Effect of microwave pretreatment on grinding and flotation kinetics of copper complex ore

Hamed Gholami; Bahram Rezai; Ahmad Hassanzadeh; Akbar Mehdilo; Mohammadreza Yarahmadi

doi:10.1007/s12613-020-2106-0

Volume 28 Issue 12

Dec. 2021

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Article Navigation > International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials > 2021 > 28(12): 1887-1897

Hamed Gholami, Bahram Rezai, Ahmad Hassanzadeh, Akbar Mehdilo, and Mohammadreza Yarahmadi, Effect of microwave pretreatment on grinding and flotation kinetics of copper complex ore, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 28(2021), No. 12, pp. 1887-1897. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-020-2106-0

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Hamed Gholami, Bahram Rezai, Ahmad Hassanzadeh, Akbar Mehdilo, and Mohammadreza Yarahmadi, Effect of microwave pretreatment on grinding and flotation kinetics of copper complex ore, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 28(2021), No. 12, pp. 1887-1897. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-020-2106-0

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Research Article

Effect of microwave pretreatment on grinding and flotation kinetics of copper complex ore

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Corresponding author:
Bahram Rezai E-mail: rezai@aut.ac.ir
Received: 8 April 2020; Revised: 19 May 2020; Accepted: 20 May 2020; Available online: 24 May 2020

Abstract

Abstract

The present study initially investigates the kinetics of microwave-assisted grinding and flotation in a porphyry copper deposit. Kinetic tests were conducted on untreated and microwave-irradiated samples by varying the exposure time from 15 to 150 s. Optical microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy were conducted to determine the mineral liberation and particle surface properties, and to perform mineralogical analyses. Results showed that the ore breakage rate constant monotonically increased by increasing the exposure time, particularly for the coarsest fraction size (400 µm) due to the creation of thermal stress fractures alongside grain boundaries. Excessive irradiation time (>60 s) led to the creation of oxidized and porous surfaces along with a dramatic change in particle morphologies that result in a substantial reduction of chalcopyrite and pyrite flotation rate constants and ultimate recoveries. We concluded that MW-pretreated copper ore was ground faster than the untreated variety, but the two types have slightly similar floatabilities.
- flotation kinetics;
- grinding kinetics;
- microwave technology;
- copper sulfide ore;
- recovery

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