Abstract
The effects of utilizing recycled tailings pond water from the flotation plant at the Mining Company of Guemassa (MCG) on galena recovery and selectivity towards chalcopyrite (R Pb-Cu) , sphalerite (R Pb-Zn), and pyrrhotite (R Pb-Fe) were studied at bench scale. The results showed that recycling the tailings pond water in the lead circuit without addition of fresh water gave a good flotation performance in terms of lead recovery (Rpb) (75%) and selectivity towards the other metals: R Pb-Cu (54%), R Pb-Zn (60%) and R Pb-Fe(65%). This allows the water to be recycled at least four times. However, increasing the d80 from 100 um to 160 um currently used at the MCG plant had a negative effect on the lead flotation performance.