The Copperbelt’s copper-cobalt ores require both flotation collectors for sulphide cobalt (carrollite) and bulk acid for oxide cobalt leaching — Chemnergy supplies both from Zambian stock.
Sulphide cobalt minerals such as carrollite are floated alongside copper using xanthate collectors, while oxide/carbonate cobalt ores are leached with sulphuric acid, with magnesium oxide commonly used downstream for neutralisation.
