Separation of copper minerals from pyrite using air-metabisulfite treatment

Abstract

The present invention provides a process for recovering one or more metals, comprising: providing a slurried valuable metal-containing feed material comprising at least one of a copper sulfide and molybdenum sulfide mineral as a valuable metal sulfide mineral, wherein the slurried valuable metal-containing feed material comprises one or more of brackish water and salt water having one or more of a salinity of about 0.01 % or more and a total dissolved solids of at least about 10,000 mg / L and a gangue sulfide mineral comprising iron pyrite; aerating, with a molecular oxygen-containing gas, the slurried valuable metal-containing feed material to form an aerated slurried feed material; thereafter contacting the aerated slurried feed material, in the presence of at least about 3 ppm of dissolved molecular oxygen, with a sulfoxy reagent to form a treated slurried feed material; and floating the treated slurried feed material to form a concentrate comprising at least most of the at least one of a copper sulfide and molybdenum sulfide mineral in the aerated slurried feed material and tailings comprising the gangue sulfide mineral in the aerated slurried feed material.