What are high-molecular-weight polymers based on anionic polyacrylamides?

High-molecular-weight polymers based on anionic polyacrylamides (PAMs) are used as tailing flocculants in mineral processing plants. The recirculation of water recovered from the tailing thickeners to the flotation process introduces residual PAMs, which can impact the flotation of important copper sulfides like chalcopyrite, bornite, and enargite.

What is a good flocculant dosage for copper tailings?

As a result, many studies in this area have been conducted. In their flocculation studies on copper tailings, Yunyan and Dong (2019) revealed that anionic flocculants performed better than cationic and nonionic ones, dosages between 18 and 22 g/t are optimal for flocculation.

Does an anionic polyacrylamide depress the flotation of chalcopyrite and enargite?

This issue has been rarely studied. In this work, results on the effect of an anionic polyacrylamide (PAM) of medium–low anionicity on the flotation of chalcopyrite, enargite, and bornite are reported and analyzed. The results show that PAM molecules depress the flotation of chalcopyrite, enargite, and bornite under a wide range of pH values.

Why is flocculation important in mineral processing slurries?

The process of flocculation in thickers is used to precipitate fine particles, which are often present in mineral effluent, and the cleansed water is recycled. Therefore, it is important to characterize the mineral processing tailings and optimize the sedimentation behavior of the tailing slurries.

What is the turbidity of copper tailings flocculation?

In Jar tests, it was observed that all polymers performed well in terms of turbidity on copper tailings flocculation, and the optimum flocculant dosage was 20 g/t. It was found that at this dosage, with the exception of the nonionic flocculant (43.5 NTU), the turbidity value of < 20 NTU was reached with all other flocculants.

Are there adverse effects on the flotation process of copper sulfides?

Consequently, adverse impacts on the flotation process of copper sulfides may arise. High-molecular-weight polymers based on anionic polyacrylamides (PAMs) are used as tailing flocculants in mineral processing plants.