Prospects for the Use of Petroleum Sulfur in the Enrichment of Oxidized Copper Ores

The work provides a scientific basis for the effectiveness of using petroleum sulfur, as a product of oil refining, in the enrichment of oxidized copper ores. As a justification, the results of studies on the flotation of oxidized copper ore from the Zhilandinsk deposit are presented, which involves preliminary sulfidization of the ore with a polysulfide reagent obtained on the basis of petroleum sulfur. The sulfiding reagent was obtained by dissolving petroleum sulfur in an aqueous solution of sodium sulfide under optimal conditions – process temperature 80°C, dissolution duration 20 minutes, sodium sulfide concentration 125 g/l. The choice of optimal conditions is justified by the results of studies conducted using a probabilistic deterministic method of experiment planning. This experimental planning method was also used in flotation studies to determine the optimal conditions for flotation of oxidized copper ore from the Zhilandinsk deposit using a synthesized polysulfide reagent. The results of flotation studies justify the choice of optimal conditions: sulfidizer consumption 55% of the stoichiometrically required reaction with oxidized copper; consumption of collector (potassium butyl xanthate) 400 g/t and foaming agent (T-92) 100 g/t. Flotation under these optimal conditions ensures the recovery of copper into concentrate at a level of 78%.