Selective control of surface characteristics of magnesite and quartz by a novel silicophilic collector stearylamine acetate

Abstract

Reverse flotation desiliconization from magnesite is significant for the exploitation of complex and barren magnesite resources. In this process, a critical issue is to find efficient and selective chemicals as flotation collectors. Herein, a cationic surfactant stearylamine acetate (SAA) was first used as a collector for the separation of magnesite and quartz. Micro-flotation experiments demonstrate that quartz can be separated from magnesite with a high Gaudin’s selectivity index of 6.51 at slurry pH 5.0 and 70 mg/L SAA. Measurements of zeta potential and contact angle show that SAA selectively increased the surface charge and hydrophobicity of quartz. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM/EDS) and atomic force microscope (AFM) imaging indicate greater adsorption density of SAA on quartz than magnesite, with significantly higher nitrogen element content and RMS surface roughness of quartz. We also used surface-sensitive time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) and FTIR spectroscopy to characterize the selective adsorption of SAA on quartz from quartz-magnesite mixtures. Apart from electrostatic attraction, it is found that the selective adsorption was attributed to hydrogen bonding formed between the −N–H group of SAA and the oxygen atom of the O-Si-O group on quartz surface.