Investigation of the enrichment of sulphide copper ore by agloflotation

In this thesis, the enrichment of sulphide copper ore by aggloflotation was examined. The sulphide copper sample used was obtained from Gökırmak copper mine (Acacia Mining Enterprises). This master's thesis consists of two stages. In the first stage, classical flotation experiments of sulphide copper ore were carried out. In the experiments, optimum pH, amount of dispersant, collector type and amount and frother amount were investigated. In the second stage, agloflotation experiments were carried out. In the aggloflotation stage, the agglomerates agglomerated by oil agglomeration were floated by flotation. Agglomeration of fine-sized ore was carried out under the optimum conditions determined in the first flotation stage. Then, these agglomerates were transferred to the flotation cell and frother was added, thus the agglomerates were floated and the aggloflotation experiments were completed. In oil agglomeration, the amount and type of oil and mixing speed and time are the parameters investigated. In flotation experiments, under optimum conditions, the concentrate was obtained with 4.82% Cu and 73.29% yield (pH=11; 100 g/t 3418A; 50 g/t sodium silicate; 50 g/t MIBC). In agloflotation, the %Cu of chalcopyrite concentrates obtained from waste oil reaches 5.69%, while the yield varies between 58.75% and 48.46%. By using kerosene, the concentrate containing 6.1% Cu was obtained with a yield of 53.43%. To determine the effect of mixing speed on the aggloflotation of chalcopyrite, experiments were carried out by keeping the speed constant at 1000 rpm and changing the agglomeration speed during the flotation stage of aggloflotation. The highest copper contents of the obtained concentrates were 6.53% and 6.10% for domestic waste oil and kerosene, respectively. The recovery values of the concentrates having highest recovery obtained from domestic waste oil and kerosene are 68.65% and 77.01%, respectively.