MINING CHEMICALS
The BASF LIX ® range of solvent extractants are applicable to leach solutions with a wide range of copper tenors, pH and impurity levels
Reagent renewals
performance.“ Proven results from industrial applications show that NaSH replacement can be achieved without compromising metallurgical performance. Syensqo’ s AERO ® NR Series includes organic and polymeric depressants designed to deliver high selectivity and stable performance across varying mineralogies and operating conditions, enabling partial or full NaSH replacement in Cu-Mo flotation circuits.”
Syensqo’ s AERO ® NR-7361 enables a majority replacement, and in some cases
Mining chemicals such as those used in flotation and gold processing bring enormous recovery benefits – but the market is also dynamic with new approaches and chemistries always in development including for next generation leaching, reports Paul Moore
For decades, sodium hydrosulphide( commonly referred to as NaSH) has been widely used as a depressant in copper-molybdenum( Cu-Mo) separation. While effective, Syensqo argues that its drawbacks are increasingly difficult to overlook.“ High reagent consumption often in the range of 4-40 kg of NaSH per tonne of bulk Cu-Mo concentrate, and toxic hydrogen sulphide( H₂S) generation drive the need for specialised handling, nitrogen systems, and covered flotation cells- all of which contribute to operational complexity, significant capital expenditure, safety risks and environmental pressures.”
It adds that operations often face performance variability requiring larger volumes of NaSH, which further complicates the logistics of transport and handling. Some operations use acid pre-treatment to manage the performance variability, but this increases the safety risks due to the higher propensity of H₂S formation at lower pH.
Syensqo says that as the industry prioritises safer and more sustainable operations, interest in alternatives to NaSH has accelerated in parallel with successful implementation of alternatives in operating plants without compromising metallurgical
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Plant trial results for newly developed AERO ® NR-7370 in Cu-Mo concentrate with high insolubles show better performance than NaSH and AERO ® NR-7361 under these trial conditions
International Mining | JUNE 2026