Simultaneous flotation separation of quartz and dolomite from collophanite by combined collector

Abstract

Few literatures pay emphasis on investigating the use of anionic and cationic’s combined collector in flotation separation. In this work, we evaluated the effectiveness of a new combined collector for the separation of collophanite, dolomite, and quartz using isooctyl ether phosphate (AEP) and octadecylamine polyoxyethylene ether (AC1810). To explain the flotation phenomenon, we use zeta potential, surface tension, and molecular dynamics simulation. Experimental results demonstrate that when the mass ratio of AEP and AC1810 was 1:3 and the total collector concentration was 72 mg/L at a neutral pH, a concentrate containing 36.28 wt% P2O5 was obtained from a feed sample containing 19.6 wt% P2O5, indicating a recovery rate of 78.83%. Results from a zeta potential analysis indicate that more AEP was adsorbed onto dolomite rather than collophanite, while AC1810 was adsorbed onto quartz. The molecular dynamics simulation revealed that AEP and AC1810 were not solely physically adsorbed onto the dolomite and quartz surfaces. Specific chemical adsorption also occurred on the exterior of the dolomite, which could selectively adsorb substances onto its surfaces.