A study on the mechanism of flotation separation between chalcopyrite and sphalerite using a novel environmental depressant derived from grape peel extract GPE

Abstract

In this study, we explored the application of GPE, a novel environmental depressant derived from grape peel extract, for the flotation separation of sphalerite and chalcopyrite. We employed a range of techniques to investigate the depressant’s efficacy and mechanism, including micro-flotation tests, contact angle measurements, zeta potential measurements, adsorption measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) analysis, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). Our findings revealed that the use of 9.375 mg/L GPE effectively separated chalcopyrite from sphalerite. Zeta potential and adsorption studies demonstrated that GPE adsorbed onto both mineral surfaces, albeit with a lower affinity for chalcopyrite. XPS analysis suggested that GPE’s adsorption on the sphalerite surface was likely due to physical adsorption. Furthermore, ToF-SIMS analysis revealed that the structural components of GPE, C6H4O2- and C6H5O2-, can interact with the sphalerite surface, hindering the adsorption of the collector BX.