FLOTATION STUDY OF LOW GRADE COPPER ORE AT PT XYZ

• Main Author: GUNARSO , SINGGIH
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/12659
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Copper ore mostly contains a lot of Sulphide minerals such as Pyrites (FeS2). The higher pyrite in the ore can decrease the grade of Copper in the concentrate. It means production process doesn't run optimally. One of the method to depress pyrite is by increasing the pH using the lime. The using of lime in reducing of pyrite showed the decreasing of pyrite grade in the concentrate, but it will be better if the pyrite could be depressed more by adding other depressant. Alternative depressant that is used in this study is Sodium Metabisulfite atau SMBS(Na2S2O5). The variables that is used in this study are pH and the dosages of Sodium Metabisulfite. Each variable is variated to get the optimum condition of Sodium Metabisulfite's dosage. The optimum condition is determined from the increasing of copper recovery and the decreasing of pyrite recovery. Final result showed the recovery of copper is increasing as the increasing of pH. At low pH, the addition of Sodium Metabisulfite can reduce the recovery of copper. At pH 11, the addition of Sodium Metabisulfite doesn't has effect to the recovery of Copper up to the dosage of 100 g/t of Sodium Metabisulfite. The grade of Copper is increasing as the increasing oh pH. The addition of Sodium Metabisulfite can decrease pyrite about 2%. The optimum condition is at high pH 11 and 12 with the addition 100 g/t of Sodium Metabisulfite which has high grade of Copper and low grade of pyrite in the concentrate.