ABSTRACT In this study, pyrite flotation in seawater in the presence of Cu2+and Pb2+ and the underlying mechanisms were investigated systematically. Flotation results indicated that Cu2+ and Pb2+ increased pyrite recovery from 52.51% to 79.45% and 72.57% in weak alkaline seawater (pH 8) due to the increased surface hydrophobicity. Solution species distribution and electrochemical studies cross-confirmed that the Cu2S and Pb(OH)2 layer formed on the pyrite surface at pH 8, subsequently increasing the adsorption sites of xanthate on the pyrite surface. Differently, the pyrite flotation remained at a lower recovery of around 20% than that with the addition of 10−7–10−5 M Cu2+ and Pb2+ in strong alkaline seawater (pH 10). No activation species were adsorbed on the pyrite surface at pH 10 due to the coverage of hydrophilic precipitation on the pyrite surface, resulting in a poor floatability. This study therefore provides scientific guidelines for pyrite separation in seawater in the presence of Cu2+ and Pb2+.
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