BACKGROUNDThe main recovered minerals of copper sulfur ores in Peru were copper minerals and sulfur minerals. Due to the complexity of the embedded copper minerals, the superfine granularity of copper minerals and their close relationship with various gangue or metal minerals, the traditional process mineralogy research methods, such as chemical analysis and optical microscope detection, were difficult to quantify their process mineralogical parameters accurately.

OBJECTIVESTo systematically investigate the process mineralogy of copper-sulfur ore in Peru.

METHODSBy means of chemical analysis, X-ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscope, Polarizing Microscope and Mineral Liberation Analysis, the systematic process mineralogy of copper-sulfur ores including chemical composition, mineral composition, occurrences of main minerals, particle size distribution and monomer dissociation characteristics were investigated, and the main mineralogical factors affecting the mineral dressing index were analyzed.

RESULTSThe main elements in the ore were Cu (0.65%) and S (9.53%). The content of pyrite (16.57%) in the ore was relatively high, and its morphology was regular. The relationship between pyrite and other minerals was relatively simple, and the particle size was generally coarse. Pyrite particle size larger than 0.30mm accounted for 95.06%. However, the copper minerals were mainly irregular granular, shell shaped, reticulated, fibrous, dust-like, and speckled in gangue minerals or intersected with pyrite, sphalerite, magnetite and other metal minerals. The uneven particle size of copper minerals makes the dissociation of copper minerals more difficult. Moreover, the contents of clay minerals such as mica (12.51%), chlorite (3.74%), talc (3.34%), kaolinite and montmorillonite (3.59%) were abundant in the ore. During grinding, mudding occurred easily, which worsened the separation environment.

CONCLUSIONSThe mineral processing flowsheet of coarse grinding-partially preferred floating copper-copper sulfur mixed flotation-mixed concentrate regrinding and separation can be used in copper-sulfur ore of Peru.