Distribution of Sb minerals in the Cu and Zn flotation of Rockliden massive sulphide ore in north-central SwedenShow others and affiliations
2015 (English)In: Minerals Engineering, ISSN 0892-6875, E-ISSN 1872-9444, Vol. 82, p. 125-135Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
The Rockliden massive sulphide Zn–Cu deposit contains minor amounts of Sb minerals. The Sb mineralogy is complex in terms of composition, micro textures and mineral associations. The main Sb minerals comprise tetrahedrite, bournonite, gudmundite and Sb–Pb sulphides such as meneghinite. The presence of these minerals is especially critical to the quality of the Cu–Pb concentrate. To study how they are distributed in a simplified flotation circuit and what controls their process behaviour Sb-rich drill core samples were selected from the Rockliden deposit and a standard laboratory flotation test was run on the composite samples. Scanning electron microscope-based automated mineralogy was used to measure the Sb mineralogy of the test products, and the particle tracking technique was applied to mass balance the different liberation classes to finally trace the distribution of liberated and locked Sb minerals. The mineralogical factors controlling the distribution of Sb minerals are mineral grain size, the degree of liberation, and associated minerals. Similarities in the distribution of specific particle types from the tested composites point towards systematics in the behaviour of particles and predictability of their distribution which is suggested to be used in a geometallurgical model of the deposit.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier , 2015. Vol. 82, p. 125-135
National Category
Geology Metallurgy and Metallic Materials
Research subject
Ore Geology; Mineral Processing
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-35964DOI: 10.1016/j.mineng.2015.03.007ISI: 000362617800014Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-84942195951Local ID: ab574219-416c-45a9-8031-d5ea33d3186cOAI: oai:DiVA.org:ltu-35964DiVA, id: diva2:1009219
Conference
Process Mineralogy : 17/11/2014 - 19/11/2014
Note
Validerad; 2015; Nivå 1; 20150323 (andbra); Konferensartikel i tidskrift
2016-09-302016-09-302025-10-22Bibliographically approved