Influence of magnetized water on molybdenite flotation and its mechanism

Abstract

ABSTRACT Through the flotation test of pure molybdenite and analyses of surface tension, XPS spectrum, zeta potential and contact angle, the influence of magnetized water on the flotation efficiency of pure molybdenite and its mechanism was investigated. The results showed that the recovery of coarse fraction was much higher than that of fine fraction, the magnetized water could significantly decrease the optimum dosages of collector and frother, simultaneously improve the recovery of molybdenite flotation, and the increase of fine fraction was obviously more than that of coarse fraction. The magnetization had little effect on the surface tension and dissolved oxygen of water, but obviously decreased the conductivity of water and pulp, which was beneficial to restrain molybdenite edge oxidation in water. The XPS test showed that the oxidation degree of molybdenite in magnetized water was obviously lower than that in unmagnetized water, which illustrated that the magnetized water could keep the natural floatability of molybdenite. The absolute value of the zeta potential and the contact angle of the molybdenite were increased after the treatment of magnetized water, which further verified that the magnetized water could help to inhibit molybdenite edge oxidation in water and improve the flotation efficiency of molybdenite.