An evaluation of sodium ethyl xanthate for the froth flotation upgrading of a carbonatitic copper ore

The carbonatitic palabora copper ore was ground to the less energy intensive coarse size consisting of 45% passing 75 μm in a ball mill for 20 min and froth floated in a 4.5 l denver cell at varying dosages of the highly selective sodium ethyl xanthate (setx) at 200,250,300,350 and 400 g/t. the concentrates were collected every 15 s at varying scraping times of 3,7 and 10 min. the results obtained showed that the highest recovery of 86.1% was obtained at the 300 g/t setx dosage with the lowest grade of 11.29%,while the highest grade of 13.95% occurred at the lowest recovery of 78%. the dosages of setx used for the flotation was found to be generally higher than that of sodium iso-propyl xanthate (sipx) used for another copper ore of non-carbonatitic origin. however,the successful flotation of the ore ground coarser than the conventional practice of 80% passing 75 μm is economically significant in view of the potential power conservation obtainable. © penerbit universiti sains malaysia,2016.