Abstract: A copper-nickel tailing in Xinjiang still contains about Ni of 0.2%,copper of 0.1%,and iron of 17% and sulfur of around 3%.Nickel,copper and iron mainly exist in form of pyrite,chalcopyrite and magnetite respectively.Sulfur mainly exists in pyrrhotite and pyrite.In order to provide the basis for comprehensive recovery of valuable components in this tailing,re-concentration trials were carried out.The results showed that through the process of copper-nickel flotation-sulfur flotation-Fe magnetic separation-flotation desulfurization of magnetic concentrate,and additionally adopting the whirl jet-stream flotation column in rough copper-nickel separation,regrinding before clean concentration of copper and nickel and the sulfurization of magnetic concentrate,copper-nickel mixed concentrate with Cu and nickel grade of 1.21% and 2.72%,and copper and nickel recovery of 12.30% and 16.59% were finally obtained.As well,iron concentrate with Fe grade of 65.12% and Fe recovery of 26.96% and sulfur concentrate with S grade of 35.73% and S recovery of 87.54% were achieved separately.

Key words: Cu-Ni tailings, Cu-Ni flotation, Sulfide flotation, Fe magnetic separation, Whirl jet-stream flotation column, Regrinding