Mechanistic insights into particle interactions and gangue mineral migration in chalcopyrite flotation: Towards efficient copper mineral recovery from polymetallic ores

The flotation process of chalcopyrite is influenced by the type of associated ores, where the gangue minerals disrupt the flotation process and degrade the chalcopyrite concentrate’s quality. The study employed artificially mixed minerals to replicate the characteristics of real ores, thereby isolating the impact of associated ore types on chalcopyrite flotation while minimizing external interference. The flotation mechanism of chalcopyrite in various ore systems was elucidated through a range of characterization methods, including Zeta potential analysis, SEM-EDS, turbidity analysis, foam load measurements, and the E-DLVO theory. The results indicate that fine-grained pyroxene and chlorite, due to their excellent dispersibility and electrostatic repulsion between particles, primarily contribute to the contamination of the chalcopyrite concentrate via entrainment. Beyond competing with chalcopyrite for flotation reagents, calcite particles also form heterogeneous coagulation with chalcopyrite. This study enhances the understanding of the interaction processes and mechanisms between chalcopyrite and various gangue minerals.