Abstract
This study systematically investigated the potential of organic acids as Ca2+ ions chelating agents in bastnaesite flotation. Naturally, bastnaesite is associated with calcium-bearing gangue minerals, such as calcite (CaCO3) and fluorite (CaF2). The flotation beneficiation of bastnaesite in the presence of calcium-bearing minerals (e.g., calcite) is exceptionally complex due to the release of Ca2+ ions into the flotation pulp which changes the solution chemistry and bastnaesite surface properties. This study seeks to address the challenge of dissolved Ca2+ ions on bastnaesite flotation using organic acids, namely lactic, succinic, and citric acids. Systematic micro-flotation experiments were followed by electro-kinetic tests, solution chemistry studies, and XPS characterization. The results of this study showed that the elevated concentration of Ca2+ ions dramatically decreased bastnaesite flotation recovery values. However, organic acids formed soluble chelates with Ca2+ ions, effectively eliminating the detrimental impact of dissolved Ca2+ ions on bastnaesite flotation.
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