Effect of sodium butyl xanthate on the adsorption behavior of L-cysteine on the surface of galena

Abstract

To solve the problem of depression failure caused by xanthate pre-adsorption, this paper comprehensively studies the mechanism and characteristics of L-cysteine (L-C) adsorption on the surface of galena with or without xanthate through micro-flotation, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), field emission scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive spectroscopy (FESEM-EDS), time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), zeta potential, UV–visible spectrum, and contact angle experiments. SBX has a significant effect on the adsorption behavior of L-C on the surface of galena. The micro-flotation results showed that the L-C has very good depression effect on galena. However, this is invalid when sodium butyl xanthate (SBX) is preferentially introduced. L-C can be adsorbed on galena through the reaction of -SH and -NH2 with exposed lead sites. In addition, the lead species dissolved from the surface of galena can be re-adsorbed after complexing with L-C in solution. However, L-C can hardly interact with the surface of galena pre-treated by SBX, and it is only adsorbed by electrostatic force in the form of [Pb(C3H7NO2S)]2+ and [PbOH(C3H7NO2S)]+ complexes. This study is expected to achieve cyanide free separation of Cu-Pb bulk concentrate.