Optimization of differential and cumulative flotation strategies for lead and silver recovery from mixed oxide-sulfide ores

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Mining Engineering, Arak University of Technology, Arak, Iran.

10.22059/ijmge.2025.398427.595276

Abstract

Differential and cumulative flotation techniques were used to concentrate two representative samples, A and B, from the Khanjar lead-silver mine (Semnan Province, Iran). These samples had lead grades of 0.93% and 0.95% and silver contents of 16.8 and 16 g/t, respectively. According to the analysis of the lead-containing minerals in the samples, only a small fraction of the total lead occurred as galena, with 0.73% as non-sulfide forms. According to the flotation test results, type A and type B ore behave differently during the flotation process, with type B ore exhibiting superior flotation performance. The lead recovery from ores type A and B was 68.41% and 84.61%, respectively, in the combined rougher and scavenger stages by adding 50 g/t of collector Z11 in the flotation stage of sulfide minerals and 500 g/t of sodium sulfide as a surface activator in the flotation stage of non-sulfide minerals along with 50 g/t of frother MIBC at pH 8.5. The grade and recovery of lead and silver increased in the experiments to improve the flotation efficiency of lead and silver from ores of type A by adding secondary collectors 3418A and M46, but the sodium silicate dispersant had no discernible effect on the recovery. The appropriate flotation technique for mixed oxidized-sulfide lead and silver ores can be determined using the research's findings.

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References

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International Journal of Mining and Geo-Engineering

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 01 November 2025

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