Selective depression behavior of guar gum on talc-type scheelite flotation

The depression behavior and mechanism of guar gum on talc-type scheelite flotation were systematically investigated by flotation experiments, adsorption tests, zeta-potential measurements, and infrared spectroscopic analyses. The flotation results for monominerals, mixed minerals, and actual mineral samples indicated that guar gum exhibited much higher selective depression for talc than for scheelite. Bench-scale closed-circuit tests showed that a tungsten concentrate with a WO_3 grade of 51.43% and a WO_3 recovery of 76.18% was obtained. Adsorption tests, zeta-potential measurements, and infrared spectral analyses confirmed that guar gum absorbed more strongly onto the talc surface than onto the scheelite surface because of chemisorption between guar gum and talc. This chemisorption is responsible for the guar gum's highly selective depression for talc and small depression for scheelite. The flotation results provide technical support for talc-type scheelite flotation.

The selective effect of food-grade guar gum on chalcopyrite-monoclinic pyrrhotite separation using mixed aerofloat(CSU11) as collector

The flotation separation of chalcopyrite from monoclinic pyrrhotite using food-grade guar gum(FGG) as a depressant was studied through flotation tests, kinetic studies, dynamic potential measurements, adsorption experiments, and infrared spectral analyses. The microflotation results showed that the flotation separation of chalcopyrite from monoclinic pyrrhotite could not be realized by adding mixed aerofloat(CSU11) alone. The depressant FGG exhibited a selective depression effect on monoclinic pyrrhotite by controlling the pulp pH range from 5.0 to 6.0, with a maximum floatability variation of 79.36% in the presence of CSU11. The flotation kinetics, zeta-potential, adsorption, and infrared spectroscopy studies revealed that the FGG could absorb more strongly on the surface of monoclinic pyrrhotite than on the surface of chalcopyrite. In addition, the results revealed that the interaction of FGG with the monoclinic pyrrhotite surface was governed primarily by strong chemisorption, whereas FGG mainly bonded to chalcopyrite through hydrogen bonding. This difference was responsible for the excellent depression selectivity of FGG toward monoclinic pyrrhotite flotation and weak depression effect toward chalcopyrite flotation.

Recovery of molybdenum and copper from porphyry ore via iso-flotability flotation

A copper-molybdenum iso-flotability flotation process has been developed to efficiently improve the recovery ofmolybdenite from Duobaoshan porphyry Cu-Mo ores.The effects of flotation approach,type of collector,feed particle sizedistribution,rougher pH value and reagent dosage on the recovery of molybdenite were evaluated systematically.The results suggestthat compared with kerosene and diesel oil,transformer oil has stronger dispersion capability in water media and better flotationselectivity for molybdenite,providing a higher molybdenum recovery under low reagent dosage.Moreover,compared with bulkflotation approach,the iso-flotability flotation approach using transformer oil as a collector can obtain superior Mo recovery(90.77%)and grade(0.80%)in the cleaner concentrate,and increase the Mo recovery and grade by over18%and5%in the final Moconcentrate,respectively.The results of commercial flotation further indicate that the iso-flotability flotation approach is a rationaland effective route to beneficiate the porphyry Cu-Mo ores.

Seaweed glue as a novel polymer depressant for the selective separation of chalcopyrite and galena

The use of seaweed glue(SEG)as a novel polymer depressant for the separation of chalcopyrite from galena with butyl xanthate(BX)as a collector was studied through microflotation experiments.Contact angle,adsorption,dynamic potential,and infrared spectral analyses were conducted to clarify the mechanism underlying the action of SEG on minerals.The results of microflotation experiments indicated that chalcopyrite could be selectively separated from galena by using a SEG depressant concentration of 15 mg·L^-1,BX concentration of 10 mg·L^-1,and methyl isobutyl carbinol concentration of 8.5 mg·L^-1 at pH 8.0.A Cu concentrate with a grading of 23.68wt% was obtained at a recovery rate of 81.52% from mixed minerals with 8.29wt% Cu content.Contact angle analysis showed that the effect of SEG on the wettability of galena was stronger than that on the wettability of chalcopyrite.Adsorption,zeta potential,and FT-IR spectral analyses revealed that SEG and BX were coadsorbed on the surfaces of galena.SEG depressed galena by covering xanthate ions in the functional groups of-COO and mainly underwent weak physisorption on chalcopyrite.These mechanisms account for the ability of SEG to depress galena effectively while enabling chalcopyrite flotation.

Preparation of manganese sulfate from low-grade manganese carbonate ores by sulfuric acid leaching

In this study, a method for preparing pure manganese sulfate from low-grade ores with a granule mean size of 0.47 mm by direct acid leaching was developed. The effects of the types of leaching agents, sulfitric acid concentration, reaction temperature, and agitation rate on the leaching efficiency of manganese were investigated. We observed that sulfuric acid used as a leaching agent provides a similar leach- ing efficiency of manganese and superior selectivity against calcium compared to hydrochloric acid. The optimal leaching conditions in sul- furic acid media were determined; under the optimal conditions, the leaching efficiencies of Mn and Ca were 92.42% and 9.61%, respec- tively. Moreover, the kinetics of manganese leaching indicated that the leaching follows the diffusion-controlled model with an apparent ac- tivation energy of 12.28 kJ·mol-l. The purification conditions of the leaching solution were also discussed. The results show that manganese dioxide is a suitable oxidant of ferrous ions and sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate is an effective precipitant of heavy metals. Finally, through chemical analysis and X-ray diffraction analysis, the obtained product was determined to contain 98% of MnSOa4·H20.

Flotation and electrochemical behaviors of chalcopyrite and pyrite in the presence of N-propyl-N′-ethoxycarbonyl thiourea

The characteristics of N-propyl-N′-ethoxycarbonyl thiourea（PECTU） were studied in the flotation experiments of chalcopyrite and pyrite compared with butyl xanthate（BX）. The interaction mechanism between mineral and PECTU was investigated according to zeta potential and electrochemistry measurements in the presence of PECTU. The results proved that PECTU performed a stronger ability to capture chalcopyrite and a better selectivity against pyrite. The zeta potential of chalcopyrite was positively shifted after interacting with PECTU, which indicated that the collector PECTU was obviously adsorbed on chalcopyrite surface. The cyclic voltammetry and Tafel curves results indicated that the oxidation and corrosion rates of chalcopyrite surface were limited in the presence of PECTU, while the effect of PECTU on pyrite in weak alkaline solution can be neglected basically according to the results of zeta potential and electrochemical tests.

Effect of pH values on the extracellular polysaccharide secreted by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans during chalcopyrite bioleaching

The pH value plays an important role in the bioleaching of sulphide minerals. The effect of pH values on the extracellular poly-saccharide secreted by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was investigated in different phases of bacterial growth during chalcopyrite bioleach-ing. It is found that extracellular polysaccharide secretion from the cells attached to chalcopyrite is more efficiently than that of the free cells in the bioleaching solution. Three factors, pH values, the concentration of soluble metal ions, and the bacterial growth and metabolism, affect extracellular polysaccharide secretion in the free cells, and are related to the bacterial growth phase. Extracellular polysaccharide secretion from the attached cells is mainly dependent on the pH value of the bacterial culture.

Flotation mechanisms of molybdenite fines by neutral oils

The flotation mechanisms of molybdenite fines by neutral oils were investigated through microflotation test, turbidity measure- ments, infrared spectroscopy, and interracial interaction calculations. The results of the flotation test show that at pH 2-11, the floatability of molybdenite fines in the presence of transformer oil is markedly better than that in the presence of kerosene and diesel oil. The addition of transformer oil, which enhances the floatability of molybdenite fines, promotes the aggregation of molybdenite particles. Fourier transform infrared measurements illustrate that physical interaction dominates the adsorption mechanism of neutral oil on molybdenite. Interracial inte- raction calculations indicate that hydrophobic attraction is the crucial force that acts among the oil collector, water, and molybdenite. Strong hydrophobic attraction between the oily collector and water provides the strong dispersion capability of the collector in water. Furthermore, the dispersion capability of the collector, not the interaction strength role in the flotation system of molybdenite fines. Our findings provide between the oily collectors and molybdenite, has a highly significant insights into the mechanism ofmolybdenite flotation.

Effects of processing pH stimulation on cooperative bioleaching of chalcopyrite concentrate by free and attached cells

In order to investigate the effects of processing pH stimulation on bioleaching of chalcopyrite by moderate thermophiles,copper leaching rates and the dynamics of microbial community structures of free and attached cells were monitored. The results indicated that when the processing pH values were respectively adjusted to 1.0 and 3.0 on day 14, both free and attached cells experienced an adaptive phase. Meanwhile, the copper leaching rates were 86.9% and 64.0%,respectively, as opposed to a copper leaching rate of 87.5% in the control group without pH stimulation. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis suggested that pH stimulation imposed less impact on the attached organisms than on the free cells, indicating that the attached cells were more resistant to processing pH stimulation than the free cells. Furthermore, adjusting processing pH to 3.0 significantly disrupted both free and attached microbial communities, and the bioleaching system could not recover to the normal status as the control group.

Galvanic effect of magnetite on electrochemical oxidation of arsenopyrite in acidic culture medium

The galvanic interaction of arsenopyrite−magnetite in acidic culture medium was investigated by electrochemical measurements,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization and leaching experiments.The results indicated that the rest potential of magnetite was 321 mV,which was more anodic than 223 mV of arsenopyrite,and the galvanic current was 7.40μA,verifying the existence of the galvanic interaction between arsenopyrite and magnetite.The galvanic potential and polarization curves suggested that the redox behaviors of arsenopyrite dominated the overall galvanic interaction.The galvanic interaction enhanced the electrochemical dissolution of arsenopyrite with the generation of more oxidation products(S^(0),SO_(3)^(2−),SO_(4)^(2−)and AsO_(3)^(3−)) on arsenopyrite and an increase in the chemical reactivity of the surface.Leaching experiments of 6 days showed that the presence of magnetite improved the arsenic release from arsenopyrite by 30 mg/L,and further confirmed the enhanced oxidation of arsenopyrite when coupled with magnetite.

Effects of copper ions on dissolution mechanism of marmatite

The dissolution mechanism of marmatite in the presence of Cu^(2+)was intensively studied by experiments and density functional theory(DFT) calculations. Leaching experiments showed that Cu^(2+)accelerated marmatite dissolution at high temperatures(above 55 ℃), but the trend was reversed at low temperatures(below 45 ℃), which may be because the reaction mechanism between Cu^(2+)and marmatite changed from surface adsorption to bulk substitution with increasing temperature. The substitution reaction caused more zinc atoms in the marmatite crystal lattice to be released and enhanced the electrochemical reactivity, while the adsorption of copper ions at low temperatures would passivate marmatite, thus inhibiting the reaction process. DFT calculations showed that the energy of the substitution reaction was more negative than that of the adsorption reaction at high temperatures, which further verified the proposed mechanism.