Lead-Zinc Concentrates Quality Improve by Enhancing Slurry Agitation Process

Mihail Petrov; Teodora Yankova; Irena Grigorova; Rozalia Kirilova

doi:10.55549/epstem.1803814

Lead-Zinc Concentrates Quality Improve by Enhancing Slurry Agitation Process

Abstract

Lead-zinc sulphide ore mined from the Toranica deposit and is processed in the concentrator. The deposit is located in the Osogovo mountain, the northeastern part of the Republic of North Macedonia, near the Bulgarian Macedonian border. The main ore minerals in the lead-zinc ore are represented by galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, and the non-ore minerals by quartz, carbonates, barite. After crushing and grinding, the ore is beneficiated using a direct selective flotation. It is common knowledge that slurry agitation is important for the flotation efficiency and makes the mineral particles fully mix with the flotation reagent. It was established that with the available conditioning tank agitator in the Toranica lead-zinc concentrator, the necessary slurry agitation is not achieved. This leads to inefficient flotation process and low-quality Pb and Zn concentrates production. During certain periods of the concentrator's operation, a zinc concentrate with an average monthly content of lead impurities is produced, reaching up to 6.08%, while at the same time a lead loss was registered in the final flotation tails. To eliminate the causes leading to deteriorate technological indicators, the lead-zinc ore mineral composition was investigated. Moreover, slurry agitation has been improved by implementing an advanced conditioning tank. High-quality final concentrates production was achieved, and the recovery degree was also increased. This paper is organized divided into four sections. Section 1 gives a brief overview of sulphide lead-zinc ores, their flotation beneficiation, reagents and flowsheets. The second section examines our research and development program to establish the technological possibilities for replacement of an available conditioning tank agitator. In the third section the case study is analyzed, and we propose a new procedure for conditioning tank agitator improvement. Our conclusions are drawn in the final section

Keywords

References

Petrov, M., Yankova, T., Grigorova, I. & Kirilova, R. (2025). Lead-zinc concentrates quality improve by enhancing slurry agitation process. The Eurasia Proceedings of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (EPSTEM), 35, 55-62.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Separation Processes

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Mihail Petrov This is me
Bulgaria

Teodora Yankova This is me
Bulgaria

Irena Grigorova This is me
Bulgaria

Rozalia Kirilova This is me
Bulgaria

Early Pub Date

October 20, 2025

Publication Date

September 30, 2025

Submission Date

May 23, 2025

Acceptance Date

June 30, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 35

DOI

https://doi.org/10.55549/epstem.1803814

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA49UH89HT

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Petrov, M., Yankova, T., Grigorova, I., & Kirilova, R. (2025). Lead-Zinc Concentrates Quality Improve by Enhancing Slurry Agitation Process. The Eurasia Proceedings of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics, 35, 55-62. https://doi.org/10.55549/epstem.1803814