Flotation separation of scheelite from calcite using luteolin as a novel depressant

This paper proposes luteolin(LUT)as a novel depressant for the flotation-based separation of scheelite and calcite in a sodium oleate(NaOL)system.The suitability of LUT as a calcite depressant is confirmed through micro-flotation testing.At pH=9,with LUT concentration of 50 mg·L^(-1) and NaOL concentration of 50 mg·L^(-1),scheelite recovery reaches 80.3%.Calcite,on the other hand,exhibits a recovery rate of 17.6%,indicating a significant difference in floatability between the two minerals.Subsequently,the surface modifica-tions of scheelite and calcite following LUT treatment are characterized using adsorption capacity testing,Zeta potential analysis,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),and atomic force microscopy(AFM).The study in-vestigates the selective depressant mechanism of LUT on calcite.Adsorption capacity testing and Zeta potential analysis demonstrate sub-stantial absorption of LUT on the surface of calcite,impeding the further adsorption of sodium oleate,while its impact on scheelite is min-imal.FT-IR and XPS analyses reveal the selective adsorption of LUT onto the surface of calcite,forming strong chemisorption bonds between the hydroxyl group and calcium ions present.AFM directly illustrates the distinct adsorption densities of LUT on the two miner-al types.Consequently,LUT can effectively serve as a depressant for calcite,enabling the successful separation of scheelite and calcite.

Role of tannin pretreatment in flotation separation of magnesite and dolomite

Flotation separation of magnesite and its calcium-containing carbonate minerals is a difficult problem.Recently,new regulat-ors have been proposed for magnesite flotation decalcification,although traditional regulators such as tannin,water glass,sodium carbon-ate,and sodium hexametaphosphate are more widely used in industry.However,they are rarely used as the main regulators in research because they perform poorly in magnesite and dolomite single-mineral flotation tests.Inspired by the limonite presedimentation method and the addition of a regulator to magnesite slurry mixing,we used a tannin pretreatment method for separating magnesite and dolomite.Microflotation experiments confirmed that the tannin pretreatment method selectively and largely reduces the flotation recovery rate of dolomite without affecting the flotation recovery rate of magnesite.Moreover,the contact angles of the tannin-pretreated magnesite and dolomite increased and decreased,respectively,in the presence of NaOl.Zeta potential and Fourier transform infrared analyses showed that the tannin pretreatment method efficiently hinders NaOl adsorption on the dolomite surface but does not affect NaOl adsorption on the magnesite surface.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations confirmed that tannin interacts more strongly with dolomite than with magnesite.

Advances in depressants for flotation separation of Cu–Fe sulfide minerals at low alkalinity:A critical review

The flotation separation of Cu–Fe sulfide minerals at low alkalinity can be achieved using selective depressants.In the flotation system of Cu–Fe sulfide minerals,depressants usually preferentially interact with the pyrite surface to render the mineral surface hydrophilic and hinder the adsorption of the collector.This review summarizes the advances in depressants for the flotation separation of Cu–Fe sulfide minerals at low alkalinity.These advances include use of inorganic depressants (oxidants and sulfur–oxygen compounds),natural polysaccharides (starch,dextrin,konjac glucomannan,and galactomannan),modified polymers (carboxymethyl cellulose,polyacrylamide,lignosulfonate,and tricarboxylate sodium starch),organic acids (polyglutamic acid,sodium humate,tannic acid,pyrogallic acid,salicylic acid,and lactic acid),sodium dimethyl dithiocarbamate,and diethylenetriamine.The potential application of specific inorganic and organic depressants in the flotation separation of Cu–Fe sulfide minerals at low alkalinity is reviewed.The advances in the use of organic depressants with respect to the flotation separation of Cu–Fe sulfide minerals are comprehensively detailed.Additionally,the depression performances and mechanisms of different types of organic depressants on mineral surfaces are summarized.Finally,several perspectives on depressants vis-à-vis flotation separation of Cu–Fe sulfide minerals at low alkalinity are proposed.

Effect of depressants on flotation separation of magnesite from dolomite and calcite

The flotation separation of magnesite from calcium-containing minerals has always been a difficult subject in minerals processing.This work studied the inhibition effects of carboxymethyl cellulose(CMC),sodium lignosulphonate,polyaspartic acid(PASP)and sodium silicate on flotation behaviors of magnesite,dolomite and calcite,providing guidance for the development of reagents in magnesite flotation.The micro-flotation results showed that among these four depressants,sodium silicate presented the strongest selectivity due to the highest recovery difference,and the flotation separation of magnesite from dolomite and calcite could be achieved by using sodium silicate as the depressant.Contact angle measurement indicated that the addition of sodium silicate caused the largest differences in surface wettability of the three minerals,which was in line with micro-flotation tests.Furthermore,zeta potential test,the Fourier transform infrared(FT-IR)spectroscopy and atomic force microscope(AFM)imaging were used to reveal the inhibition mechanism of sodium silicate.The results indicated that the dominated component SiO(OH)3
of sodium silicate could adsorb on minerals surfaces,and the adsorption of sodium silicate hardly affected the adsorption of NaOL on magnesite surface,but caused the reduction of NaOL adsorption on dolomite and calcite surfaces,thereby increasing the flotation selectivity.

Activation mechanism of ammonium oxalate with pyrite in the lime system and its response to flotation separation of pyrite from arsenopyrite

The activation properties of ammonium oxalate on the flotation of pyrite and arsenopyrite in the lime system were studied in this work.Single mineral flotation tests showed that the ammonium oxalate strongly activated pyrite in high alkalinity and high Ca^(2+)system,whereas arsenopyrite was almost unaffected.In mineral mixtures tests,the recovery difference between pyrite and arsenopyrite after adding ammonium oxalate is more than 85%.After ammonium oxalate and ethyl xanthate treatment,the hydrophobicity of pyrite increased significantly,and the contact angle increased from 66.62°to 75.15°and then to 81.21°.After ammonium oxalate treatment,the amount of ethyl xanthate adsorption on the pyrite surface significantly increased and was much greater than that on the arsenopyrite surface.Zeta potential measurements showed that after activation by ammonium oxalate,there was a shift in the zeta potential of pyrite to more negative values by adding xanthate.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy test showed that after ammonium oxalate treatment,the O 1s content on the surface of pyrite decreased from 44.03%to 26.18%,and the S 2p content increased from 14.01%to 27.26%,which confirmed that the ammonium oxalatetreated pyrite surface was more hydrophobic than the untreated surface.Therefore,ammonium oxalate may be used as a selective activator of pyrite in the lime system,which achieves an efficient flotation separation of S-As sulfide ores under high alkalinity and high Ca2+concentration conditions.

Boron separation by adsorption and flotation with Mg-Al-LDHs and SDBS from aqueous solution

Layered double hydroxides(LDHs)have been shown to be effective adsorbents for boron.However,solid-liquid separation is still a problem when separating boron from industrial radioactive waste liquid.In this research,three types of Mg-Al-LDHs including Mg-Al-LDH(NO_(3)^(-)),Mg-Al-LDH(Cl^(-))and Mg-Al-LDH(SO_(4)^(2-))were applied to adsorb boron,and moreover sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate(SDBS)was used to float the LDH particles from aqueous solution after boron adsorption.The results showed that 60 min was sufficient for the equilibrium adsorption of the three LDHs.The boron adsorption capacity of three LDHs was determined as follows:Mg-Al-LDH(NO_(3)^(-))>Mg-Al-LDH(Cl^(-))>Mg-Al-LDH(SO_(4)^(2-)),and was 2.0,0.98 and 0.2 mmol·g^(-1),each ranging from 0 to 80 mmol·L^(-1)with the initial boron concentration.The efficiency of boron removal by Mg-Al-LDH(NO_(3)^(-))and SDBS can reach up to 89.7%.Furthermore,the boron flotation mechanism of SDBS and LDHs has been studied,since SDBS as a flotation agent can react with LDHs and penetrate into the interlayer of LDHs in addition to electrostatic attraction.Therefore,LDHs in solution can be floated onto the foam layer to be separated from the solution,and the clarified solution was obtained.The method is simple and promising for boron removal from aqueous solution.

Ferric ion-triggered surface oxidation of galena for efficient chalcopyrite-galena separation

The efficient separation of chalcopyrite(CuFeS2)and galena(PbS)is essential for optimal resource utilization.However,find-ing a selective depressant that is environmentally friendly and cost effective remains a challenge.Through various techniques,such as mi-croflotation tests,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,scanning electron microscopy(SEM)observation,X-ray photoelectron spec-troscopy(XPS),and Raman spectroscopy measurements,this study explored the use of ferric ions(Fe^(3+))as a selective depressant for ga-lena.The results of flotation tests revealed the impressive selective inhibition capabilities of Fe^(3+)when used alone.Surface analysis showed that Fe^(3+)significantly reduced the adsorption of isopropyl ethyl thionocarbamate(IPETC)on the galena surface while having a minimal impact on chalcopyrite.Further analysis using SEM,XPS,and Raman spectra revealed that Fe^(3+)can oxidize lead sulfide to form compact lead sulfate nanoparticles on the galena surface,effectively depressing IPETC adsorption and increasing surface hydrophilicity.These findings provide a promising solution for the efficient and environmentally responsible separation of chalcopyrite and galena.

Enhancing sustainability in phosphate ore processing:Performance of frying oil as alternative flotation collector for carbonate removal

Recycling waste frying oils for the synthesis of flotation reagents presents a promising avenue for sustainable waste management.Moreover,it offers a cost-effective solution for crafting a specialized collector designed to efficiently remove carbonates and enhance phosphate enrichment in froth flotation processes.This study focuses on the synthesis of an anionic collector using the saponification reaction of a frying oil sample,subsequently applied to the flotation of calcite and dolomite.To elucidate the adsorption mechanisms of the frying oil collector(FrOC)and sodium oleate,a reference collector,on fluorapatite,calcite,dolomite,and quartz surfaces,comprehensive experiments were conducted,including zeta potential measurements and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.Results revealed diverse adsorption affinities of the molecules towards these minerals.To assess the practical performance of the collector,flotation tests were conducted using a natural phosphate ore mixture,employing a BoxBehnken experimental design.Notably,under optimized conditions(pH 9,1000 g/t of FrOC,3.5 min of conditioning,and 6 min of flotation),FrOC exhibited excellent performance,with calcite and dolomite recoveries exceeding 80%,while apatite recovery in the concentrate fraction remained below 10%.This work exemplifies both circular economy practices and the distinctive approach to sustainable mineral processing.

Effect of reverse flotation on magnetic separation concentrates

Reverse flotation studies on magnetite samples have revealed that the use of starch as a depressant of Fe-oxides has a hydrophilic effect on the surface of Fe-bearing silicates and significantly decreases Fe in the silica-rich stream when used in combination with an amine （Lilaflot D817M）. In this study, the effect of reverse flotation on the optimization of products obtained fi＇om magnetic separation was inves- tigated. Two different magnetic samples, zones 1 and 2, were milled to 〈75 btm and then subjected to low intensity magnetic separation （LIMS）. The LIMS test conducted on the 〈75 ~m shown an upgrade of 46.40wt% Fe, 28.40wt% SiO2 and 2.61wt% MnO for zone 1 and 47.60wt% Fe, 29.17wt% SiO2 and 0.50wt% MnO for zone 2. Further milling of the ore to 〈25 ~tm resulted in a higher magnetic-rich product after magnetic separation. Reverse flotation tests were conducted on the agitated magnetic concentrate feed, and the result shows a significant upgrade of Fe compared to that obtained from the non-agitated feed. Iron concentrations greater than 69%, and SiO2 concentrations less than 2% with overall magnetite recoveries greater than 67% and 71% were obtained for zones 1 and 2, respectively.

New influence factor inducing difficulty in selective flotation separation of Cu–Zn mixed sulfide minerals

Selective flotation separation of Cu-Zn mixed sulfides has been proven to be difficult. Thus far, researchers have found no satis- factory way to separate Cu-Zn mixed sulfides by selective flotation, mainly because of the complex surface and interface interaction mecha- nisms in the flotation solution. Undesired activation occurs between copper ions and the sphalerite surfaces. In addition to recycled water and mineral dissolution, ancient fluids in the minerals are observed to be a new source of metal ions. In this study, significant amounts of ancient fluids were found to exist in Cu-Zn sulfide and gangue minerals, mostly as gas-liquid fluid inclusions. The concentration of copper ions re- leased from the ancient fluids reached 1.02 × 10-6 tool/L, whereas, in the cases of sphalerite and quartz, this concentration was 0.62 ×10-6 mol/L and 0.44 × 10-6 mol/L, respectively. As a result, the ancient fluid is a significant source of copper ions compared to mineral dissolution under the same experimental conditions, which promotes the unwanted activation of sphalerite. Therefore, the ancient fluid is considered to be a new factor that affects the selective flotation separation of Cu-Zn mixed sulfide ores.

Selective depression mechanism of ferric chromium lignin sulfonate for chalcopyrite–galena flotation separation

Selective recovery of chalcopyrite–galena ore by flotation remains a challenging issue.The development of highly efficient,low-cost,and environmentally friendly depressants for this flotation is necessary because most of available reagents(e.g.,K_2Cr_2O_4)are expensive and adversely affect the environment.In this study,ferric chromium lignin sulfonate(FCLS),which is a waste-product from the paper and pulp industry,was introduced as a selective depressant for galena with butyl xanthate(BX)as a collector.Results show that the residue recovery of Pb in Cu concentrate was substantially reduced to 4.73%using FCLS compared with 10.71%using the common depressant K_2Cr_2O_4.The underlying mechanisms were revealed using zeta-potential measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS).Zeta-potential measurements revealed that FCLS was more efficiently absorbed onto galena than onto chalcopyrite.XPS measurements further suggested that FCLS enhanced the surface oxidation of galena but prevented that of chalcopyrite.Thus,FCLS could be a potential candidate as a depressant for chalcopyrite–galena flotation because of its low cost and its lack of detrimental effects on the environment.

Studies of benzyl hydroxamic acid/calcium lignosulphonate addition order in the flotation separation of smithsonite from calcite

Flotation separation of smithsonite from calcite is difficult due to their similar surface properties.In the present study,a reagent scheme of depressant calcium lignosulphonate(CLS) and collector benzyl hydroxamic acid(BHA) was introduced in the flotation of smithsonite from calcite.Microflotation tests revealed that the efficient flotation of smithsonite from calcite could only be obtained with the addition order of BHA before CLS,which was opposite to the widely-used order that adding depressant prior to the collector.The zeta potential measurements indicated that BHA selectively adsorbed onto smithsonite surface,then not allowed the CLS adsorption onto the smithsonite surface rather than calcite surface because of the steric hindrance,thereby the smithsonite surface remained hydrophobic while calcite surface became more hydrophilic after the addition of CLS.As a result,the calcite flotation was completely depressed while the smithsonite flotation recovery was still in high value,leading to the optimal flotation separation performance.

Cyclonic separation process intensification oil removal based on microbubble flotation

The cyclonic-static microbubble flotation column has dual effects including the cyclonic separation and floatation separation with the characteristics of the small lower limit of the effective separation size, short separation time, large handling capacity, and low operation cost. It shows significant advantages in the oily wastewater treatment field, especially the polymer flooding oily wastewater treatment aspect. In this paper, the cyclonic separation function mechanism of the cyclonic-static microbubble flotation column was studied, the impact of the parameters including the feeding rate, aeration rate, circulating pressure, and underflow split ratio on the cyclonic separation efficiency was investigated, and the cyclonic separation efficiency model was established as well. In addition, by applying the Doppler Laser Velocimeter (LDV) and Fluent simulation software, the test and simulation to the single-phase flow velocity field of the cyclonic separation section of the cyclonic-static microbubble flotation column were carried out, and the velocity distribution rule of the cyclonic separation section was analyzed under the singlephase flow conditions.

Selective separation of gallium from aluminum in SDS–Ga–Al and SDS–Ga–Al–fluoride systems by ion flotation

Selective separation of gallium from aluminum by ion flotation using sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS) as an anionic surfactant and fluoride as an inorganic ligand was investigated. The experimental results were analyzed using the stability constants and speciation diagrams of fluoride metal complexes. The presence of fluoride in the solution has a positive influence upon the separation of gallium from aluminum. The results show that increasing the fluoride concentration makes a more effective separation of gallium from aluminum because of a simultaneous increase in the complexion of aluminum with fluoride and a change in the electrical charge of the aluminum(ALF_4^-). The dehydration model of LIU and DOYLE was also applied to compare the ion flotation and the selectivity coefficients of gallium over aluminum with experimental results.

Effect of butanol on flotation separation of quartz from hematite with N-dodecyl ethylenediamine

In order to investigate the effect of butanol on quartz flotation when N-dodecyl ethylenediamine(ND)was used as collector, single mineral flotation and artificial mixed mineral(hematite and quartz were mixed at a mass ratio of 3:2) separation were conducted in the laboratory. Experimental results indicated that addition of butanol could improve the collecting performance of ND on quartz and enhance the floatability of quartz. Best flotation recovery of quartz was obtained when butanol was mixed with ND at a mass ratio of 1:1. Moreover, the molecular structure of alcohols had a significant effect on mineral recovery. Best separation efficiency could be obtained when tert-butanol was added as it had the largest cross-sectional area. Zeta potential measurements indicated that alcohols could strengthen electrostatic adsorption between quartz and collector. Molecular dynamic simulations revealed that co-adsorption of alcohols along with ND had taken place on the quartz surface, and ND/tert-butyl combinations were more easily absorbed on the quartz surface.

Flotation separation of marmatite from pyrrhotite using DMPS as depressant

Mercapto organic compound DMPS was used as the depressant for separation of copper activated marmatite from pyrrhotite in the presence of butyl xanthate. The flotation tests of single mineral show that DMPS has strong depressing effect on pyrrhotite in the absence and presence of copper ion, but has activated effect on marmatite in the presence of copper ion. The floatability of marmatite is improved in the pH range of 2?12. The flotation test of mixture mineral shows that copper-activated marmatite can be separated efficiently from pyrrhotite using DMPS as depressant. Infrared adsorption spectra demonstrate that there are a number of function groups such as —SH and —SO3 in the molecular structure of DMPS. Xanthate and DMPS compete in their adsorption on sulfide minerals.

Separation of Oil from Wastewater by Column Flotation

A new type of device,a dissolved-air flotation column,was developed for separation of oily wastewater. The unique design idea of the dissolved-air flotation column is the combined use of dissolved-air flotation and column flotation. The dissolved air release occurred within the column separation system. As a potential application the column was investigated for its performance in separating emulsified oil droplets in oily wastewater. A high separation efficiency was obtained in a series of tests. The aeration performance of the bubble generator used in the dissolved-air flotation column was also studied in particular.

Particle Residence Time in Column Flotation Based on Cyclonic Separation

The cyclonic static micro-bubble column flotation (FCSMC) is an effective separation device for fine particle treatment. The high mineralization rate and short flotation time of this equipment can be attributed to its unique cyclonic force field. It also has been observed that the presence of a cyclonic force field leads to a lower bottom separation size limit and a reduction of unselective entrainment. The collection zone of the column is considered to consist of two parts,a column separation zone and a cyclonic zone. Total recovery of the collection zone was developed. For our study,we analyzed the particle movement in the cyclonic zone. Particle residence time equations for the cyclonic zone were de-rived by force analysis. Results obtained in this study provide a theoretical foundation for the design and scale-up of the FCSMC.

Differential Flotation of Some Egyptian Feldspars for Separation of Both Silica and Iron Oxides Contaminants

An anionic-cationic flotation of two Egyptian feldspar samples, representing Road Ashaab locality of the Eastern Desert of Egypt, was investigated on both laboratory and pilot plant scales. The pegmatites belong to the alkali feldspar granite type, mostly microcline and orthoclase, KAL Si3O8 coarse grained rocks. Quartz, as the main gangue mineral, occurs in two forms as either free grains or as veins intercalating the feldspar crystals or, sometimes, intermingled with them. Iron, on the other hand, is found in three different forms as free magnetite embedded in the feldspar crystals, as microcrystalline crystals, or as magnetite filling cracks in the feldspar. Dissolution of magnetite to hematite is, sometimes, observed. Grinding of the feldspar samples to less than 0.25 mm followed by desliming was optimized in the laboratory, using a ball mill in closed circuit with the screen. Anionic flotation of the iron oxide impurity from the -0.25 + 0.03 mm ground product was successfully conducted using locally produced dodecyl benzene sulphonic acid—rice bran oil/kerosene promoter at pH 3. Cationic flotation of feldspar from this product was then carried out employing a locally produced quaternary ammonium salt in presence of HF acid, as a silica depressant and a feldspar activator at pH 3. Feldspar final concentrates assaying 80.8% - 89.5% feldspar mineral, 0.119% - 0.127% Fe2O3 and 16.84% - 18.65% Al2O3, were obtained at the optimum operating conditions that satisfy the requirements of the ceramic industry. Continuous 200 kg/h pilot plant runs were conducted using the appropriate equipment, based upon the laboratory findings to produce feldspar concentrates assaying 16.38% - 18.13% Al2O3, and 0.13% - 0.15% Fe2O3. Materials’ metallurgical balance and complete chemical analyses were shown.

Flotation-Calcination-Magnetic Separation Hybrid Process for Concentration of Rare Earth Minerals Contained in a Carbonatite Ore

A hybrid process consisting of flotation and magnetic separation has been developed to concentrate multi-phase rare earth minerals associated with a carbonatite ore that contains a significant amount of niobium. The deposit is known to contain at least 15 different rare earth minerals identified as silicocarbonatite, magnesiocarbonatite, ferrocarbonatites, calciocarbonatite, REE/Nb ferrocarbonatite, phosphates and niobates. Although no collector exists to float all the different rare earth minerals, the hydroxamic acid-based collectors have shown adequate efficiency in floating most of these minerals. 92% recovery of total rare earth oxide (TREO) and niobium in 45% mass was possible at d80 of <65 microns grind size. It was also possible to reduce the mass pull to 28%, but TREO and Nb’s recovery dropped to 85%. Calcination of the concentrate followed by quenching and fine grinding to <25 μm allowed upgrading the flotation concentrate by magnetic separation. It was demonstrated that at least 87% TREO and 85% Nb could be recovered in 16% of the feed mass. The paper discusses the overall concept of the flowsheet and the experimental strategies that led to this process.