National University of Science and Technology “MISiS”, Moscow, Russia:

E. L. Chanturiya, Professor of a Chair of Concentration, e-mail: elenachan@mail.ru

Research Institute of Comprehensive Exploitation of Mineral Resources (IPKON) of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia:
V. A. Chanturiya, Chief Researcher
E. S. Zhuravleva, Junior Researcher

By example of copper-zinc ores of Uchaly deposit, consisting of pyrite (60–90%), blende (from single grains to 25%) and chalcopyrite (1–10%), it is considered an effect on flotation characteristics of the liquid phase properties which are controlled by using water preparation electrochemical technology. Changes of physicochemical water parameters, products of its electrolysis, liquid pulp phase (Eh, pH, [O^2–], [S²⁺] in processes of reduction and flotation are studied as well as their correlation to technological indicators of flotation procedures. Electrochemical treatment of tap water was executed at cubic current density of 0.2–0.3 А/l in a non-diaphragm and diaphragm electrolytic cells. Plate of stainless steel was used as cathode, titanium with ruthenium-oxide coating served as anode. Possibility of directional change of indicators of copper-zinc ores flotation using water preparation electrochemical technology was established. Mechanism of modification of the sulphide minerals surface technological properties under electrochemically processed waters exposure is proposed. Use of water after non-diaphragm treatment in technological processes allows to increase zinc concentrate quality up to 28.23% and to reduce losses of zinc with bulk flotation tailings by 0.43% (as compared to null experiment). At the same time, the copper percentage in a bulk copper concentrate increases from 4.72 to 6.55% along with the pyrite percentage decreasing from 70.32 to 59.94%. It was concluded that products of a non-diaphragm electrochemical water conditioning are expedient to use during reduction and subsequent flotation of sulfur copper-zinc ore.

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