Substantiation of the Erdenetiyn-Ovoo copper-molybdenum ore flotation technology with the use of tertiary acetylene alcohol

The article presents the results of a study of the factors affecting the efficiency of the copper-molybdenum ore flotation. The objective of this work was to substantiate and develop a reagent mode for flotation of the Erdenetiyn-Ovoo porphyry copper ores, which makes possible extracting main copper and molybdenum minerals into corresponding concentrates more fully and selectively. It is shown that the use of a DC-80 (2-methyl-3-butin-2-ol) flotation reagent in assosiation with the main base mode reagents — an AERO MX-5152 (a mixture of allyl ethers of xanthogenic acids with n-butyloxycarbonyl-O-n-butylthionocarbamate) combined nonionized collector, a BK-901B (a composition of dialkyldithiophosphate and O,N-dialkyldithiocarbamate) blending ionized collector; diesel fuel; a MIBC (methyl isobutyl carbinol) frother; sodium sulphide Na2S as a modifier and lime СаО as a pH regulator of the medium allows obtaining a noticeable, economically sound additional recovery of both copper and molybdenum. Quantum chemical calculations have permitted to establish an important feature of the mechanism of interaction between the DC-80 molecules that can form stronger complexes based on -bonds with metal cations of sulfide minerals in comparison with allyl ethers of xanthogenic acids. The energy indicators of the formation of bonds between Cu2S, the DC-80 molecules and allyl ether of xanthic acid were calculated. There were shown the models of the assumed interaction of small mineral particles with air bubbles during flotation, which are determined by physical and chemical properties of the molecules of acetylene-containing reagents. The principal difference between the properties of the foam bubbles formed by acetylene-containing molecules for at least 50% and that of the ordinary foam bubbles formed by standard frothers has been demonstrated in the view of the mechanism of their fixing on the surface of small particles of sulfide minerals and the surface of the bubbles. The optimal flotation mode, comprising a DC-80 reagent, BK-901B and AERO MX-5152 base collectors has been developed. The application of this mode will allow increasing the copper and molybdenum recovery into concentrates by 0.62% and 5.76%, respectively, reducing the flotation time by 35–40%, and improving the quality of resulting concentrates. Based on the research results, it is recommended to incorporate the DC-80 acetylene reagent into the basic flotation mode for conducting pilot tests at the Erdenet Mining Corporation enterprises (Mongolia).