Disclosed herein are methods and systems for recovery of ancylite, a rare earth mineral comprising strontium carbonate, from rare earth ore. In many embodiments, the disclosed methods and systems provide for recovery of greater than 50% of the ancylite from an ancylite containing ore. In many embodiments, the ore is subjected to flotation in the presence of an acid, for example a hydroxamic acid, such as octanohydroxamic acid. The ore may also be subjected to magnetic separation, for example wet high intensity magnetic separation.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems for recovery of ancylite, a rare earth mineral comprising strontium carbonate, from rare earth ore. In many embodiments, the disclosed methods and systems provide for recovery of greater than 50% of the ancylite from an ancylite containing ore. In many embodiments, the ore is subjected to flotation in the presence of an acid, for example a hydroxamic acid, such as octanohydroxamic acid. The ore may also be subjected to magnetic separation, for example wet high intensity magnetic separation.

A mineral processing method capable of efficiently separating a copper mineral from a molybdenum mineral is provided. The mineral processing method includes: a conditioning step of adding sulfite as a surface treatment agent to a mineral slurry containing a copper mineral and a molybdenum mineral; and a flotation step of performing flotation using the mineral slurry after the conditioning step. The hydrophilicity of the copper mineral can be selectively enhanced by sulfite, so as to be able to produce a difference in hydrophilicity between the copper mineral and the molybdenum mineral. Therefore, the molybdenum mineral can be selectively caused to float, and the copper mineral and the molybdenum mineral can be efficiently separated from each other.

A mineral processing method capable of efficiently separating a copper mineral from a molybdenum mineral is provided. The mineral processing method includes: a conditioning step of adding sulfite as a surface treatment agent to a mineral slurry containing a copper mineral and a molybdenum mineral; and a flotation step of performing flotation using the mineral slurry after the conditioning step. The hydrophilicity of the copper mineral can be selectively enhanced by sulfite, so as to be able to produce a difference in hydrophilicity between the copper mineral and the molybdenum mineral. Therefore, the molybdenum mineral can be selectively caused to float, and the copper mineral and the molybdenum mineral can be efficiently separated from each other.

In producing a copper concentrate by flotation in which copper minerals are separated from arsenic minerals by using oxoacids of sulfur and oxidants, the arsenic in the copper concentrate is reduced by a simple method. In producing the copper concentrate by the flotation in which an arsenic-containing copper ore is a raw material, the oxoacids of sulfur and hydrogen peroxide as the oxidant are used together as additive reagents, and added in this order.

A stabilization process for an arsenic solution comprising thiosulfates, the process comprising: acidifying the arsenic solution to decompose the thiosulfates, to yield an acidified solution; oxidizing the acidified solution to oxidize residual As.sup.3+ to As.sup.5+ and reduced sulfur species to sulfates, to yield a slurry comprising elemental sulfur; separating elemental sulfur from the slurry to yield a liquid; oxidizing the liquid to oxidize residual reduced sulfur species, to yield an oxidized solution; and forming a stable arsenic compound from the oxidized solution.

A stabilization process for an arsenic solution comprising thiosulfates, the process comprising: acidifying the arsenic solution to decompose the thiosulfates, to yield an acidified solution; oxidizing the acidified solution to oxidize residual As.sup.3+ to As.sup.5+ and reduced sulfur species to sulfates, to yield a slurry comprising elemental sulfur; separating elemental sulfur from the slurry to yield a liquid; oxidizing the liquid to oxidize residual reduced sulfur species, to yield an oxidized solution; and forming a stable arsenic compound from the oxidized solution.

The present invention is directed to methods that can be used in the enrichment of metal sulfide ores in desired minerals in cases where the ores have sulfide-containing gangues. The method involves adding an oxidant to slurries prepared from the ores during, or immediately prior to froth flotation.

The present invention is directed to methods that can be used in the enrichment of metal sulfide ores in desired minerals in cases where the ores have sulfide-containing gangues. The method involves adding an oxidant to slurries prepared from the ores during, or immediately prior to froth flotation.

The present invention is related to a process for increasing copper or metal recovery in flotation processes, specially of minerals that are dissolved during the grinding stage, by the use of any sulfidizing agent or ionizing sulfide such as, but not limited to, sodium hydrogen sulfide, sodium sulfide, potassium hydrogen sulfide, potassium sulfide, ammonium hydrogen sulfide or ammonium sulfide, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), polysulfides of potassium, calcium, magnesium or ammonium to precipitate during the grinding stage or immediately after the grinding stage, metals that have been dissolved prior or during the milling or grinding stage prior to normal flotation.