Shear hydrophobic flocculation and flotation of ultrafine Anshan hematite using sodium oleate

Effects of stirring speed and time, pH and sodium oleate concentration on the shear hydrophobic flocculation of ultrafine Anshan hematite with sodium oleate as the surfactant were discussed. The results show that these parameters significantly affect the shear hydrophobic flocculation of ultrafine hematite. The optimum conditions for the flocculation are： stirring speed 1 400 r/min, flocculation time 20 min, pH 9 and sodium oleate concentration 3.94×10-4 mol/L; the flotation recovery of hematite flocs is remarkably high compared with non flocculated ultrafine hematite. According to the extended DLVO theory, the total interaction potential of Anshan ultrafine hematite was determined. The calculation results indicate that the hydrophobic flocculation state of the ultrafine hematite-sodium oleate system is mainly dominated by electric double layer repulsive interaction potential and hydrophobic interaction potential. A mechanical agitation is required to impart particles a kinetic energy to overcome potential barrier between them due to the existence of electric double layer repulsive interaction potential. Those particles further approach to form flocs due to the significant increase of the hydrophobic interaction potential.

Hydrophobic flocculation flotation of rutile fines in presence of styryl phosphonic acid

The hydrophobic flocculation flotation of rutile fines in the presence of styryl phosphonic acid（SPA） was investigated by flotation tests, zeta-potential measurement, optical microscope observation, laser-based particle size analysis, adsorption measurements and DLVO theory. The flotation tests indicated that rutile fines could be flocculated by SPA, and pH, shear force（stirring speed） and stirring time played significant roles in flocculation. The isoelectric point（IEP） and zeta-potential in whole range all moved to negative values as SPA was added according to the results from zeta-potential measurement. It was demonstrated that the primary reason for above was chemical adsorption. The laser-based particle size results showed the particle size at a stirring speed of 1800 r/min and 1000 mg/L SPA was the largest in all experiments. Furthermore, using the optical microscope observation and flotation tests, it was important for flotation of rutile fines to produce the flocculant. In the light of above-mentioned facts, floc flotation of rutile fines could be induced in the form of chemical adsorption by SPA to increase particle size. The data calculated from DLVO theory also indicated that chemical adsorption was the main reason for the formation of flocculant.

Extracting Gold Fines from Pyrite Slag by Hydrophobic Flocculation Flotation

In order to extract gold fines from pyrite slag, the hydrophobic flocculation flotation (HFF) was studied and compared with conventional flotation. The main parameters of HFF such as flotation reagent, surfactant dosage. the duration of agitation and the amount of non-polar oil were investigated, and the effect of non-polar oil was analyzed particularly. It is demonstrated that the HFF is better for gold extraction from pyrite slag than the conventional flotation, and the non-polar oil and the intensive agitation are the key to improve the Au contents and recovery in the concentrate. HFF was used to treat the pyrite slag from the west of Jiangxi province, whose gold contentsare 2.949/t and the size of which are smaller than 10μm. The gold concentrate with gold grade 126.3 g/t and 51 .35% recovery was obtained. Thus, a new method of extracting gold fines from pyrite slag is developed using HFF.

Floc flotation of marmatite fines in aqueous suspensions induced by butyl xanthate and ammonium dibutyl dithiophosphate

The hydrophobic flocculation of marmatite fines in aqueous suspensions induced by butyl xanthate （KBX） and ammonium dibutyl dithiophosphate （ADD） was investigated using laser particle size analysis, microscopy analysis, electrophoretic light scattering, contact angle measurement and infrared spectroscopy. The studies were performed on single minerals with size 〈20 μm by varying several parameters, including pH, collector concentration and kerosene addition. The results show that the floc fotation closely correlated with the size of flocs and the particle hydrophobicity, but was not lowered with increasing the particle surface charges due to collector adsorption. Under good operating conditions, the floc flotation of marmatite fines as a function of KBX and ADD can all reach floatability over 90%, in comparison with conventional flotation obtaining floatability of about 60%. It also has been found that a small addition of kerosene greatly improved the floc flotation because of the formation of oil films on marmatite particles. The results of FTIR spectra indicate that adsorption of the two collectors onto marmatite were chemical adsorption.

Floc flotation of jamesonite fines in aqueous suspensions induced by ammonium dibutyl dithiophosphate

The hydrophobic flocculation of jamesonite fines in aqueous suspensions induced by ammonium dibutyl dithiophosphate was investigated using laser particle size analysis, microscope analysis, electrophoretic light scattering and infrared spectroscopy.Single minerals of 4.607 μm for the 50% volumetric diameters were researched by varying several parameters, including p H,ammonium dibutyl dithiophosphate concentration, stirring strength and kerosene addition. It is found that the maximal floatability of jamesonite fines is induced by ammonium dibutyl dithiophosphate at p H 6, and the floc flotation increases with increasing ammonium dibutyl dithiophosphate concentration despite a simultaneous increase in the negative ζ potential of jamesonite, meaning that hydrophobic interaction between the particles increases much more strongly than electric double layer repulsion from the adsorption of ammonium dibutyl dithiophosphate. It is also found that the floc flotation is closely correlated with the size of flocs,which is strongly influenced by the stirring strength and enhanced by the addition of a small amount of kerosene. The results of FTIR spectra indicate that adsorption of ammonium dibutyl dithiophosphate onto jamesonite is chemical adsorption and the adsorption product is lead dibutyl dithiophosphate.