Separation of a Copper-lead Mixed Concentrate by High-intensity Magnetic-floatation

The copper lead mixed concentrate produced by a copper lead zinc ore concentrator in Qinghai contains Cu 1.96% and Pb 56.39%, but the particle size of galena in the mixed concentrate is fine. Using traditional copper lead flotation reagent, there are some problems such as poor separation effect and high mutual content of product metals. In order to improve the separation efficiency of copper and lead, based on the weak magnetic characteristics of chalcopyrite, the mixed concentrate was treated by strong magnetic separation flotation process. In this paper, under the conditions of background magnetic field strength of 1.5 T and pulse impulse of 25 Hz, the magnetic separation tailings containing 0.53% Cu and 59.32% Pb are obtained in the expanded magnetic separation test, which can be sold directly as lead concentrate products, and the magnetic separation concentrate containing 3.32% Cu and 49.40% Pb. Qualified copper concentrate and lead concentrate can be obtained through flotation process. Finally, the copper concentrate containing 17.63% Cu, 9.31% Pb and 71.48% Cu recovery and the lead concentrate containing 0.61% Cu, 59.72% Pb and 98.67% Pb recovery are obtained. Compared with the direct flotation process, the combined maglev process can significantly reduce the difficulty of copper lead separation and improve the separation efficiency, which provides a basis for on-site transformation in the next step.