Abstract: Study was made on the separation of lead and zinc in a complex lead-zinc polymetallic ore.The chemical composition and lead-zinc phases of the ore were analyzed and the kinds of lead, zinc, gold and silver minerals and their size disseminating characters were indentified.A preferential flotation flowsheet was adopted, which used calcium oxide and zinc sulfate to depress zinc sulfide and SN-9 as the collector to obtain a qualified lead concentrate, and used copper sulfate to activate the zinc to obtain a qualified zinc concentrate, with the lead and zinc recoveries reaching 94.06% and 86.80% respectively, and the associated gold and silver being enriched in lead and zinc concentrates.

Key words: Process mineralogy, Separation of lead from zinc, Preferential flotation