Development of separation method for secondary copper and arsenic minerals using flotation

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The separation of chalcocite (a secondary copper mineral) and enargite (a copper arsenic mineral) was studied using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) oxidation treatment and flotation process. Flotation tests of pure and mixed minerals indicated that H2O2 treatment reduced the floatability of chalcocite and enargite by forming sulfate and copper hydroxide on their surfaces. Despite the detrimental effect of the H2O2 treatment, there was a narrow window of H2O2 concentration for separating both minerals, in which enargite floated and chalcocite was depressed. This selective flotation behavior was caused by the rapid adsorption of potassium amyl xanthate (KAX) and lower surface oxidation of enargite compared with that of chalcocite.