cc-byValderramaL TapiaJ PavezO SantanderM RiveraV GonzalezLuis Valderrama CampusanoMario Santander MuñozPAVEZ MIQUELES OSVALDO FLORENTINO2025-06-052025-06-052024https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12740/22556The significant volume of copper smelting slags poses environmental challenges, particularly concerning soil and surface water contamination. However, these slags contain valuable elements such as copper and iron, the recovery of which can contribute to both environmental protection and the circular economy in Chile. This study analyzes, at both laboratory and industrial scales, the recovery of copper sulfides from the slags of the Hern & aacute;n Videla Lira Smelter in Atacama, Chile. Physical, chemical, and mineralogical characterizations were performed, along with flotation tests (rougher and cleaner) to optimize the grinding degree, pH, reagents, and flotation times. The slag, with a copper grade of 0.71%, contains fayalite, magnetite, quartz, pyrite, and chalcopyrite. In the laboratory, the concentrate obtained in the rougher stage showed a copper grade of 3.7% with a recovery rate of 62.1%; in the cleaner stage, the grade increased to 24.4%, with a recovery rate of 71.7%. At the industrial level, the rougher-cleaner circuit produced concentrates with a copper grade of 27.9% and a recovery rate of 87.5% processing 1344 tons per day, thus demonstrating the viability of this methodology. C1 [Valderrama, Luis; Pavez, Osvaldo; Santander, Mario] Univ Atacama, Dept Engn Met, Copiapo 1532297, Chile. [Tapia, Jaime] Univ Arturo Prat, Fac Engn & Architecture, Iquique 1110939, Chile. [Rivera, Victor] Natl Min Co ENAMI, Copiapo 2536199, Chile. [Gonzalez, Miguel] Planta Cerrillos Grp Minero Carola Coemin, Vitacura 7630413, Chile. C3 Universidad de Atacama; Universidad Arturo Pratinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesscopper slagflotationrecoveryGeochemistry & Geophysics; Mineralogy; Mining & Mineral ProcessingArticulo de revista10.3390/min14121228