COMPARISON OF SELECTIVE FLOTATION OF CHALCOPYRITE AND MOLYBDENITE
WITH VARIOUS OXIDATION TECHNIQUES
Tsuyoshi Hirajimaa,*, Hidekazu Matsuokaa, Hajime Mikia, Gde Pandhe Wisnu Suyantaraa, Ahmed
Mohamed Elmahdya, Keiko Sasakia
a
Department of Earth Resources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka,
Nishiku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
*E-mail address: hirajima@mine.kyushu-u.ac.jp
ABSTRACT
Selective flotation of chalcopyrite and molybdenite was studied using various surface treatment methods
such as electrolysis, ozone treatment, and reagents. Oxidation and reduction via electrolysis method
indicated that surface of chalcopyrite is selectively changed compared to molybdenite due to conductivity
difference. Oxidation treatments and XPS analyses indicated that chalcopyrite became hydrophilic since
oxidized iron was precipitated on the surface. Various oxidizing methods such as reagents and so on also
indicated selective oxidation of chalcopyrite and its depression and show selective flotation of chalcopyrite
and molybdenite. Possible mechanisms and detailed phenomenon were investigated based on surface
analyses and thermodynamic calculations.
KEYWORDS
Oxidation, Flotation, Chalcopyrite, Molybdenite, Mechanism
100
Molybdenite
Recovery (%)
80
Molybdenite
60
40
Chalcopyrite
20
Chalcopyrite
0
untreated
0
Washing time after ozone treatment (min)
Figure 1 –Effect of washing time after
plasma treatment.
Figure 2 –Effect of washing time after
ozone treatment.
30