Flotation efficiency and surface adsorption mechanism on chalcopyrite and pyrite by a novel cardanol derivative 3-pentadecylphenyl 4-(3,3-diethylthiouredo-4-oxobutanoate)

Abstract

The process for selective separation of chalcopyrite, a widely used copper mineral, is a major challenge for the mineral processing industry due to its natural occurrence of various sulphide minerals and its complex surface chemistry. This research focused on novel collector chemistry to improve the efficiency and selectivity of chalcopyrite flotation. A novel collector, namely, 3-pentadecylphenyl 4-(3,3-diethylthiouredo-4-oxobutanoate) (DP089), consisting of acylthiourea group was synthesized using cardanol as starting material, to selectively separate chalcopyrite from pyrite. The performance of DP089 in froth flotation and its adsorption mechanism on chalcopyrite and pyrite are investigated in laboratory experiments such as flotation and adsorption tests, as well as analyses using UV spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy and contact angle measurements. Comparing the performance of DP089 with the conventional collector potassium amyl xanthate (PAX), it is clear that DP089 exhibits stronger collecting ability and remarkable selectivity for chalcopyrite over pyrite. This could be due to the ability of DP089 to selectively attach to chalcopyrite surfaces, making it hydrophobic, while the same effect is not observed on pyrite surfaces due to the weak adsorption of DP089. Experimental data on the binding mechanism show that DP089 chemically adsorbs on the chalcopyrite surface by interacting with copper ions. This leads to the formation of unique structures of C-O-Cu and C-S-Cu.