Mineralogical characterization of the flotation products using automated mineral liberation analysis at the Erdenetiin Ovoo Cu-Mo porphyry deposit, Mongolia

Authors

  • Batmunkh Tumen-Ayush Erdenet Mining Corporation SOE, Orkhon province, Erdenet 61027, Mongolia; Department of Mining Technology, School of Geology and Mining Engineering, Mongolian University of Science and Technology, Ulaanbaatar 14191, Mongolia https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3781-7604
  • Chinzorig Bavuu Department of Mining Technology, School of Geology and Mining Engineering, Mongolian University of Science and Technology, Ulaanbaatar 14191, Mongolia
  • Narangerel Adiyasuren Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 14201, Mongolia
  • Ganbileg Davaajav Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 14201, Mongolia
  • Davaadulam Batbileg Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 14201, Mongolia
  • Sondor Ganbat Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 14201, Mongolia
  • Tsend-Ayush Tserendagva Erdenet Mining Corporation SOE, Orkhon province, Erdenet 61027, Mongolia
  • Altankhuyag Dorjyunden Erdenet Mining Corporation SOE, Orkhon province, Erdenet 61027, Mongolia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3993-1139
  • Ganzorig Chimed Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 14201, Mongolia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3807-7743

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5564/mgs.v30i60.3584

Keywords:

TIMA, phase boundary, association

Abstract

The flotation process is used to extract copper-molybdenum sulfide minerals from ore. The selection of the flotation technology scheme largely depends on factors such as the composition of sulfide ore in the ore body, grain size, and characteristics of the ore mineral association. The chemical and mineralogical analysis of flotation products was collected from the Erdenetiin Ovoo Cu-Mo porphyry deposit. The deposit is the largest porphyry copper-molybdenum deposit in Mongolia. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the occurrence mechanism of copper minerals in flotation tailing using the fully automated Tescan Integrated Mineral Analyzer. The chemical analysis of the flotation products (feed, concentrates and tailings) sample was conducted by X-ray fluorescence, and the mineralogical composition of the flotation feed sample was characterized using X-ray diffraction. The copper content of the flotation tailing was 0.024%. Mineralogical characterization results showed that almost all copper minerals occurred within coarse gangue particles, the primary and secondary copper minerals were accumulated in the size fractions less than 150 μm and 13.5 μm, respectively. The finest grain size distribution was observed in secondary copper particles of size -19 μm. Chalcopyrite was the main copper-bearing mineral, and it was closely associated with K-feldspar and silicate in the flotation tailings. The flotation tailing sample still contained 24.1 wt% liberated primary copper (chalcopyrite) and 24.13 wt% secondary copper due to their extremely fine grain size particle. The mineral map derived from Tescan Integrated Mineral Analyzer analysis revealed that copper minerals mainly occurred as finely disseminated and fully enclosed structures within gangue minerals.

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Published

2025-03-25

How to Cite

Tumen-Ayush, B., Bavuu, C., Adiyasuren, N., Davaajav, G., Batbileg, D., Ganbat, S., … Chimed, G. (2025). Mineralogical characterization of the flotation products using automated mineral liberation analysis at the Erdenetiin Ovoo Cu-Mo porphyry deposit, Mongolia. Mongolian Geoscientist, 30(60), 10–22. https://doi.org/10.5564/mgs.v30i60.3584

Issue

Vol. 30 No. 60 (2025)

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Copyright (c) 2025 Batmunkh Tumen-Ayush, Chinzorig Bavuu, Narangerel Adiyasuren, Ganbileg Davaajav, Davaadulam Batbileg, Sondor Ganbat, Tsend-Ayush Tserendagva, Altankhuyag Dorjyunden, Ganzorig Chimed

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