1. K. Hanumantha Rao, Chernyshova I. V. Challenges in Sulphide Mineral Processing. The Open Mineral Processing Journal. 2011. Vol. 4. pp. 7–13.
2. Vassileva R. D., Atanassova R., Kouzmanov K. Compositional variations of the tennantite-tetrahedrite series from the madan Pb-Zn deposits, Bulgaria: Oscillatory zoning and conditions of formation. Acta Mineralogica-Petrographica, Abstract Series. Szeged. 2012. Vol. 7.
3. Shumskaya E. N., Poperechnikova O. Yu., Tikhonov N. O. Development of technology of concentration of complex pyrite polymetallic ore of Korbalikhinskoe deposit. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2014. No. 11. pp. 78–83.
4. Baştürkcü H., Yenial Ü., Kökkılıç O., Yüce A. E., Erdoğan E. B. Beneficiation of Copper, Lead and Zinc Concentrates From Complex Ore By Using Environmentally Friend Reagents. The XIII International Mineral Processing Symposium. 10–12 October, 2012. Bodrum, Turkey, 2012. pp. 349–355.
5. Bulut G., Ceylan A., Soylu B., Goktepe F. Role of Starch and Metabisuphite on Pure Pyrite and Pyritic Copper Ore Flotation. Physicochemical Problems of Mineral Processing. 2011. Vol. 48(1). pp. 39–48.

6. Shumskaya E. N., Soloveva L. M., Poperechnikova O. Yu. Improvement of the concentration technology of polymetallic ore of Artemevskoe deposit (Kazakhmys PLC, Republic of Kazakhstan). Gornyi Zhurnal. 2012. No. 11. pp. 63–67.
7. Coetzer G., du Preez H. S., Bredenhann R. Infl uence of water resources and metal ions on galena flotation of Rosh Pinah ore. The Journal of The South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. 2003. Vol. 103, No. 3. pp. 193–207.
8. Jun-ya Cao, Guang-ji Zhang, Zai-sha Mao, Zhao-heng Fang, Chao Yang, Bao-ling Han. Influence of Mg²⁺ on the growth and activity of sulfate reducing bacteria. Hydrometallurgy. 2009. Vol. 95. pp. 127–134.
9. Аdam K., Natarajan K. A., Iwasaki I. Grinding media wear and its effect on flotation of sulphide minerals. International Mineral Processing Journal. 1984. Vol. 12. p. 39.
10. Li A. F. Mineralogical investigation of non-ferrous and rare metal ores. Moscow : Nauka, 1967. 260 p.
11. Flotation Frothers: Review of Their Classifications, Properties and Preparation. Mineral Processing Journal. 2011. Vol. 4. pp. 25-44.
12. Hao Ren, Mengqi Ren, Jing Ning, Zhen Li. Research on the Interaction between Sphalerite and Silica Particles with Different Calcium Ion Solutions. Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering. 2013. Vol. 1, No. 4.