Maximizing Molybdenum Recovery From a Complex Ore Body

The Request  

A producer and global supplier of a broad range of high-value, quality reagents looking to maximize molybdenum recovery from a complex ore body faced several in-house plant trial setbacks. The Western United-States mine, who supplies up to 40% of the molybdenum market, asked Quadra consultants, who roped in Quadra’s technical team of metallurgists to perform an on-site plant trial to identify a higher-performing solution. 

Quadra Finds a Solution Day 2 of the 10-Day Plant Trail

It became evident to the team a frother solution with varying pH levels and dosing ranges specific to the unique characteristics of the molybdenite ore body would be required to stabilize the flotation circuit, while effectively controlling penalty elements below the specified limits for iron, lead, zinc, bismuth, and calcium. On day two of the on-site plant trial, Quadra’s team solutioned a frother, testing it consistently over the next seven days to ensure it produced the desired customer extraction target, putting in hundreds of man hours. 

Result: An Enhanced Frother Solution That Could Be Tested to Maximize Recovery of Alternative Ore Bodies

The frother solution yielded higher recovery rates, a more concentrated grade of molybdenum, and overall purity consistently, as reported in the mine’s daily production numbers. The product may also be tested for alternate ore bodies, such as copper.