National Research Technological University «MISIS» (Moscow, Russia)

Pestryak I. V., Head of Chair, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, Associate Professor, pestryak.iv@misis.ru
Morozov V. V., Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, Professor, dchmggu@mail.ru

Erdenet Mining Corporation State-Owned Enterprise (Erdenet, aimag Orkhon, Mongolia)
Erdenetuya Ochir, Leading Manager, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, erdenetuyaa@erdenetmc.mn

«Erdenet» Institute of Technology (Erdenet, aimag Orkhon, Mongolia)
Jargalsaikhan Erdenezul, Lecturer, zul479@gmail.com

Improved process stability is preconditioned on proper establishment and maintenance of certain concentrations of circulating water components that affect the flotation of ore and non-metallic minerals. The flotation studies conducted for copper-molybdenum ores have identified the ion-molecular components of the aqueous phase, higher concentrations of which deteriorate the flotation performance. It has been shown that molybdenite activation by copper ions ultimately reduces the recovery of molybdenum into the concentrate. It has been established that increased concentrations of iron ions and compounds in the aqueous phase reduce molybdenite recovery by 4–6 %. The studies conducted have proven that higher concentrations of calcium ions in grinding reduces molybdenum recovery by 3–7 %. An additional effect of reducing molybdenite floatability with the addition of calcium ions in the presence of molybdate ions has been established. It has been shown that the presence of fatty acids intensifies calcite and sericite flotation, improving the recovery into the copper-molybdenum concentrate by 7–15 %. Large-scale flotation tests have confirmed the results of the relevant laboratory studies and identified the maximum allowable concentrations of undesirable components in the process water supplied to the stages of grinding and flotation of copper-molybdenum ores. Circulating water conditioning systems with 85 % closed water cycles must be designed so as to reduce the concentration of copper and iron cations to 0.7 mg/l, calcium ions to 400 mg/l, and fatty acids to 1.17 mg/l.

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