Using an Oil-Product-Based Sulphur-Containing Collector for the Flotation of Sulphide Ores

This study investigates the effect of composite sulphur-containing collectors on the efficiency of floating hard-to-beneficiate sulphide polymetallic ores from the Tishinsky deposit (Kazakhstan). Specifically, this study examines a sulphur-containing collector comprising a sulphur-containing product and refined oil, as well as mixtures of these with sodium butyl dithiophosphate and sodium butyl xanthate in various mass ratios. This approach allows us to assess the role of oil-containing phases as carriers of hydrophobicity in colloidal–chemical interactions between flotation reagents and the mineral surface. The results of single-mineral flotation indicated that using a composite collector ([CO2SR]:[BX]:[BTP] = 1:1:1) provides higher flotation activity compared with conventional butyl xanthate. The most significant increase in recovery was observed for chalcopyrite and galena, indicating the selective nature of the reagent’s action. During the flotation of polymetallic ores, it was established that using the developed reagent system causes the lead content to increase by 4.35% (from 7.09% to 11.44%), whilst recovery rises by 5.67% (from 87.53% to 93.20%). For zinc, the increase in content reaches 5.13% (from 49.82% to 54.95%), whilst recovery increases by 12.9% (from 64.19% to 77.18%).