The mineral processing experiments of a poly-metallic silver-associated sulfide ore

This paper studies the mineral processing of a silver-containing poly-metallic sulfide ore. Theprocess mineralogy results show complex mineral components and closely-associated minerals. Copper-leadzinc preferential flotation processing is applied by using Z-200 as copper preferential flotation collector, QF-11 as lead preferential flotation collector, CuSO₄ as zinc activator, butyl xanthate as zinc collector. Theclosed-circuit tests showed that the copper concentrate of 20.02 % Cu with a recovery rate of 69.30 %, containing silver 8 150.32 g/t, silver recovery rate of 55.01 % are obtained. The lead concentrate of 55.01 %Pb with a recovery rate of 81.86 %, containing silver 2 400 g/t, silver recovery rate of 37.80 %, the zincconcentrate of 50.56 % Zn with a recovery rate of 81.28 % are also obtained. QF-11 has good leadpreferential flotation in low alkali. The application of QF-11 as lead collector in lead flotation is favorable forsilver enrichment in lead concentrate, which in turn increases the recovery rate of associated silver. Inaddition, it can avoid using large amount of lime in lead processing.