Experimental study on beneficiation of a secondary sulfide copper mine in Africa

A secondary sulfide copper mine is located in the eastern region of Africa, with a copper content of 3.02% and an iron content of 26.36%, which has high recycling value. At the same time, the proportion of easily mud prone minerals such as dolomite, calcite, and chlorite in the ore sample exceeds 50%, which greatly interfere with the flotation of copper. Based on the study of process mineralogy, using butyl xanthate and Z-200 as collectors, MIBC as frothers, lime and NJ-8 as regulators, the process of “rapid flotation with enhanced coarse selection, coarse concentrate regrinding and selection to recover copper minerals, and flotation tailings magnetic separation to recover iron minerals” is adopted. Closed circuit testing shows that copper concentrate with a copper grade of 28.52% and a copper recovery of 89.39%, and iron concentrate with an iron grade of 32.64% and recovery of 60.01%. The copper and iron resources in the ore sample have been effectively recovered.