Abstract
Quartz, a common gangue mineral, often coexists with the Ca-containing minerals in natural ore deposits, such as scheelite, apatite, fluorite and calcite. The depression of quartz in the flotation separation of these minerals is normally difficult, especially when the surface of the quartz is activated by Ca2+ ions dissolved from the calcium-bearing minerals. Thus, the search for an efficient depressant for Ca2+-activated quartz is urgent. In this study, citric acid (CA) was employed as a depressant for Ca2+-activated quartz. Microflotation results showed an improved depression efficiency of CA for the sodium oleate flotation of Ca2+-activated quartz. The depression mechanism of CA was evaluated through combined experimental and computational techniques, including zeta potential measurements, adsorption tests, Fourier transform infrared and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis, solution chemistry analysis, and density functional theory-based first principle calculations.
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