Structural properties of

clays and their effect on

the recovery of copper
sulphides
by
flotation
Lina Uribe , Leopoldo Gutierrez , Oscar Jerez
1

Departament of Metallurgical Engineering, Universidad de

Concepcin, Concepcin, Chile
2
Instituto de Geologa Econmica Aplicada (GEA), Universidad
de Concepcin, Concepcin, Chile
1

Outline

Background
Objectives
Experimental methodology
Results
Conclusions

Background
The grades of the major copper deposits in Chile have

decreased which has caused that the treatment of more

complicated ores containing high levels of complicated
gangue is more common today. Clay minerals are the
most typical.

The presence of clay minerals affects several stages in

the mineral processing chain, i.e., grinding, froth

flotation, thickening, dewatering and final disposal.

Background

Background
1. Slime coating on the mineral surfaces
Hydrophobic
particle

Less
hydrophobic
particle

Fine
clays

Hydrophilic
coating

Background
2. Changes in pulp rheology, higher viscosity () and yield stress ( )
Slurry

, 0

Background
3. Changes in froth stability

Froth

If the froth is unstable froth

recovery decreases.

Background
4. Non specific reagent consumption.

1L Cube

1L Cube

The lower the particle size, the higher the specific surface area. This
could lead to higher non specific reagent consumptions.

Background
5. Coating of air bubbles with fine clay particles
Hydrophobic
bubble

Less
hydrophobic
bubble

Fine
clays

Hydrophilic
coating

Background
Although there is evidence that validates the
aforementioned mechanisms, there is still a
lack of understanding on the effect of clays on
the process of flotation of copper sulphide
minerals.

A better solution can be obtained

Objectives
Specific objectives
To study the effect of fine particles of kaolinite and
montmorillonite on:

Floatabilty of copper sulphide minerals

Induction time
Slime coating
Reagent consumption

Experimental methodology
Samples and reagents
-Copper sulphide sample: copper concentrate sample
Chemical analysis
23.6
Sb
%
30.1
As
%
0.1
Bi
%
1.2
S
%

Cu
Fe
Mo
Zn

%
%
%
%

0.1
0.2
0.0
36.1

Ag

0.0

Insols

8.5

Pb

0.1

Calculated mineralogical composition

CuFeS2
%
68.1
FeS2
%
20.2
MoS2
%
0.08
Quartz
%
11.61

-Kaolinite and montmorillonite: Clay Minerals Society.

Sample

Quantitative XRD mineralogy

(Chipera and Bish, 2001)

kaolinite
96% kaolinite, 3% anatase, 1% other traces
Montmorilloni 75% montmorillonite, 16% feldspar, 8% quartz, 1%
te
other traces

0.7

BET
(Kelm and
Helle,
2001)
180

100

117

CEC
cmol/kg

Experimental methodology
Clay samples

Kaolinite

montmorillonite

Kaolinite
Montmorillonite
Copper concentrate

Mean size,
microns
4.4
3.9
119

Top size,
microns
21
19
206

Experimental methodology
Micro-flotation tests

130 mL Patridge and Smith glass cell 20 mL/min N2, 2 minutes flotation.
The flotation feed was prepared mixing known amounts of the copper concentrate
sample with fine clay particles at different proportions (0, 300, 400, 500, and 1,000
ppm or mg of clay per litre of water).
PAX and MIBC were used at concentrations of 400 and 200 ppm respectively.

Experimental methodology
Induction time measurements

Idea developed by Glembotsky (1953).

A bubble is contacted with a bed of particles for measured and controlled contact
times. Then the bubble is observed through a microscope to determine whether
attachment occurred during the contact time or not.
The final result of the test is a plot of percentages of successful contacts (Nsc) versus
the measured contact time (tc). In this work, the induction time was obtained by
determining the contact time at which 50 % of the contacts were successful.

Experimental methodology
Slime coating

Results
Micro-flotation experiments

Results
Induction time

Results
Coating of air bubbles with fine clay particles.

Copper
concentrat
e particles

Fine clays
Copper
concentrat
e particles

Fine clays

Bubble coated by clay particles.

Bubble
coated
by
clay
tc = 500 ms, PAX 40 ppm,
particles. tc = 1000 ms, PAX
pH=9.5.
40 ppm, pH=9.5.
These
pictures
were
taken
during
the induction
time
measurements. They show that fine clay particles adsorb on the
bubble surfaces.

Results
Slime coating

Conclusions
The presence of clay particles reduced the

floatability of a copper concentrate sample. These

results agree with the induction time data.
Among the mechanisms that explain this type of
behavior are slime coating and coating of bubbles
with fine clay particles.
Its seems that the phenomenon of coating of
valuable particles with fine clays becomes more
relevant on the process of flotation only when the
clay concentration is above 500 ppm.
When sea water was used the general trends were
similar but with some important deviations
(montmorillonite).

Conclusions
Currently, the solutions used to treat minerals with

high clay contents relate to dilute the pulp,

blending, mineral or simply discarding.
The following lines of action are proposed to find
solutions to the problem of altered minerals with
high clay contents:
Process design including desliming or removal of fines (In

development Dimet-UdeC).
Development of flotation reagents which avoid the
negative effects of phyllosilicates (In development DimetUdeC).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Professor Ursula Kelm of the GEA Institute
of the University of Concepcion.
Water research center for agriculture and
mining (CHRIAM center UdeC-Fondap).
Proyecto
Fondecyt
Iniciacin
N11140184.
The University of Concepcion, project
VRID N214.095.089-1.0.

THANKS!