New Source of Unavoidable Ions in Bornite Flotation Aqueous Solution: Fluid Inclusions

This study aims to determine the presence and release of fluid inclusions in natural pure bornite while investigating the types, structures, and compositions of such inclusions. This work also measures the total concentrations of Cu (C-CuT), Fe (C-FeT), and Cl-, SO42-, which are released to the bornite aqueous solution from fluid inclusions. The results indicate that numerous fluid inclusions are distributed in isolation or along the crevices in the bornite. The fluid inclusions take on such shapes as long strips and irregular strips, with the body sizes ranging from 3 to 40 mu m. Through the crushing and grinding process, the inclusions that are captured from the diagenetic and metallogenic process of bornite would be released to the flotation pulp along with Cu, Fe, Cl-, SO42-, etc. Results indicate that the C-CuT and C-FeT values in the solution are significantly higher than those from the experimental dissolution. Therefore, results confirm that the release of inclusions is a new source of Cu and Fe ions in the aqueous solution. Moreover, the findings exhibit a new discovery of an unavoidable ion source in the flotation pulp, and the residual position domain after the release of the inclusions causes the difference in bornite surface composition and roughness. The new discovery expands the research objectives and scope in flotation solution chemistry and is significant in the study of flotation theory.