What are the flotation processes of lead-zinc sulfide ore?

The flotation process is widely used to separate minerals from their ores, especially for sulfide ores such as lead-zinc sulfide ore. The process involves adding reagents to the crushed ore to form a slurry, which is then aerated to create bubbles. The bubbles attach to the minerals and float them to the surface of the slurry, where they can be collected and separated.

The flotation process of lead-zinc sulfide ore generally includes the following four steps:

Conditioning

The crushed ore is first mixed with water and reagents, including collectors, frothers, and modifiers. The purpose of conditioning is to make the mineral surfaces hydrophobic so that they can attach to the air bubbles.

Rougher flotation

The conditioned slurry is then fed into a series of rougher flotation cells, where the minerals are separated from the waste rock based on their hydrophobicity. The rougher concentrate is then further ground and sent to the cleaner flotation circuit.

Cleaner flotation

The rougher concentrate is further purified in the cleaner flotation circuit, where additional reagents are added to further increase the selectivity of the flotation process. The resulting cleaner concentrate is then dewatered and sent to the concentrate thickener.

Thickening and filtering

 The final step in the process involves thickening the concentrate and filtering it to remove any remaining water. The resulting concentrate is then shipped off to the smelter for further processing.

Overall, the flotation process of lead-zinc sulfide ore is a complex and multi-step process that requires careful control of various factors, including the type and amount of reagents used, the pH of the slurry, and the flotation conditions. The specific process used will depend on the characteristics of the ore and the desired product specifications.