St. Petersburg State University (Russia):

Petrov S. V., Ph. D. in Geology and Mineralogy, Associate Professor, petrov64@gmail.com

Economic-geological evaluation of low-sulfidation platinum-group metals and impregnation platiniferous sulfide copper-nickel ores requires continuous correction of flotation performance indicators (noble metals recovery into concentrate, platinum and palladium grade in concentrate), depending on metals content in run-of-mine ore. The paper presents generalized experimental data on certain ore samples from the several deposits located in the Kola Peninsula and Republic of Karelia (52 samples in total). Among the studied mineralizations are noble metals ore occurrences in the Monchegorsk region (the Monchepluton occurrences, as well as the occurrences of the Monchetundra and Volchyetundra massifs), the Fedorovo-Pansky tundra areas (the Fedorovotundra, Pansky and East-Pansky massifs), as well as the occurrences of the Pudozhgorsk and Koikarsk-Svyatnavoloksk sills multimetal ores. Fundamental dependency graphs of platinum and palladium content in low-sulfidation platinum-group metals deposits and these metals’ grades in flotation concentrate, as well as their recoveries into concentrate are plotted. The platinum-group metals’ grades in flotation concentrates are reliably predicted by the content of related metals in ores. These dependencies are linear with high correlation coefficients: for platinum R = 0.94, and for palladium – R = 0.89. The metals flotation recovery from low-sulfidation ores may be predicted with lesser accuracy. With respect to that, logarithmic dependences are manifested, characterized by rather high determination factors. Most significant prediction errors are indicative for low-grade ores, being characterized by unstable flotation process and most sensitive to other factors that affect metallurgical results. The paper presents the equations of functional dependences between the parameters in question, suitable for practical application in economic-geological evaluation of ores.
The work was performed for the Projects and Research Program of the St. Petersburg State University of the Russian Federation: 3.38.690.2013 «The conditions for occurrence, evolution and postmagmatic transformations of minerals-concentrators of «critical metals» in complexes of intrusive and volcanic rocks».

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