An innovative option for the activation of chalcopyrite flotation depressed in a high alkali solution with the addition of acid mine drainage

Abstract

Acid mine drainage (AMD) released from copper sulfide contains a large quantity of sulfuric acid and heavy metals, thus being a threat to the surrounding ecosystem. In this study, AMD is used to evaluate options for activation of chalcopyrite depressed by a high alkali solution (HAS). The results showed the flotation recovery of chalcopyrite inhibited by HAS could be increased by ∼12% with a volume ratio of AMD to HAS of 3:1. AMD promoted desorption of calcium components on chalcopyrite surfaces, and the adsorption of copper ions increased Cu-active sites on the mineral surfaces. Eventually, the copper atomic concentration of chalcopyrite surface increased by 2.2%, and the Ca—O/OH content decreased by 33.24%. Meanwhile, the area ratios of monosulfide (S²⁻) and disulfide (S₂²⁻) increased by 14.67% and 23.96%. Adsorption and localized electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (LEIS) confirmed that the average impedance of chalcopyrite surface obviously decreased from about 1.30×10⁵ Ω to 1.13×10⁵ Ω, and the adsorption amount of sodium isoamylxanthates (SIX) on the chalcopyrite sample increased by 1.99 mg/g. AMD promotes the adsorption of SIX and improves the hydrophobicity of chalcopyrite significantly. This study provided an innovative option for the comprehensive utilization of AMD, as well as the recovery of chalcopyrite from copper sulfide tailings.

Keywords

acid mine drainage / depressed-chalcopyrite / activation / hydrophobicity / localized electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

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