Effect of Flotation Reagent as Emulsion Microbubbles on the Flotation of Gold-Bearing Ore and Technogenic Raw Materials

The use of flotation reagents in the form of microemulsions significantly enhances the recovery of noble metals during the processing of gold-bearing ore and technogenic materials by improving the flotation of finely dispersed sulfides. This study investigates the effect of dibutyldithiophosphate (DBDTP) applied as emulsion microbubbles in the form of emulsion microbubbles on the flotation of gold-bearing ores and technogenic materials. The research objects were gold-bearing ore and aged flotation tailings from a Kazakhstani deposit containing 3.20 g/t and 0.62 g/t of gold, respectively. Flotation beneficiation was carried out using dispersed DBDTP generated in a water–air microemulsion generator (WAMG). The flotation kinetics results demonstrated that the application of dispersed DBDTP accelerates the flotation process, increasing gold recovery by 4.65% and reducing the gold content in flotation tailings by 0.17 g/t. Under baseline conditions, 37.51% of gold was distributed in the −25 + 0 μm size fraction of tailings with a gold content of 0.98 g/t. When the dispersed reagent produced by the WAMG was applied, the gold distribution in the −25 + 0 μm size fraction decreased to 28.29% (9.22% lower than the baseline), with a gold content of 0.62 g/t. In the flotation of aged tailings, the use of dispersed DBDTP increased gold recovery in the concentrate by 5.88% while maintaining concentrate quality.