What Are The Methods And Processes For Beneficiation Of Copper Ore?

Copper ore is generally a collection of copper sulfide or oxide and other minerals, which reacts with sulfuric acid to produce blue-green copper sulfate. Industrial copper minerals include: native copper, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, tetrahedrite, azurite, malachite, etc. More than 280 copper-containing minerals have been discovered, and only 16 are major. China mainly mines chalcopyrite (a compound of copper, sulfur and iron), followed by chalcocite and bornite. What are the common beneficiation methods and processing procedures for copper ore?

‌Copper ore beneficiation methods mainly include flotation, magnetic separation, gravity separation, chemical beneficiation and combined beneficiation. ‌

‌Floatation method‌: Flotation is the most commonly used method in copper ore beneficiation, suitable for processing sulfide copper ore and oxidized copper ore. Its basic principle is to use the difference in physical and chemical properties of the mineral surface, and by adding flotation agents (such as collectors, frothers, etc.), the target mineral is attached to the bubbles and floats to the surface of the pulp, thereby separating it from the gangue minerals. The flotation process includes roughing, concentrating and scavenging, through which the grade and recovery rate of copper concentrate can be improved. ‌‌

Magnetic separation: Magnetic separation uses the difference in the magnetic properties of minerals for separation, and is suitable for processing ores containing magnetic minerals. In copper ore beneficiation, magnetic separation is mainly used to remove magnetic impurities in ores, such as magnetite. ‌

Gravity separation: Gravity separation is based on the difference in density between minerals, and is suitable for processing coarse-grained and easily dissociated ores. In copper ore beneficiation, gravity separation is often used in pre-selection operations to remove waste rock and improve the grade of the selected minerals. ‌

Chemical beneficiation: Chemical beneficiation separates useful minerals from gangue minerals through chemical reactions or physical and chemical reactions, and is suitable for processing difficult-to-select or low-grade copper ores. Common chemical beneficiation methods include leaching, extraction and electrolysis. ‌

Combined beneficiation: In view of the advantages and disadvantages of different beneficiation methods, combined beneficiation is often used in actual production, that is, a variety of beneficiation methods are combined to achieve the best beneficiation effect. For example, flotation-magnetic separation combined process, flotation-gravity separation combined process, etc.

‌Copper ore beneficiation process ‌

‌Crushing and screening ‌: The raw ore is crushed by physical methods to a particle size range suitable for further processing, and the ore is graded according to the particle size through screening equipment. ‌‌Grinding and classification ‌: The crushed ore is further ground by a mill, and the minerals of different coarseness and fineness are separated by grading equipment to meet the requirements of subsequent beneficiation operations. ‌Floatation/magnetic separation/gravity separation/chemical beneficiation ‌: Select the appropriate beneficiation method for separation according to the properties of the ore.

‌Concentrate dehydration ‌: Remove the water in the concentrate to a certain extent for transportation, storage and further processing. ‌Tailings treatment‌: Appropriate treatment methods for tailings, including tailings reselection, tailings storage or tailings utilization, while focusing on environmental protection and comprehensive resource utilization.

The selection and application of these methods and processes depend on factors such as the nature of the ore, mineral composition, copper grade and associated elements. The specific production line configuration and equipment selection should also be determined according to actual conditions.

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