Flotation Chelator Separates Arsenic from Copper

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods fail to efficiently separate arsenic minerals from copper-bearing materials, leading to increased arsenic content in copper concentrates, which overwhelms existing slag treatment equipment and requires costly upgrades.

Innovation Solution

A mineral dressing method involving grinding a copper-bearing material, creating a slurry with a chelator such as triethylenetetramine, and adjusting the pH to separate arsenic minerals from copper minerals through flotation, allowing arsenic to sink while copper concentrates with low arsenic grade float.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional flotation methods are used to process copper-bearing materials, then copper concentrate can be obtained, but the arsenic grade in the copper concentrate increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecopper concentrate productionVSAvoidarsenic grade in copper concentrate

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a chelator as an intermediary substance that selectively binds to copper ions in the flotation slurry. This chelator-copper complex then acts as a modified collector that preferentially attaches to copper-bearing minerals while leaving arsenic minerals unaffected, thereby separating copper from arsenic during the flotation process and producing low-arsenic copper concentrate

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical environment parameters of the flotation system by adding chelators that alter the speciation and surface properties of copper ions. This parameter change in the chemical composition and bonding characteristics enables selective flotation of copper minerals over arsenic minerals, solving the problem of high arsenic contamination in conventional flotation concentrates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If slag treatment equipment capacity is increased to handle higher arsenic content, then arsenic can be processed, but capital expenditure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearsenic processing capacityVSAvoidslag treatment equipment investment

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary separation action by removing arsenic minerals from the copper-bearing material during the flotation stage, before the material reaches the slag treatment equipment. This preliminary removal of arsenic reduces the arsenic load on subsequent slag treatment equipment, allowing existing equipment to handle the reduced arsenic content without requiring capacity increases or additional investment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If new slag treatment equipment is provided to handle increased arsenic content, then arsenic processing capability is improved, but cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearsenic handling capabilityVSAvoidequipment investment cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts arsenic minerals from the copper-bearing material during the flotation process by using chelators to selectively bind copper and promote its flotation while leaving arsenic minerals in the tailings. This extraction of arsenic at the flotation stage eliminates the need for additional arsenic handling capability in downstream equipment, avoiding the cost of providing new slag treatment equipment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method effectively separates arsenic minerals without special equipment or hazardous chemicals, reducing environmental impact and capital expenditures by producing copper concentrates with low arsenic content, enabling efficient arsenic recovery and copper production.

Implementation Method 1

adding a flotation agent including a depressant, a frother, and a collector to the slurry... wherein the depressant is a chelator

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChelation:

Implementation Method 2

blowing air into the slurry for performing flotation to obtain a copper concentrate... allowing arsenic to sink while copper concentrates with low arsenic grade float

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlotation: Froth Floatation

Data Source

PatentUS8685350B2Method for separating arsenic mineral from copper-bearing material with high arsenic grade

Publication Date: 2014.04.01 SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO LTD

AI summary

Disclosed herein is a method for separating an arsenic mineral from a copper-bearing material, including the steps of grinding a copper-bearing material containing arsenic, adding water to the copper-bearing material to prepare a slurry, and adding a flotation agent including a depressant, a frother, and a collector to the slurry and blowing air into the slurry for performing flotation to obtain a copper concentrate, wherein the depressant is a chelator. As the chelator, a polyethyleneamine or the like is used. Particularly, when triethylenetetramine is used as the chelator, the amount of triethylenetetramine to be added is preferably 1 to 10 equivalents relative to the amount of soluble copper generated by oxidation of the copper-bearing material, and the pH of the slurry is more preferably adjusted to 7 or more but 8 or less before the slurry is subjected to the flotation.