Flotation of Copper ORE from SOSSEGO Mine Utilizing Palm Oil as Collector Auxiliary

Raulim O. Galvão¹, Dhiêgo R. Oliveira¹, Moacir R. Neres¹, Douglas M. Sousa¹, Denilson da S. Costa¹, and Paulo F. A. Braga²

1. Universidade Federal do Ceará, Brazil

2. Mineral Processes Coordination, Centro de Tecnologia Mineral, Brazil

Abstract: One of currently used methods to improve the fine recovery during ore flotation is the use of diesel oil as hydrophobicity enhancer. However, this compound can be environmentally harmful. Several vegetal oils found in the Amazon area present the potential to be used in the mineral industry, yet are seldom focus of studies. Such supplies are renewable and present a low environmental impact. In that scenery, the present work aims to evaluate the palm oil as a collector auxiliary during the flotation of Copper ore from Sossego mine (Canaã dos Carajás, Pará). With that aim, physical, chemical and mineralogical characterizations of the copper ore were made, as well the refining and physical-chemical characterization of Palm oil. The batch flotation tests used 8 g/t of Xanthates as collector and 30 g/t of MIBC as frothing agent. The collector auxiliary (palm oil) concentrations used were: 60, 80, 100 and 120 g/t. In all concentrations the added nonpolar oil was emulsified. The results were compared as the ones found with diesel oil, which is currently used during the Copper ore processing from Sossego. For the tests using palm oil, the copper content in the concentrated was up to 17.9%, while with diesel oil, the maximal copper content was 15.5%. The average metallurgical recovery found during the tests was 95.74% with palm oil and 97.02% with diesel oil. These results show that palm oil presents a high performance as collector auxiliary during the copper ore flotation, being a relevant option to replace diesel oil total or partially.

Key words: flotation, palm oil, diesel oil, environmental