Occurrence mechanism of silicate and aluminosilicate minerals in Sarcheshmeh copper flotation concentrate

The Sarcheshmeh copper flotation circuit is producing 5× 10⁴ t copper concentrate per month with an averaging grade of 28% Cu in rougher, cleaner and recleaner stages. In recent years, with the increase in the open pit depth, the content of aluminosilicate minerals increased in plant feed and subsequently in flotation concentrate. It can motivate some problems, such as unwanted consumption of reagents, decreasing of the copper concentrate grade, increasing of Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ in the copper concentrate, and needing a higher temperature in the smelting process. The evaluation of the composite samples related to the most critical working period of the plant shows that quartz, illite, biotite, chlorite, orthoclase, albeit, muscovite, and kaolinite are the major Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ bearing minerals that accompany chalcopyrite, chalcocite, and covellite minerals in the plant feed. The severe alteration to clay minerals was a general rule in all thin sections that were prepared from the plant feed. Sieve analysis of the flotation concentrate shows that Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ bearing minerals in the flotation concentrate can be decreased by promoting the size reduction from 53 to 38 μm. Interlocking of the Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ bearing minerals with chalcopyrite and chalcocite is the occurrence mechanism of silicate and aluminosilicate minerals in the flotation concentrate. The dispersed form of interlocking is predominant.