Separation of galena and chalcopyrite using the difference in their surface acid corrosion characteristics  

作　　者：Haiyun Xie Jialing Chen Pei Zhang Likun Gao Dianwen Liu Luzheng Chen 

机构地区：[1]Faculty of Land and Resources Engineering,Kunming University of Science and Technology,Kunming 650093,China [2]Yunnan Key Laboratory of Green Separation and Enrichment of Strategic Mineral Resources,Kunming 650093,China

出　　处：《International Journal of Minerals,Metallurgy and Materials》2023年第11期2157-2168,共12页矿物冶金与材料学报（英文版）

基　　金：financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52064027);Yunnan Major Scientific and Technological Projects,China(No.202202AG050015)。

摘　　要：Galena(PbS)and chalcopyrite(CuFeS_(2))are sulfide minerals that exhibit good floatability characteristics.Thus,efficiently separating them via common flotation is challenging.Herein,a new method of surface sulfuric acid corrosion in conjunction with flotation separation was proposed,and the efficient separation of galena and chalcopyrite was successfully realized.Contact angle test results showed a substantial decrease in surface contact angle and a selective inhibition of surface floatability for corroded galena.Meanwhile,the contact angle and floatability of corroded chalcopyrite remained almost unaffected.Scanning electron microscope results confirmed that sulfuric acid corrosion led to the formation of a dense oxide layer on the galena surface,whereas the chalcopyrite surface remained unaltered.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results showed that the chemical state of S^(2-)on the surface of corroded galena was oxidized to SO_(4)^(2-).A layer of hydrophilic PbSO4was formed on the surface,leading to a sharp decrease in galena floatability.Meanwhile,new hydrophobic CuS_(2),CuS,and Cu_(1-x)Fe_(1-y)S_(2-z)species exhibiting good floatability were generated on the chalcopyrite surface.Finally,theoretical analysis results were further verified by corrosion–flotation separation experiments.The galena–chalcopyrite mixture was completely separated via flotation separation under appropriate corrosion acidity,corrosion temperature,and corrosion time.A novel approach has been outlined in this study,providing potential applications in the efficient separation of refractory copper–lead sulfide ore.

关 键 词：surface acid corrosion GALENA CHALCOPYRITE FLOTATION separation efficiency 

分 类 号：TD952[矿业工程—选矿] TD923