How to Separate Copper and Zinc Minerals in Polymetallic Ore？

Copper-zinc polymetallic sulfide ore is a typical complex refractory ore. Copper minerals and sphalerite are closely symbiotic with similar flotability. In the grinding process, copper ions will activate zinc minerals, resulting in difficult separation, easy mutual inclusion of concentrates, and low comprehensive recovery rate. Professional selective flotation process is the key to solve copper-zinc separation difficulties.

The core principle of copper-zinc separation is priority inhibition and staged flotation. The whole process adopts the technological route of floating copper first and suppressing zinc, then floating zinc from tailings. After reasonable grinding and desliming, high-selectivity inhibitors are added to suppress zinc minerals and gangue impurities, ensuring the preferential flotation of copper concentrate. Through roughing, multiple cleanings and scavenging operations, high-grade copper concentrate with low zinc content is produced.

After copper separation, the residual pulp is activated by chemical agents to restore the flotability of sphalerite, and then zinc flotation is carried out independently. Strict reagent system control and pH adjustment are adopted to avoid mutual interference between copper and zinc flotation systems. For high-grade complex copper-zinc ore, differential flotation and mixed separation combined processes can be selected to further improve separation accuracy.

Scientific copper-zinc separation technology effectively solves the problem of metal mutual doping, greatly improves the grade and recovery rate of single concentrate, realizes the comprehensive recovery of multiple metals, and maximizes the economic value of polymetallic sulfide ore.