Adsorption of a new reagent scheme on chalcopyrite and molybdenite surfaces causing an efficiency flotation separation: Insights from first-principles calculations

Herein, a new and environmentally friendly process scheme containing PGA as depressant and Z200 as collector for chalcopyrite-molybdenite bulk flotation and STG as depressant for chalcopyrite/molybdenite separation flotation was applied to the separation of pyritic Cu-Mo sulfide ore from Daye, Hubei Province, China. The flotation results showed that the new process scheme not only can efficiently achieve the flotation separation of chalcopyrite and molybdenite, but also can reduce the dosage of STG in chalcopyrite/molybdenite separation compared with the traditional process combining CaO and BX. The closed-circuit flotation experiment results further demonstrated this preferable result. Besides, the differences in the adsorption of STG on the chalcopyrite (112) surface in the presence of Z200 and BX were investigated by first-principles calculations at the atomic level. The calculation results showed that the STG adsorption on chalcopyrite (112) surface in the presence of Z200 was easier than that in the presence of BX, and the STG adsorption weakened the Z200 adsorption on chalcopyrite (112) surface, which provides atomic-scale explanations to the less STG dosage in chalcopyrite/molybdenite separation. This new reagent scheme has environmental advantages and great reference value for the separation of other pyritic copper-molybdenum sulfide ores.