Low-grade oxidized gold ore refers to gold ore with a relatively low gold content, often existing in the form of oxides. Due to its low gold grade, effective extraction is difficult to achieve using traditional smelting methods. Therefore, flotation technology is commonly employed for extraction. The flotation technology for low-grade oxidized gold ore utilizes appropriate flotation reagents, which interact with the characteristics of the gold ore, effectively separating gold minerals from other impurity minerals, thus increasing the gold recovery rate.
Steps of Flotation Process for Low-Grade Oxidized Gold Ore
1. Ore Crushing and Grinding
Firstly, the collected low-grade oxidized gold ore undergoes crushing and grinding to achieve suitable particle size and increase the exposure area of gold, facilitating subsequent flotation separation.
2. Reagent Treatment
Suitable flotation reagents are selected for the treatment of ores with different properties. Commonly used flotation reagents include:
Collector: such as xanthate, wood oil fatty alcohol, xanthic acid, etc., used to enhance the attachment of gold minerals to bubbles.
Foaming agent: such as sulfide, benzyl alcohol, ether alcohol, etc., used to generate stable foam to carry gold mineral particles to the surface of the flotation froth.
Regulator: such as sodium hydroxide, sulfuric acid, carbonate, etc., used to adjust the pH value of the flotation system, affecting the progress of the flotation process.
3. Mixing and Agitation
The crushed and ground ore is mixed and stirred with flotation reagents to ensure full contact between the reagents and the ore, forming a flotation slurry, preparing for the subsequent flotation process.
4. Gas Injection
Gas (usually air) is injected into the bottom of the flotation cell to generate bubbles, allowing gold mineral particles in the flotation slurry to attach to the bubbles and form a froth.
5. Flotation Separation
The froth carries gold mineral particles to the surface, forming a froth layer, while impurity minerals settle at the bottom, achieving the separation of gold minerals and other impurity minerals. By controlling parameters such as flotation time, reagent dosage, and agitation intensity according to the different characteristics of gold minerals and impurity minerals, effective flotation separation is achieved.
The flotation technology for low-grade oxidized gold ore, through the selection of appropriate flotation reagents and reasonable process parameters, can effectively separate gold minerals from impurity minerals, increasing the gold recovery rate. In practical applications, it is necessary to comprehensively consider factors such as ore properties, process conditions, and economic considerations to choose suitable flotation processes and reagents to achieve better flotation results.
