Optimization of flotation reagent system for a copper-molybdenum ore in Yunnan province

Without changing the original copper-molybdenum mixed flotation and copper-molybdenum separation process, a variety of new collectors and inhibitors are used to study the reagent system optimization for a copper-molybdenum mixed flotation and copper-molybdenum separation flotation for a porphyry copper-molybdenum in Yunnan province.The effects of W3 and W4, foaming agent F-425 and MIBC and high-efficiency copper inhibitor M8 are obtained.Ultimately, according to the results of the locked-cycle test, the grade of the molybdenum concentrate comes to 44.92% with a Mo-recovery of 80.57%; the grade of the copper concentrate comes to 25.03% with a Cu-recovery of 91.10%.Compared with the flotation index of the design process, the recovery of copper was increased by 4.10 percentage points, and the recovery of molybdenum was increased by 4.57 percentage points.