Abstract
This paper investigated the effects of using or not using potassium butyl xanthate (PBX) as a collector on the flotation kinetics of talc and chalcopyrite. By means of atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), a contact angle measuring instrument and particle size analyzer, the underlying causes behind the flotation rate changes of talc and chalcopyrite are analyzed. Experimental results showed that in collectorless flotation, the law of change in the flotation rate constant (k) of the two minerals over time is independent of pH, and k values of chalcopyrite are much smaller than those of talc. In the presence of PBX, the flotation speed of chalcopyrite greatly increases, and the k values of chalcopyrite are far larger than those of talc. This is mainly because the amount of xanthate adsorbed on the surface of chalcopyrite is large and the adsorption is in the form of chemisorption, while the adsorption of xanthate on the talcum surface is in very small amounts and in the form of physical adsorption. Simulation results indicated that the collectorless flotation of chalcopyrite conform to the classical first-order kinetics model and the Kelsall model, whereas that of talc only conform to the latter, which is due to the layered structure of talc. In the presence of the collector, talc flotation conforms to the two model, because talc has a higher floatability and particle morphology has less influence on the flotation rate.
Highlights
Chalcopyrite exhibits good performances in self-induced, collector-induced and sulfur-induced flotation in a wide range of pulp pH values and electric potentials
Serpentine copper bearing ore is generally considered as the most refractory type in various chalcopyrite ores, which is predominantly due to the fact that it includes talc [1]
In order to conduct the experiments of the flotation kinetics, the chalcopyrite andMountain talc samples in largeInbulk were first comminuted in a jaw subsequently of the Donggua in China
Summary
Chalcopyrite exhibits good performances in self-induced, collector-induced and sulfur-induced flotation in a wide range of pulp pH values and electric potentials. Talc is readily reported in the concentrate launder because of good native floatability, and simultaneously tends to be coated on valuable minerals as slimes due to always being in an extremely fine state, both of which are detrimental to concentrate quality and flotation behaviors [3]. There are two approaches to enhance the flotation efficiency of such chalcopyrite ore: one is floating the floatable talc preferentially, and the other is floating the sulfide minerals by inhibiting the talc in the presence of the sulfide mineral collector [4,5]. From the point view of flotation kinetics, this present paper studied differences between the flotation performances of fine chalcopyrite and talc in the absence or presence of a collector
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