The rejection of iron sulphides (pyrite and pyrrhotite) using nitrogen was evaluated on three Canadian complex sulphide ores. Laboratory scale work (at McGill and on-site) was conducted and, in addition, continuous minicell testwork was conducted on-site. / The promotion of pyrite flotation using nitrogen was confirmed. It was evaluated at Brunswick Mining ahead of zinc flotation (using the minicells), and at Kidd Creek Mines in a laboratory scale investigation of reverse flotation. This latter also showed enhanced chalcopyrite flotation with nitrogen. / The explanation of pyrite flotation using nitrogen was based on weakening of galvanic coupling with other sulphides. / Nitrogen proved more effective than air in depression of pyrrhotite in processing a pentlandite/chalcopyrite ore. Under some conditions, chalcopyrite was also depressed by nitrogen (apparently when the pulp potential was less than O V vs. S.H.E.). / The depressant action of nitrogen on pyrrhotite was interpreted as a reduction in the density of surface OH$ sp-$ sites necessary for electrostatic interaction with xanthate ion in the Hodgson/Agar model of pyrrhotite floatability.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.60596 |
| Date | January 1991 |
| Creators | Sandoval-Caballero, Ignacio |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Engineering (Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001259075, proquestno: AAIMM72199, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
Page generated in 0.0021 seconds