Recovery of lead and barite from the abandoned Ichmoul mine wastes in Algeria

The present study aims at the valorization of useful minerals contained in polymetallic mine wastes. Ichmoul mine (Batna, Northeastern Algeria) is one of these mines, it was abandoned in 1954. Thereafter, this mining site was known as an artisanal mining. This work focused on the recovery of lead (Pb) and barite (BaSO 4 ) that are present in Ichmoul mine wastes. The results of mineralogical, physical and chemical characterizations revealed the presence of 3.82% lead and 49.60% barite in waste rocks, and 62.73% barite in tailings. These mine wastes are considered as a source of valuable minerals, so the feasibility of their valorization, by selective flotation, was investigated. The flotation of lead and barite from waste rocks was investigated based on reagent types and dosages. During lead flotation, the obtained average recovery was 70% of lead sulfide, and a concentrate of 40% of oxide lead was obtained by sulfidizing reagent. Desulphurisation of mine waste rocks was successful in the presence of a combination of xanthate and Aero 407. As for barite, an average recovery of 50% and concentrates ranging from 80 to 90% of barite has been achieved. This study showed that mine wastes management by flotation minimized the contaminant amounts, such as Pb and Ba, and reduced their mobility.