The work describes the influence of Cu and Fe sulfostannates on ore processing at the Pravy Urmiy deposit (Far East Russia). An increase in the amount of Cu and Fe sulfostannates from the upper horizon of 1600 m to deeper horizons of 1580, 1569 and 1560 is revealed as a result of study of ores from adits of different horizons and ore technological products. No zonation is typical of the deeper horizons. Mawsonite and stannite, which are dominant at deep horizons, are replaced by stannoidite. The Cu and Fe sulfostannates are associated with cassiterite, Cu sulfides and sulfoarsenides forming complex intergrowths and inclusion in each other. The size of Cu and Fe sulfostannates grains and aggregates varies from 10 µm to 1 mm. The Cu and Fe sulfostannates, Cu sulfides and cassiterite are separated using a complex ore processing scheme: from preliminary X-ray radiometric separation (XRS) to gravity and flotation concentrates and tails. The Cu and Fe sulfostannates are found in fine fractions already at the first RRS stage. Further separation using gravity and flotation methods leads to the concentration of Cu and Fe sulfostannates in fine fractions together with Cu sulfides, arsenopyrite and löllingite. Because Cu and Fe sulfostannates form inclusions in cassiterite, they also found in its concentrate. The inclusions of Cu and Fe sulfostannates in cassiterite are preserved after pyrometallurgical treatment of gravity concentrates. During flotation of technological tails, the Cu and Fe sulfostannates remain in Cu sulfide concentrate. There is a problem of Sn under-extraction from ores of horizons of 1600, 1580, 1569 and 1560 m, which is relate to the increase in amount of Cu and Fe sulfostannates, their close assemblage with sulfoarsenides and sulfides and small natural sizes of their grains.
Keywords: mawsonite, stannite, stannoidite, Pravy Urmiy deposit, Far East of Russia, technological products, concentrates, technological tails.
Funding. This work was supported by state contract of the South Urals Federal Research Center of Mineralogy and Geoecology UB RAS no. 122031600292-6.
Acknowledgements. We are grateful to the management and specialists of JSC Pravourmiysky for the possibility of study ores and technological products.
Conflict of interests. The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest related to this manuscript.
Author contribution. M.V. Zabotina, E.V. Belogub, K.A. Novoselov – concept development, research, manuscript writing; E.A. Ashirbaeva, K.N. Evstikheev – provision of stone material and technological products, editing the description of the technological chain for obtaining industrial products; M.A. Rassomakhin,
I.A. Blinov – analytical works. All the authors approved the final version of the manuscript prior to publication.
For citation: Zabotina M.V., Belogub E.V., Novoselov K.A., Ashirbaeva E.A., Evstikheev K.N., Rassomakhin M.A., Blinov I.A. Sulfostannates in exploited ores of the Pravy Urmiy Cu-Sn deposit (Far East Russia). Mineralogy, 2026, 12(1), 60–84. https://doi.org/10.35597/2313-545X-2026-12-1-4

Received 09.10.2025, revised 10.02.2025 accepted 21.02.2026

Maria V. Zabotina – Cand. Sci. (Geol.-Mineral.), Junior Researcher, South Urals Federal Scientific Center of Mineralogy and Geoecology UB RAS, Miass, Russia; mary_7-88@mail.ru
Elena V. Belogub – Doctor Sci. (Geol.-Mineral.),, Key Researcher, South Urals Federal Scientific Center of Mineralogy and Geoecology UB RAS, Miass, Russia; 
Konstantin A. Novoselov – Cand. Sci (Geol.-Mineral.), Leading Researcher, South Urals Federal Scientific Center of Mineralogy and Geoecology UB RAS, Miass, Russia; 
Evgenia A. Ashirbaeva – chief enricher, “White Gold” LLC; 
Konstantin N. Evstikheev – PJSC “Rusolovo” ( LLC “Pravourmiysky”), Gorny settlement, Khabarovsk edge, Russia
Mikhail A. Rassomakhin – Junior Researcher, South Urals Federal Scientific Center of Mineralogy and Geoecology UB RAS, Miass, Russia; 
Ivan A. Blinov – Cand. Sci. (Geol.-Mineral.), Scientific Researcher, South Urals Federal Research Center of Mineralogy and Geoecology UB RAS, Miass, Russia

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