Influence of argillic-limestone contact mineralogy on copper and gold recovery by flotation in northern Peru
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70577/asce.v5i2.1127Keywords:
selective flotation, mineralogy, copper, gold, geometallurgy.Abstract
The recovery of copper and gold in porphyry systems associated with argillic–limestone contacts present significant challenges due to mineralogical complexity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of mineralogy on Cu and Au recovery through selective flotation in northern Peru. An experimental laboratory-scale study was conducted, including chemical characterization (0.49% Cu and 0.83 g/t Au), mineralogical analysis using optical microscopy and QEMSCAN, and metallurgical tests under a 22, factorial design, evaluating pH (9–10.5), solid percentage (28–35%), and flotation time (9–12 min). The results revealed a complex mineralogy dominated by quartz (30%), calcite (25%), clay (15%), and sulfides, with a significant presence of microcrystalline pyrite (up to 33.74%), in which gold is encapsulated. Cu recovery increased from 75.59% to 79.17% and Au recovery from 49.87% to 52.01% as pH increased to 10.5. Additionally, under optimal conditions of 35% solids and 12 minutes of flotation, maximum recoveries of 87.27% Cu and 54.64% Au were achieved. Statistical models showed high goodness-of-fit (R² > 95%), confirming the significance of the evaluated variables. It is concluded that mineralogy controls metallurgical performance and that the optimization of operational variables significantly improves recovery in complex systems.
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