FAULT TREE ANALYSIS OF SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION OF SULPHIDE ORES AND ITS RISK ASSESSMENT

A logic fault tree of mine spontaneous combustion of sulphide ores was built by the fault tree analysis (FTA) based on a lot of mechanism investigation of sulphide ore spontaneous combustion in more than ten mines and review of a great amount of relevant

Interaction effects of flotation reagents for SAG mill reject of copper sulphide ore using response surface methodology

Flotation reagents have a complex behaviour in the beneficiation of base minerals in clayey ores.Interaction effects of reagents on the efficiency of copper flotation for a highly clayey low-grade sulphide ore were investigated using a central composite design.Preliminary results showed that sodium-isopropyl-xanthate(SIPX)and O-isopropyl-N-ethyl-thionocarbamate(IPETC)were found to be the most efficient collectors in the presence of lime as the pH regulator.The effects of dosage of collectors(SIPX and IPETC)and the dosage of methyl-isobutyl-carbonyl(MIBC)as frother on the separation efficiency were evaluated at different pH levels.Based on the analysis of variance(ANOVA),the interaction effects of the collector−pH and collector−frother were significant for the separation efficiency.At the low level of collector dosage,increasing pH from 9 to 11 enhanced copper separation efficiency from 81%to 86%for IPETC and from 77%to 86%for SIPX.Results of ANOVA showed that the maximum copper separation efficiency(88.7%)was obtained at the dosages of 8.6 g/t SIPX,7 g/t IPETC and 20 g/t MIBC at pH 11.Finally,it was concluded that a mixture of SIPX and IPETC collectors was more suitable to treat highly clayey sulphide ores.

Mechanochemical sulfidization of a mixed oxide-sulphide copper ore by co-grinding with sulfur and its effect on the flotation efficiency

Mechanochemical sulfidization of a mixed sulfide/oxide copper ore by co-grinding with sulfur and additives including Mg(NO3)2 and Fe(NO3)3 salts and iron,aluminum and magnesium powders was investigated for the first time.Also,the influence of sulfidization during the wet-milling process was examined on the separation efficiency and recovery of copper in detail.The results demonstrated that co-grinding with sulfur solely had the best flotation performance at the value of 0.5 wt.%and it was attributed to the possible existence of S\\O bonding on copper oxides surfaces.In addition,adding magnesium nitrate salt,magnesium powder,iron nitrate salt and aluminum powder as additive associated with 0.5 wt%sulfur into ball milling caused the flotation improvement at the amounts of 0.2 wt%,0.2 wt%,0.5 wt%and 0.5 wt%,respectively.Also,the effect of grinding time and sulfidization pH with 0.5 wt%sulfur solely was determined and pH s of 7.5 to 8.5 gave the best results.The highest recovery(75.76%)and separation efficiency(63.44%)were achieved at pH of 7.5 and 8.5,respectively.

IN SITU MEASUREMENT OF BREEDING-FIRE OF SULPHIDE ORE DUMPS

ＩＮＳＩＴＵＭＥＡＳＵＲＥＭＥＮＴＯＦＢＲＥＥＤＩＮＧＦＩＲＥＯＦＳＵＬＰＨＩＤＥＯＲＥＤＵＭＰＳ①ＷｕＣｈａｏ，ＷａｎｇＰｉｎｇｌｏｎｇ，ＭｅｎｇＴｉｎｇｒａｎｇＤｅｐａｒｔｍｅｎｔｏｆＲｅｓｏｕｒｃｅｓＥｘｐｌｏｉｔａｔｉｏｎＥｎｇｉｎｅｒｉｎ...

Effects of forced aeration on community dynamics of free and attached bacteria in copper sulphide ore bioleaching

Bacterial community dynamics and copper leaching with applied forced aeration were investigated during low-grade copper sulphide bioleaching to obtain better bioleaching efficiency.Results illustrated that appropriate aeration improved bacterial concentrations and leaching efficiencies.The highest bacterial concentration and Cu^(2+)concentration after 14-d leaching were 7.61×10^(7) cells·mL^(−1) and 704.9 mg·L^(−1),respectively,at aeration duration of 4 h·d^(−1).The attached bacteria played a significant role during bioleaching from 1 to 7 d.However,free bacteria dominated the bioleaching processes from 8 to 14 d.This phenomenon was mainly caused by the formation of passivation layer through Fe3+hydrolysis along with bioleaching,which inhibited the contact between the attached bacteria and ore.Meanwhile,16S rDNA analysis verified the effect of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans on the bioleaching process.The results demonstrate the importance of free and attached bacteria in bioleaching.

EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON CHEMICAL THERMODYNAMIC BEHAVIOUR OF SULPHIDE ORES DURING SPONTANEOUS COMBUST

ＥＸＰＥＲＩＭＥＮＴＡＬＩＮＶＥＳＴＩＧＡＴＩＯＮＯＮＣＨＥＭＩＣＡＬＴＨＥＲＭＯＤＹＮＡＭＩＣＢＥＨＡＶＩＯＵＲＯＦＳＵＬＰＨＩＤＥＯＲＥＳＤＵＲＩＮＧＳＰＯＮＴＡＮＥＯＵＳＣＯＭＢＵＳＴＩＯＮＷｕＣｈａｏ，ＭｅｎｇＴｉｎｇｒａｎｇＤｅｐａｒｔｍｅ...

A study of self-heating characteristics of a pyrrhotite-rich sulphide ore stockpile

Original surface chemistry of sulphidesis altered upon contact with air, leading to ''oxidation'', which is accompanied by evolution of heat. The current study reports results of an investigation on extent of exothermicity of an experimental nickel-copper sulphide stockpile that was formed at a mining site in Sudbury, Canada. The ore contained pentlandite and chalcopyrite that are accompanied by a large quantity of pyrrhotite. The self-heating characteristics were recorded by temperature sensors placed inside the stockpile. Ambient conditions such as temperature, humidity, and wind velocity were simultaneously recorded. The inner temperature of the stockpile indicated significant fluctuations due to rapid changes, particularly in the outside temperature. The minimum and maximum temperatures recorded in the outside and inside were 5 and 10.5, 44.3 and 32 ℃, respectively. The self-heating capacity of the sulphide ore stockpile observed represents a mild case compared to that experienced by coals. Possible reasons are discussed.

Organic Composition of Sulphide Ores in the Okinawa Trough and Its Implications

A preliminary organic geochemical study shows that the sulphide ores from the hydrothermal deposit of the Okinawa Trough are generally low in the total organic carbon and extremely low in the soluble organic matter. In the aliphatic hydrocarbon fraction, the n-alkanes range from C15 to C35, with usual maxima in the middle n-C20 region and strong odd-carbon number predominance when n > C25 (CPI = 1.2). The dominant analog in the aromatic fraction is phenanthrene, a polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon, which provides evidence for hydrothermal activity. The organic matter derived mainly from marine planktonic and terrigenous vascular plants is entrapped in a high-temperature regime such as an active chimney and cooled quickly in the sulphide ores on the seafloor. Organic matter and sulphides are definitely products of a high-temperature alteration. The biomarker compounds indicate that the ores are formed under low Eh and pH conditions—a reducing to anoxic environment, which is favourable for sulphates to be reduced into sulphides by biogenic (bacterial) or abiogenic activity.

One Step Bioleaching of Sulphide Ore with Low Concentration of Arsenic by Aspergillus niger and Taguchi Orthogonal Array Optimization

A study was carried out to examine the possibility for Aspergillus niger strain KBS4 to bioleach metals from sulphide ore with low concentration of arsenic and to optimize the parameters that affect this process by orthogonal array optimization. Fungal sample was collected, purified and sequenced. The bioleaching process was optimized with L25 Taguchi orthogonal experimental array design. Five factors were investigated and 25 batch bioleaching tests were run at five levels for each factor. The parameters were initial pH, particle size, pulp density, initial inoculums and residence time for bioleaching. The experimental results showed that under optimized leaching conditions: pH 5.5, particle size 180 μm, initial inoculums size 3×10 7 spores per ml, pulp density 15% and residence time of 20 days, the bioleach ability of metals were 63% Fe, 68% Zn, 60% As, 79% Cu and 54% Al. The biosorption of metal ions by fungal biomass might occur during the bioleaching process but it did not hinder the removal of metal ions by bioleaching.

THERMODYNAMIC AND STRUCTURAL CHEMISTRY DISCUSSIONS FOR OXIDATIVE LEACHING OF Cu－Ni SULPHIDE ORE UNDER ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

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Origin of Ore-Forming Fluids of Mississippi Valley-Type (MVT) Pb-Zn Deposits in Kangdian Area, China

Analyses of fluid\|inclusion leachates from ore deposits show that Na/Br ratios are within the range of 75-358 and Cl/Br 67-394, respectively, and this variation trend coincides with the seawater evaporation trajectory on the basis of the Na/Br and Cl/Br ratios. The average Cl/Br and Na/Br ratios of mineralizing fluids are 185 and 173 respectively, which are very close to the ratios (120 and 233) of the residual evaporated seawater past the point of halite precipitation. It is suggested that the original mineralizing brine was derived from highly evaporated seawater with a high salinity. However, the inclusion fluids have absolute Na values of \{69.9\}-\{2606.2\} mmol kg\+\{-1\} and Cl values of \{106.7\}-\{1995.5\} mmol kg\+\{-1\}. Most of the values are much less than those of seawater: Na, 485 mmol kg\+\{-1\} and Cl, 566 mmol kg\+\{-1\}, respectively; the salinity measured from fluid inclusions of the deposits ranges from \{2.47 wt%\} to \{15.78 wt%\} NaCl equiv. The mineralizing brine has been diluted. The \{δ\{\}\+\{18\}O\} and δD values of ore\|forming fluids vary from \{-8.21‰\} to \{9.51‰\} and from \{-40.3‰\} to \{-94.3‰\}, respectively. The δD values of meteoric water in this region varied from \{-80‰\} to \{-100‰\} during the Jurassic. This evidenced that the ore\|forming fluids are the mixture of seawater and meteoric water. Highly evaporated seawater was responsible for leaching and extracting Pb, Zn and Fe, and mixed with and diluted by descending meteoric water, which resulted in the formation of ores.

Comparative study on the passivation layers of copper sulphide minerals during bioleaching

The bioleaching of copper sulphide minerals was investigated by using A. ferrooxidans ATF6. The result shows the preferential order of the minerals bioleaching as djurleite〉bomite〉pyritic chalcopyrite〉covellite〉porphyry chalcopyfite. The residues were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM）. It is indicated that jarosite may not be responsible for hindered disso- lution. The elemental sulfur layer on the surface of pyritic chalcopyrite residues is cracked. The compact surface layer of porphyry chalcopy- rite may strongly hinder copper extraction. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS） further confirms that the passivation layers of covellite, pyritic chalcopyrite, and porphyry chalcopyrite are copper-depleted sulphide Cu4S11, S8, and copper-rich iron-deficient polysulphide CtuFe2S9, resoectivelv. The ability of these oassivation layers was found as Cu4Fe2S9〉Cu4S11〉S8〉iarosite.

Ultrafine milling for the processing of gold-bearing sulphides

Ultrafine Milling technology is used to treat gold-bearingsulphides and to investigate the effects of minerals size, millingtime, liquid/solid ratio, NaCN consumption and leaching aid onleaching rate of gold. The results indicate that shorter treatingtime, decrease of NaCN consumption of 60/100 and increase of goldleaching rate of 15/100 can be ob- tained by the ultrafine millingtechnology compared with traditional cyanide leaching. Potentialexists for the new pro- cess to form the basis for an economicallyprocess for treatment of gold-bearing sulphides.

Timing of formation of the Hongdonggou Pb-Zn polymetallic ore deposit,Henan Province,China:Evidence from Rb-Sr isotopic dating of sphalerites

The Hongdonggou Pb-Zn polymetallic ore deposit, located in the southwestern part of the Luanchuan Mo-W-Pb-Zn-Ag polymetallic ore mineralization in Henan Province, China, is an important part of the East Qinling metallogenic belt. The orebodies in the deposit, which are vein, bedded and lenticular, are mainly hosted in the syenite porphyry, and formed within the carbonate and clastic rocks of the Yuku and Qiumugou formations partially. The genesis of the deposit has previously been argued to be of hydrothermal-vein type or of skarn-hydrothermal type. In this study, we report the results of Rb-Sr isotopic dating based on sphalerites from the main orebody of the Hongdonggou Pb-Zn polymetallic ore deposit, which yield an isochron age of 135.7 ± 3.2 Ma, constraining the timing of mineralization as early Cretaceous. The age is close to those reported for the Pb-Zn deposits in the Luanchuan ore belt. The （87Sr/86Sr）i values of the sphalerites （0.71127± 0.00010） are lower than that of terrigenous silicates （0.720） and higher than the mantle （0.707）, suggesting that the metallogenic components were mainly derived through crust-mantle mixing. Combining the results from this study with those from previous work, we propose that the Hongdonggou Pb-Zn polymetallic ore deposit is a hydrothermal-vein deposit associated with the early Cretaceous tectonothermal event, and the mineralization is controlled by NW- and near EW-trending faults in the Luanchuan Mo-W-Pb-Zn-Ag polymetallic ore concentration belt.

Stable Isotopes and Halogen Geochemistry of the Huayuan Carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn Ore District, South China: Implications for the Salt Source of Ore-forming Fluids

The Huayuan Pb-Zn ore district in China,located in western Hunan Province,is a giant carbonate-hosted Pb-Zn ore district.The source of ore-forming brines in this ore district remains poorly constrained.Whether the highly saline brines are derived from evaporated seawater or dissolved evaporates continues to be intensely debated.Carbonate minerals associated with Pb-Zn mineralization haveδ^(13)CV-PDB andδ^(18)OV-SMOW values ranging from−5.55‰to+1.35‰(mean value of−0.69‰;n=14)and+16.28‰to+25.05‰(mean value of+20.22‰;n=14),respectively.This indicates that carbonate minerals are dominantly formed from dissolved ore-hosted carbonate rocks.Theδ^(34)S values of sulfides range from+20.2‰to+36.8‰,with an average value of+30.0‰(n=27).These results suggest that sulfur is predominantly derived from the thermochemical sulfate reduction of marine sulfate.The crush-leach analyzed solute data of fluid inclusions in sphalerite show the ore-forming fluids have Cl/Br molar ratios range from 118 to 384,and Na/Br molar ratios from 39 to 160(n=8).These Cl/Br ratios of hydrothermal fluid are much lower than those of seawater(657 to 564),but are consistent with bittern brines through early halite precipitation.We propose that ore-forming fluids are mainly derived from evaporitic basin brines,which leached base metals from the basement and/or country rocks.The brine then migrated to the basin margins through clastic rocks of basement and then precipitated sulfides by thermochemical sulfate reduction.

Characteristics of the ore-forming fluid in the Huayuan Pb-Zn ore filed, Northwest of Hunan Province, China

1 Geological Setting The Huayuan Pb-Zn ore field in Xiangxi is located in the southeastern margin of the Yangtze block and the mid-segment of the West Hunan-West Hubei metallogenic belt.The exposed stratum are the lower

Genesis of the Changba–Lijiagou Giant Pb-Zn Deposit, West Qinling, Central China: Constraints from S-Pb-C-O isotopes

The extensive Changba-Lijiagou Pb-Zn deposit is located in the north of the Xihe–Chengxian ore cluster in West Qinling. The ore bodies are mainly hosted in the marble, dolomitic marble and biotite-calcite-quartz schist of the Middle Devonian Anjiacha Formation, and are structurally controlled by the fault and anticline. The ore-forming process can be divided into three main stages, based on field geological features and mineral assemblages. The mineral assemblages of hydrothermal stage I are pale-yellow coarse grain, low Fe sphalerite, pyrite with pits, barite and biotite. The mineral assemblages of hydrothermal stage II are black-brown cryptocrystalline, high Fe shalerite, pyrite without pits, marcasite or arsenopyrite replace the pyrite with pits, K-feldspar. The features of hydrothermal stage III are calcite-quartz-sulfide vein cutting the laminated, banded ore body. Forty-two sulfur isotope analyses, twenty-five lead isotope analyses and nineteen carbon and oxygen isotope analyses were determined on sphalerite, pyrite, galena and calcite. The δ34 S values of stage I(20.3 to 29.0‰) are consistent with the δ34 S of sulfate(barite) in the stratum. Combined with geological feature, inclusion characteristics and EPMA data, we propose that TSR has played a key role in the formation of the sulfides in stage I. The δ34 S values of stage II sphalerite and pyrite(15.1 to 23.0‰) are between sulfides in the host rock, magmatic sulfur and the sulfate(barite) in the stratum. This result suggests that multiple S reservoirs were the sources for S2-in stage II. The δ34 S values of stage III(13.1 to 22‰) combined with the structure of the geological and mineral features suggest a magmatic hydrothermal origin of the mineralization. The lead isotope compositions of the sulfides have 206 Pb/204 Pb ranging from 17.9480 to 17.9782, 207 Pb/204 Pb ranging from 15.611 to 15.622, and 208 Pb/204 Pb ranging from 38.1368 to 38.1691 in the three ore-forming stages. The narrow and symmetric distributions of the lead isotope values reflect homogenization of granite and mantle sources before the Pb-Zn mineralization. The δ13 CPDB and δ18 OSMOW values of stage I range from-0.1 to 2.4‰ and from 18.8 to 21.7‰. The values and inclusion data indicate that the source of fluids in stage I was the dissolution of marine carbonate. The δ13 CPDB and δ18 OSMOW values of stage II range from-4 to 1‰ and from 12.3 to 20.3‰, suggesting multiple C-O reservoirs in the Changba deposit and the addition of mantle-source fluid to the system. The values in stage III are-3.1‰ and 19.7‰, respectively. We infer that the process of mineralization involved evaporitic salt and sedimentary organic-bearing units interacting through thermochemical sulfate reduction through the isotopic, mineralogy and inclusion evidences. Subsequently, the geology feature, mineral assemblages, EPMA data and isotopic values support the conclusion that the ore-forming hydrothermal fluids were mixed with magmatic hydrothermal fluids and forming the massive dark sphalerite, then yielding the calcite-quartz-sulfide vein ore type at the last stage. The genesis of this ore deposit was epigenetic rather than the previously-proposed sedimentary-exhalative(SEDEX) type.

Study on experiment and mechanism of thermal dissolved sulfuration of low grade lead-zinc oxide ore in lanpin

The thermal dissolved sulfuration technology is brought forward and performed based on the characteristic of low grade lead-zinc oxide ore in lanpin. Using sulfur as the sulphidizing agent in the experiment, the oxides in the sandstone and ignimbrite are changed into sulfides. The disproportionation reaction of sulfur in a solution is confirmed as 4S＋3H2O=2S^2-＋S2O3^2--＋6H^＋. The dynamics process is studied and the first-order reaction rate equation -1n（1-a）=ktt is obtained. The effects of the reactive products, stirring speed, dosage of sulfuration agent, value of pH and sulphidizing temperature on the sulfuration of oxide ore are investigated. The results indicate that the reactive apparent activation energy is 100.8 kJ/mol and the sulfuration ratio of lead-zinc oxide ore reaches 60% under the conditions of pH 5.9-7.5, the sulfuration temperature of 130 ℃, sulfuration time of 180 min and the stirring speed of 800 r/min.

Recycle of Wastewater from Lead-Zinc Sulfide Ore Flo-tation Process by Ozone/BAC Technology

Lead-zinc sulphide ore contains lead sulphide (galena), and zinc sulphide (sphalerite). In the first flotation stage, galena is rendered hydrophobic with an organic collector such as xanthate, while sphalerite is kept from floating by depressants, and in the second flotation stage, activator was used to activated zinc flotation. Since the organic regent used are different in the two flotation stage, wastewater from the second zinc flotation stage can’t be directly recycled to the first lead flotation stage. Wastewater from flotation process for concentrating lead-zinc sulphide ore often containing organic compounds such as diethyldithiocarbamate(DDTC), xanthate, terpenic oil(2# oil) and thionocarbamate esters (Z-200), are environmentally hazardous. Their removal from contaminated water and the reuse of the water is one of the main challenges facing lead-zinc sulphide ore processing plants. In this study, synthetic wastewater containing DDTC, xanthate, 2# oil and Z-200 at concentrations ranging from 21 to 42 mg/L was fed into an Ozone/Biological activated carbon (BAC) reactor. Analyses of the effluent indicated a chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal over 86.21% and Total organic carbon (TOC) removal over 90.00% were achieved under Hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 4h and O3 feeding concentration of 33.3mg/L. The effluent was further recycled to the lab scale lead concentrating process and no significant difference was found in compare with fresh water. Furthermore, lead-zinc sulphide mineral concentrating process was carried out at lab scale. The produced wastewater was treated by Ozone/BAC reactor at O3 feeding concentration of 16.7mg/L and HRT of 4h. The effluent analysis showed that TOC removal was 74.58%. This effluent was recycled to the lab scale lead-zinc sulphide mineral concentrating process and the recovery of lead was not affected. The results showed that by using Ozone/BAC technology, the lead-zinc sulphide mineral processing wastewater could be recycled.

Development in selective flotation of galena from lead-zinc-iron sulfide ores in China

A new technique for the flotation separation of lead zinc iron sulfide ores has been developed and applied to several mills in China. It is characterized by the matching of relationships among pulp pH, pulp potential, flotation collector inside grinding mill. The flotation separation of galena and sphalerite has been accomplished without the addition of any conventional depressant of sphalerite such as zinc sulphate. Lime is used as a regulator and stabilizer of pulp pH and potential. Diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC), not xanthate, is determined as a collector for the selective flotation of galena from the Pb Zn Fe sulfide ores. The laboratory scale tests, the plant scale tests and the plant operations have all shown that the best separation results can be achieved at pH of 12.4～12.6, the pulp potential of 160～180 mV. The operation practice in the four plants has confirmed that compared with conventional flotation flowsheet, our new technology can greatly improve the flotation results, reduce the flotation time and the number of flotation cell, and increase the stability of operation and the adaptability to changes in ore properties. All these advantages have made this four plants more profitable.