Hydrothermal Sulfidation and Flotation of Oxidized Zinc-Lead Ore

The sample with smithsonite and cerussite as the main valuable metal minerals is a carbonate-hosted lead-zinc ore in the current study. Hydrothermal sulfidation of oxidized zinc-lead ore was carried out with a particle size of 74 to 58 μ m and the mole ratio of sulfur and zinc of 2.0 at 453 K (180 °C) for 240 minutes, and 73 pct zinc and 86 pct lead sulfidation fraction were achieved. Flotation of the unsulfided sample was ineffective, with less than 55 pct recovery of zinc and lead. After sulfidation, the recoveries of zinc and lead in flotation concentrate were over 92 pct. A flotation concentrate was obtained with zinc and lead content of 41.2 pct and 22.1 pct, respectively.