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

V. A. Ignatkina, Professor, e-mail: woda@mail.ru

This paper shows the analytical review of investigations for selective sulfhydryl collectors' design and their use in reagent modes of finely-ingrained sulfide ore flotation. Combination of strong and weak collectors is the most rational way of increasing of the contrast range of flotability of non-ferrous metal sulfides and iron sulfides. The best flotation indicators for copper-bearing sulfur ores are obtained using buthyl xanthate (a strong collector) with diisoalkyldithiophosphates, and combination of thionocarbamates and dithionphosphates. Industrial testings of reagent mode with mixture of dithiophosphate and (mostly) thionocarbamate and in flotation of copperzinc ore with increased pyrrhotine content (45.8–52.8%) show the higher performance data (in comparison with buthyl xanthate with its bigger consumption). Copper mineral extraction increased due to the decreasing of copper sulfide losses with dump tails and zinc concentrate. Using sulfhydryl collectors on the basis of thionocarbamates and dithiophosphates on polymetallic ore allows the application of the partially bulk-selective flotation scheme, and increasing the non-ferrous metal sulfide content and their extraction in selective concentrates.

This research work was carried out with the support of the grant of Russian Scientific Fund (project No. 14-17-00393).

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