The role of oxidizer in the flotation separation of chalcopyrite and galena using sodium lignosulfonate as a depressant

Abstract

The influence of oxidizer hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on the chalcopyrite and galena flotation separation using sodium lignosulfonate as the depressant was studied and the mechanism of H2O2 enhance depression action of sodium lignosulfonate was discussed in this study.The results show that both chalcopyrite and galena have good floatability when using potassium butylxanthate as a collector. The chalcopyrite and galena flotation separation can be realized by using large doses of sodium lignosulfonate. On the premise of using the oxidant H2O2, a small amount of sodium lignosulfonate can depress galena completely, but has a weak depression effect on chalcopyrite. Therefore, the dosage of sodium lignosulfonate can be reduced by using H2O2 and sodium lignosulfonate together. Sodium lignosulfonate adsorbed on galena surface principally by chemical reaction with the oxidates generated on galena and H2O2 promote more oxidation products on galena surface, which causes a small amount of sodium lignosulfonate to depress galena. However, the chalcopyrite has high lattice energy, which makes chalcopyrite very stable, so H2O2 has little effect on it. The depressant has low adsorption capacity on the surface of chalcopyrite, and the flotation separation can be realized.