Process Mineralogy and Flotation Kinetic of a Copper Oxide Ore during Sulfuration Flotation

This study aims to investigate the process mineralogy of the Dishui copper ore in Xinjiang and determine the flotation kinetic equations of this copper ore during the sulfuration flotation process. The results indicate cuprite is the main form of oxide copper minerals, which is difficult to be vulcanized and floated. The fitting of flotation date to a flotation kinetic equation shows that the copper oxide ore, cuprite, malachite and chrysocolla in this ore are consistent with a first order kinetic equation. The rate constants for copper oxide, cuprite, malachite and chrysocolla are 0.152, 0.104, 0.248 and 0.210 respectively. Thus, the flotation of cuprite in the ore is very important to improve the total recovery of the copper oxide ore.