Copper–zinc sulfide deposits of the Benue Trough are an important part of Nigeria’s base-metal resource base, but their beneficiation is complicated by fine intergrowths of chalcopyrite, sphalerite, pyrite, and gangue minerals, as well as by refractory gold associations. This study evaluates process options for improving the beneficiation of a disseminated copper–zinc ore from a massive sulfide deposit in the Benue Trough. The ore contains 2.17% Cu, 1.03% Zn, 28.40% S, 25.43% Fe, 26.10% [to be confirmed], 1.10 g/t Au, and 5.70 g/t Ag, with pyrite as the dominant sulfide mineral. Mineralogical investigations showed that copper occurs mainly in primary sulfides, while zinc is largely present as sphalerite; gold is predominantly associated with iron and copper sulfides, mostly in finely dispersed forms.

Plant-scale studies revealed a circulating gold accumulation effect in the copper regrinding circuit, where the gold grade in the mill discharge was 2.5–3.3 times higher than that in the run-of-mine ore. Gravity concentration of this stream, followed by shaking-table upgrading, produced a gravity concentrate grading up to 200 g/t Au with a stage recovery of up to 29%. Integration of this gravity step into the copper flotation circuit increased overall gold recovery into final products by more than 1.5%.

Flotation tests also showed that combining potassium butyl xanthate with the dialkyldithiophosphate FRIM-2920 improved the recovery of copper, zinc, and gold into marketable products by 0.87%, 0.40%, and 3.22%, respectively. In addition, raising pulp temperature in the zinc flotation circuit to 40–45°C and modifying the recycle point of intermediate products increased zinc concentrate grade from 48.5% to 51.1% and zinc recovery from 62.6% to 65.6%. The results demonstrate that integrated flotation–gravity treatment, reagent optimization, and thermal conditioning can significantly improve the beneficiation of complex copper–zinc sulfide ores from the Benue Troug.