Patent ID: 6210648
Filing Date: 2001-04-03
Classification: B03D,C22B

Abstract:
A method for flotation processing of a gold-bearing mineral material feed containing a plurality of different sulfide mineral species, including one or more refractory auriferous sulfide containing gold that is refractory due to its presence in the refractory auriferous sulfide, the method comprising the steps of:subjecting to flotation in a liquid medium said mineral material feed in particulate form, said flotation including passing bubbles of a flotation gas through said liquid medium;during said flotation, a first portion of said mineral material feed rising through said liquid medium with said bubbles and said first portion being collected from a flotation froth as a flotation concentrate, a second portion of said mineral material feed being collected as a flotation tail;said flotation concentrate being enriched, relative to said mineral material feed, in each of said plurality of different sulfide mineral species, including said one or more refractory auriferous sulfide, and in gold;said flotation tail being depleted, relative to said mineral material feed, in each of said plurality of different sulfide mineral species, including said one or more refractory auriferous sulfide, and in gold;wherein, said flotation gas is selected from the group consisting of a gas composition free of oxygen gas and a gas composition comprising oxygen gas at a volume fraction of oxygen gas that is smaller than the volume fraction of oxygen gas in ambient air, and wherein the flotation is not selective as between said plurality of different sulfide mineral species.