Studies of Collectors. VIII. The Flotation of the Gallium Ion with Oxine-Type Surfactants

Abstract

Abstract Oxine-type surfactants(5-alkanoyl-8-quinolinol, RnOx, n=2, 8, 12, 18) and R12OOX were prepared and used as ion-flotation collectors. Cu2+, Fe3+, Zn2+, and Pb2+ were floated with R12Ox around a neutral pH, and the selective removal of Cu2+ from the mixture of these four metal ions was observed at pH 1.0. The floatability of Ga3+ was also high around the neutral pH, and the selective Ga3+ flotation from an Al3+ (100 ppm)–Ga3+(20 ppm) mixture was observed by using R8Ox in the pH regions of 3–4 and 10–13.3 (0.2 M NaOH soln), while R12Ox did not float the Ga3+ so much at pH 10–13.3. By the addition of a small amount of RnPy to the R12Ox or by the solvent sublation, an effective flotation of Ga3+ was observed in the pH range of 10–13.3. The Ga3+ flotation was superior to the Ga3+ extraction in pH 2–4. However, in a strong alkaline region the floatability was lower than the extractability.