Study on the use of chitosan as a collector in chalcopyrite flotation

Abstract

Chalcopyrite is an important ore to obtain copper where in Brazil we have several mines located in all regions. The process of ore separation known as flotation is an efficient process that allows the use of bubbles and a foaming material that with the help of collectors are able to conduct the chalcopyrite as well as other ores for separation through appropriate equipment. Currently in this process are used PH modifiers and collectors that allow the separation of this ore with the use of the pneumatic flotation method. The Chitosan is a biotechnological material produced from the exoskeleton of some arthropod animals that can be used as collector in the flotation process. In this work the performance of the Chitosan was analyzed in relation to a very common collector, the Xanthate, and with this it was verified how in media with different concentrations and levels of PH we can verify the efficiency of the Chitosan in the flotation of the Chalcopyrite. The material used in the microflotation tests was the tailings proceeding from copper mining in São Félix do Xingu-PA, lent by the laboratory of Mining Engineering of CEULP/ULBRA, the tests were made in bench with the use of the modified Hallimond tube. The results showed that there was a considerable recovery where in the solution the most indicated pH is pH 9 for maximum recovery.