A novel approach to improve cassiterite recovery based on grinding

Abstract

In this study, a novel method of promoting cassiterite flotation involves adding Pb-BHA (Pb(NO3)2-benzohydroxamic acid) complexes to the cassiterite grinding process was investigated. The flotation result showed that adding Pb-BHA complexes before grinding had a marked effect on the cassiterite flotation recovery. The cassiterite flotation recovery with Pb-BHA complexes added before grinding was higher 42.80% than that of Pb-BHA complexes added after grinding. Moreover, it revealed a similar trend for artificial mixed minerals of cassiterite and quartz, in which the Sn recovery and grade of concentrate increased by 34.71% and 1.11%, respectively. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis revealed that adding Pb-BHA complexes before grinding enhanced the adsorption of Pb-BHA complexes on the cassiterite surface. And the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis demonstrated that the chemical environment of N in Pb-BHA complexes was changed in the grinding, making it more easily to adsorb on cassiterite surface.