College of Mining, NUST MISIS, Moscow, Russia:

Yushina T. I., Head of Chair, Professor, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, yuti62@mail.ru
D’Elia Yanes K. S., Post Graduate Student
Malofeeva P. R., Post Graduate Student

Erdenet, Mongolia:

Purev B., Post Graduate Student

The article presents the research findings on potential enhancement of porphyry copper flotation efficiency at Erdenet processing plant, Mongolia, by means of improvement of reagent regime with addition of auxiliary collectors from tertiary acetylene alcohols class. Reagents DC-80 (2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol) (CH₃)₂C(OH)–C≡CH and DMIPEC (2,5-dimethylhexen-1-in-3-ol-5) (CH₃)₂C(OH)–C≡C–C(CH₃)=CH₂ were tested in laboratory-scale flotation of current production ore. The test data of the reagents used as base and auxiliary collectors are reported. It is found that acetylene alcohols display foaming properties in flotation of copper–molybdenum ore. Combination of solidophil acetylene and hydrophilic alcohol groups in the structure of molecules of the reagents attributes them with properties of collectors–frothers. It is assumed that interaction of the reagents with mineral surface results in formation of metal–alkyne -system. The testing results show that the collectors based on tertiary acetylene alcoh ols perform the most efficiently when fed by doses both in preparation circuit (milling), and in the bulk and selective flotation, in combination with the currently used reagents, including BK-901B (dialkyl dithiophosphate–dialkyl dithiocarbamate), AeroMX5152 (15–40% allylic amyl xanthate ester), diesel fuel grade E and methyl isobutyl carbinol MIBC. The use of the reagents based on acetylene alcohols at the consumption of 12–20 g/t increases recovery of molybdenum in molybdenum concentrate by 6–8% and copper in copper concentrate by 1–1.5% as compared with the standard reagent regime currently in operation at the processing plant. The study of flotation kinetics with auxiliary collectors DC-80 and DMIPEC in the bulk and selective circuits reveals potential reduction in flotation time by 35–40% as against the standard regime of the processing plant at the same technological data.
The authors appreciate participation of K. E. Bekhtemisov and M. O. Kenes, Candidates for a Master’s Degree, NUST MISIS, in this study.

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