5. Extraction of bismuth from sulfide-bearing mine concentrates

Sulfide concentrates are concentrates of bismuth sulfides, with or without other sulfides. They are prepared by mineralurgical operations based on gravity or flotation, or by a combination of both techniques. Each ore is a special case to which conventional mineral separation techniques are adapted, as is the case for the processing of Xihuashan ore (see § 5.2 ):

• removal of minerals from gangues, the most common being quartz, carbonates, silicates and various salts such as fluorite and barite, the latter two of which can be further processed;

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