Molybdenite recovery by column flotation in the byproduct recovery plant of UCIL, Jaduguda

Abstract

Molybdenite is recovered at Byproduct Recovery Plant (BRP) of Uranium Corporation of India Ltd., Jaduguda, from the bulk concentrate of copper, nickel and molybdenum by differential notation using sodium sulphide as the depressant for copper, nickel and iron sulphide minerals in combination with sodium silicate, after five cleanings in mechanical cells. The eventual molybdenite concentrate assays between 35% Mo to 40% Mo. Column notation studies on the same bulk concentrate at the plant site indicated that concentrate containing 44% Mo can be obtained in single stage with above 95% recoveries from a feed containing around 7% Mo, 16% Cu and 10% Ni. The column notation studies with sodium hydrogen sulphide in place of sodium sulphide also gave more or less the same results but the contamination of copper and nickel in the molybdenite concentrate is minimum in the product obtained with sodium sulphide. A single notation column was found sufficient to replace five cleaning stages in mechanical cells in the lone commercial molybdenite recovery plant in the country..