Sulphidization flotation for recovery of lead and zinc from oxide-sulfide ores

A new flowsheet was developed to recover the valuable minerals from oxide or oxide-sulfide ores of lead and zinc. The flowsheet consisted of flotation of sulfide minerals, desliming and sulphiclization-flotation of oxide minerals. The corresponding reagent system and techniques to the flowsheet were investigated. Batch and continuous tests show that the dosage of sodium sulfide, temperature, and collector type are main affecting factors on the recovery of smithsonite and cerussite. For the flotation of cerussite, there is an appropriate dosage of sodium sulfide at which the recovery reaches its maximum value. The required sodium sulfide for smithsonite flotation is higher than that for cerussite and the recovery of smithsonite flotation increases with the dosage of sodium sulfide at low level and becomes insensitive at high dosage. The appropriate temperature for smithsonite and cerussite flotation is found to be 25-40 degrees C. Amines are found to be the effective collectors for the flotation of smithsonite after sulphidization. Investigation also shows that desliming prior to sulphidization-flotation is essential to the effective recovery of smithsonite and cerussite, and the desliming process of two-stage hydrocyclon is well feasible and effective for the treatment of lead-zinc oxide ores. A further treatment on the cerussite flotation concentrate by shaking table is proposed to obtain higher lead grade.