Quartz Recovery Research Articles

A sustainable mineral process for silicon and quartz recovery from quartz crucible waste ash via electrical separation

Driven by the explosive development of the photovoltaic (PV) industry, the treatment of the quartz crucible waste ash (QCWA) from monocrystalline silicon rod production must be considered to combat the shortage of silicon materials and promote sustainable development. In particular, the loss of grade 4 N high-purity silicon in QCWA is a frustrating fact for the silicon supply chain. In this work, an electrical separation process is proposed for the recovery of silicon and quartz from QCWA to realize waste resource reutilization. The charging processes and forces in the feed QCWA are first analyzed. Then, the electric field distribution during electrical separation is simulated to clarify the movement models of silicon and quartz particles and formulate reasonable electrical separation parameters. After systematic theoretical analysis, calculation, and simulation, electrical separation experiments were conducted. The results prove that the content of silicon in the concentrate and the corresponding content of quartz in the tailing respectively exceeded 93 % and 61 % under a particle size of 80 ∼ 120 mesh, a voltage of 40 kV, and a roll speed of 75 r/min. This work demonstrates that electrical separation is a sustainable process that could be recommended for silicon and quartz recovery from QCWA.

Flotation separation of hematite from quartz with dodecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride and sodium dodecyl sulfonate collector

Through a series of testing methods, including micro-flotation tests, contact angle test, ζ-potential analysis, FTIR, and XPS, the behavior and mechanism of flotation separation of hematite and quartz by mixed anionic-cationic collectors (Dodecyl Trimethyl Ammonium Chloride (DTAC) and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfonate (SDS), DS for short) were investigated. Additionally, the froth performance of the mixed collector was examined through froth stability experiments. The study revealed that the inclusion of DS collectors significantly enhanced the flotation separation efficiency of quartz-hematite, with the addition of SDS leading to a reduction in the foam viscosity of DTAC. Notably, at a pH of 7 and with a DTAC to SDS mass ratio of 2:1, the mixed collector demonstrated exceptional performance in the flotation separation of quartz and hematite, achieving a quartz recovery of 91.85 % and a hematite recovery of 11.45 %. This efficacy was corroborated by ζ-potential measurements, FT-IR analysis, and XPS analysis, which confirmed the physical adsorption of DS on the mineral surfaces. Importantly, the adsorption dynamics were found to be influenced by the different surface charge characteristics of quartz and hematite. Specifically, the higher negative charge on the surface of quartz resulted in unaffected DTAC adsorption in the presence of SDS, while on hematite surfaces, the DTAC interaction with SDS led to the partial desorption of DTAC. Consequently, the adsorption of DTAC on hematite surfaces was reduced, facilitating the selective separation of quartz and hematite.

Influence of Different Types of Surfactants on the Flotation of Natural Quartz by Dodecylamine.

The synergistic effect among flotation agents is why combined flotation agents exhibit superior performance compared to single flotation agents. This research investigates the influence of three surfactants with different charges of polar groups, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and octanol, combined with dodecylamine (DDA), on quartz flotation. Through the implementation of flotation tests, bubble-particle adhesion induction time testing, gas-liquid two-phase foam properties testing, and surface tension testing, it is revealed that substituting part of the DDA with these surfactants can either enhance or at least maintain the quartz recovery, affect the adhesion induction time, reduce the surface tension of the flotation system, and change the foaming performance and foam stability, depending on their mole ratio in the combined collector. Compared to DDA alone, combining CTAB or OCT with DDA can significantly increase quartz recovery, while SDS with DDA only yields an approximate recovery. Combining SDS or OCT with DDA can reduce the foam stability, while CTAB with DDA enhances the foam stability. The effect of the combination of surfactants and DDA on the adhesion induction time of quartz grains of different sizes with bubbles is the same; furthermore, there is a negative correlation between the adhesion induction time and the recovery, while the foaming properties and stability of foam are positively correlated with the recovery.

Molecular insights into the interaction mechanism of triethylenetetramine target-deposited quartz from smithsonite in carbonate ionic liquids and its adsorption on minerals

In order to induce alterations in the mineral surface’s hydrophobicity and subsequently separate smithsonite from quartz, the current study introduces an innovative amine depressant termed triethylenetetramine (TETA). Micro-flotation experiments clearly demonstrated that adding a relatively modest dosage (20 mg/L) of TETA at pH 10 reduced the recovery of quartz from 92.2 % to 22.5 % without reducing the recovery of smithsonite. ICP-OES and zeta potentials revealed that TETA selectively adsorbed on the quartz surface effectively reduced Zn2+ dissolution and altered the setting of the quartz surface to preferentially adsorb NaOL on the smithsonite surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) analyses support that TETA is more susceptible to Zn atoms in Zn5(OH)6(CO3)2(s) through a bonding process and preferentially chemisorbs on the quartz surface to the exclusion of Zn-CO3 on the smithsonite surface. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that electron acceptance by Zn and electron loss by N resulted in hybridization reactions between Zn 2 s, 3d, 4p and N 2p orbitals to form stable Zn-N covalent bonds. Chemical bonds characterized by ionic bonding were formed between TETA and Zn atoms on the cleavage plane of smithsonite, which led to the susceptibility of TETA adsorption on the surface of smithsonite to be broken.

Silicon and Quartz Recovery and Purification from Waste Quartz Crucible Ash with a Combined Process of Electric Separation and Hydrometallurgy

Silicon and Quartz Recovery and Purification from Waste Quartz Crucible Ash with a Combined Process of Electric Separation and Hydrometallurgy

Understanding the Effects of Hydrophobic Particle Densities on Bubble-Liquid Motion and Gangue Entrainment in the RFC’s Reverse Fluidized Bed Through CFD Simulation

ABSTRACT The Reflux Flotation Cell (RFC) developed recently provides great potential in solving the emerging challenges, in terms of low plant capacity and low metal production, faced by the resources industry. However, the bubble-liquid motion and the mechanisms responsible for gangue entrainment in the RFC have not been well studied. In this study, chalcopyrite and coal were chosen as value materials and quartz was chosen as a gangue material, and the flotation of chalcopyrite or coal against quartz was conducted in the RFC. It was found that chalcopyrite flotation produced a much higher quartz recovery than coal flotation despite the same operating conditions employed, which indicated a great effect of hydrophobic particle density on gangue entrainment in the RFC. CFD simulations indicated that a higher density of hydrophobic particles increased the gas holdup in the RFC’s reverse fluidized bed and the boundary of the air phase, which promoted gangue entrainment. Meanwhile, the higher density of hydrophobic particles also inhibited the formation of a liquid recirculation loop in the reverse fluidized bed, weakening the displacement of gangue particles with wash water and resulting in higher gangue entrainment. The findings from this study will provide guidance on how to minimize gangue entrainment in chalcopyrite flotation in the RFC.

Efficient Recovery of Feldspar, Quartz, and Kaolin from Weathered Granite

Weathered granite contains a high concentration of feldspar, quartz, and kaolin. However, while it becomes rich in clay due to strong physical weathering, the granite minerals that are not fully weathered are still very hard, which makes the grinding process more difficult and limits its use. This study proposes a multi-step process involving grinding, desliming, and flotation to address this issue. The study determines the appropriate grinding time and power index for the original ore, as well as the optimal desliming method using a hydrocyclone. To remove iron-containing impurities like mica, a combination of NaOL/BHA/A CO collectors is used for the reverse rough flotation of quartz. Additionally, a combination of DDA/SDS collectors is employed to separate quartz and feldspar through flotation, resulting in a quartz product with a silicon dioxide content of 99.51%. The objective of efficiently recycling feldspar, quartz, and kaolin from weathered granite is accomplished. Additionally, the inclusion of intermediate mineral components as by-products of feldspar and raw materials for aerated bricks is introduced, resulting in the complete utilization of all components. This innovative approach ensures a clean and environmentally friendly process, eliminating the need for solid waste disposal.

Study of new commercial collectors for the recovery of coarse quartz particles in iron ore flotation

Currently, a small range of commercial collectors is available for the use in reverse iron ore flotation at Vale. This input represents a considerable unit cost, being essential for the concentration of low content itabiritic iron ores. The present work evaluated the reverse cationic flotation of an itabiritic ore with low iron content (39.6 % Fe) from the Iron Quadrangle (BR) in bench scale tests, focusing on the use of new collectors to remove coarse quartz. The sample presents 19% of its particles as oversize in the 0.150 mm sieve. The poor flotation of coarse quartz particles (>0.150 mm) causes significant problems in various iron ore flotation circuits by contaminating the concentrate. The study evaluated the performance of 10 new collectors from the etheramine family with different degrees of neutralization and at different collector dosages. The flotation process variables were set as industrially practiced at the Cauê iron ore plant (BR). In tests varying the specific collector dosage, the non-neutralized etheramines showed improved performance compared to the current 50% neutralized etheramine used in the plant, achieving industrial targets: concentrate SiO2 content rate lower than 4.5% (1.4%), tailings iron content lower than 23% (18.94%), metallurgical recovery greater than 66% (74,8%), and Gaudin Selectivity Index greater than 6.6 (10.5). The 0.150 mm oversize in the concentrate, mostly coarse quartz particles, was reduced from 5.7% down to 1.2%, indicating the potential for the industrial application of non-neutralized etheramines in the recovery of coarse quartz.

Insights into the influence of calcium ions on the adsorption behavior of sodium oleate and its response to flotation of quartz: FT-IR, XPS and AMF studies

Assiduous efforts on the high-efficiency flotation of quartz with calcium ion activation have been ongoing, while there is a lack of understanding of its potential mechanism. In this research, insights into the influence of calcium ions on the adsorption behavior of sodium oleate and its response to flotation of quartz were systematically investigated. Micro-flotation experimental results show that addition order of calcium ions influences the quartz flotation. Ca2+/NaOL complexes exhibit higher flotation recovery of quartz (92.18 %) under the recommended conditions. The Zeta potential and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results indicate that the adsorption of NaOL onto bare quartz surfaces is extremely difficult, and the addition of Ca2+ promotes the adsorption of NaOL. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis results confirm that Ca2+/NaOL complexes reinforce the adsorption of NaOL and Ca2+ onto quartz surface by the formation of -Si-O-Ca-OOCR, and the Ca-OOCR content in the total Ca reaches 62.61 %. The adsorption amount results further illustrate that the adsorption amount of Ca2+ and NaOL increase to 18.56 × 10−2 mg/g and 40.83 × 10−2 mg/g, respectively. Additionally, starch slightly decrease the adsorption amount of Ca2+ on quartz surfaces. Atomic force microscope analysis reveal that Ca2+/NaOL components promote the formation of Ca-OOCR colloid precipitates and the transportation of the precipitates to the quartz surface. The main adsorption of Ca-OOCR colloid precipitates contributes to the enveloped bulge image. Notably, the Ca-OOCR colloid precipitates adsorption mechanism exerts more important role in the adsorption of sodium oleate and calcium ion species, as well as its response to flotation of quartz.

Green and sustainable recovery of feldspar and quartz from granite tailings

Granite tailings are rich in quartz and feldspar with high recycling value. However, quartz-feldspar separation usually adds sulfuric acid and hydrofluoric acid, which inevitably leads to equipment corrosion and environmental pollution. This study introduced an alkaline-based flotation method to treat granite tailings. In this approach, mica was first floated by adding Na2CO3 as pH adjuster and sodium oleate/octanol with mass ratio 9/1 (NaOT) and dodecylamine acetate as mixed collector. Then, the quartz-feldspar separation was achieved using NaOH as pH adjuster, MgCl2 as activator, and NaOT as collector. The results of the flotation test showed that the yield of quartz products was 24.51% with a grade of 96.04% SiO2, and the yield of feldspar products was 41.77% with a grade of 14.06% K2O and Na2O. The economic analysis demonstrated that the flotation process in this study yields a profit of 50.96 USD per ton of treated tailings. Overall, this approach possesses the advantages of excellent selectivity, obvious economic efficiency, and environmental friendliness, making it highly suitable for industrial applications with immense potential.

Flotation and adsorption characteristics of albite and quartz with oleic acid-based collector

The separation of feldspars from quartz is a challenging processing method as they have identical physical and physicochemical surface properties. To put forward the possible ways to separate them from each other is essential. Thus, from this point of view, this study aimed to determine the flotation behavior of both minerals with an oleic acid-based collector and its adsorption characteristics with both minerals. According to the results, the collector-treated albite displayed stronger characteristic adsorption FTIR bands of the CH2 group at 2957 cm−1, 2926 cm−1 and 2854 cm−1 than quartz. But, in contrast to the similar adsorption FTIR bands determined, albite and quartz presented selective flotation recovery results in at moderately alkaline environment. While 90% flotation recovery of albite could be obtained at certain pH conditions, less than 10% of quartz recovery was obtained regardless of collector concentration and pH. When the tapping mode AFM in the micro topographical aspect was correlated with the experimental data, the collector-treated albite, compared to the original albite sample, displayed collector adsorption patches with different intensities. However, quartz and collector-treated quartz samples displayed similar micro topographies which indicated no/low collector-quartz interaction.

Geoenvironmental characterisation of legacy mine wastes from Tasmania – Environmental risks and opportunities for remediation and value recovery

A detailed characterisation of potential environmental risks is required to implement adequate mine waste management strategies at abandoned mine sites. This study assessed the long-term potential of six legacy mine wastes from Tasmania to generate acid and metalliferous drainage (AMD). Mineralogical analyses by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and mineral liberation analysis (MLA) revealed the mine wastes were oxidised onsite and contained up to 69% of pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and galena. Oxidation of the sulfides under laboratory static and kinetic leach tests generated leachates with pH 1.9–6.5, suggesting long-term acid-forming potentials. The leachates contained some potentially toxic elements (PTE)s including Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn in concentrations exceeding the Australian freshwater guidelines by up to 105 times. The indices of contamination (IC) and toxicity factors (TF)s of the PTEs ranked between very low and very high relative to soils, sediments, and freshwater guidelines. The outcomes of this study highlighted the need for AMD remediation at the historical mine sites. Passive addition of alkalinity is the most practical remediation measure for these sites. They may also be opportunities for the recovery of quartz, pyrite, Cu, Pb, Mn, and Zn from some of the mine wastes.

Adsorption mechanisms of activated surface of quartz and feldspar with mixed NaOL/DDA

In this paper, the flotation separation of quartz and feldspar was studied with CaCl2 as activators and mixed sodium oleate/ dodecylamine (NaOL/DDA) collectors under alkaline condition, and the action mechanism of mixed NaOL/DDA collectors on the quartz and feldspar surfaces were systematically explored. The results of micro-flotation test showed that there were 90.98% quartz and 13.08% feldspar were floated with 0.5 mmol/L CaCl2 and 2.8 mmol/L mixed NaOL/DDA collectors with molar ratio of 8/1 at pH 10.0. And the artificial mixed minerals flotation manifested these two minerals were able to efficient separation with CaCl2 and mixed NaOL/DDA collectors at pH 10 ∼ 11. These outcomes indicated that DDA could increase recovery of quartz obviously and reduce about a half dosage of NaOL (from 0.5 mmol/L to 0.25 mmol/L) in flotation under alkaline condition; Meanwhile, mixed NaOL/DDA collectors were able to decreased the flotation separation pH from 12 to 10 on quartz and feldspar. Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results revealed that when NaOL collector was added alone, it could adsorb on activated quartz surface but hardly detected on feldspar surface at pH 10. However, they all were found on both quartz and felspar surface when mixed NaOL/DDA collectors were introduced as collectors. Quartz microcrystal balance with dissipation (QCM-D) experiment confirmed that mixed NaOL/DDA collectors showed a higher adsorption mass and more stable adsorption layer on quartz compared with NaOL was introduced as collector alone. In addition, whether CaCl2, NaOL or mixed NaOL/DDA, the adsorption mass on quartz sensor were larger than that on feldspar senor, which might cause difference of hydrophobicity on the surface of quartz and feldspar in flotation. The above experiments showed that the mixed NaOL/DDA collectors can significantly improve hydrophobic difference between quartz and feldspar after activating with CaCl2 and expand the floated pH range of quartz compared with using NaOL as collector alone, which were efficient reagents to separate quartz and feldspar in flotation.

Synergy Effect between Sodium Oleate and Alcohol Ethoxylates on the Reverse Flotation of Quartz

In this study, an optimized method was presented for the reverse quartz flotation in iron ore purification where sodium oleate (NaOL) was always selected as the collector due to its accessibility and economic benefits. Three alcohol ethoxylates, octylphenol ethoxylate (OP-10), nonylphenol ethoxylate (NP-10) and fatty alcohol ethoxylates (AEO-9) were introduced to improve the collecting performance of NaOL in the reverse flotation of quartz. It turned out that the addition of alcohol ethoxylates was helpful to increase the recovery of quartz in the flotation with the order of OP-10 > NP-10 > AEO-9. To characterize the adsorption of NaOL on activated quartz in different surfactant systems, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation (QCM-D) were employed. Furthermore, the contact angles of the quartz surface that interacted with different surfactant systems were measured to investigate the synergy effect of NaOL and alcohol ethoxylates on the hydrophobicity of quartz. It turned out that alcohol ethoxylates promoted the adsorption of NaOL on the activated quartz, resulting in an increase in the hydrophobicity of quartz also in the order of OP-10 > NP-10 > AEO-9, which well explained the flotation results. Regular Solution Theory (RST) and the dilution effect based on the surface tension analysis were utilized to elucidate the synergy mechanism between NaOL and the alcohol ethoxylate.

Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate as a Collector in Cassiterite Flotation

In this paper, sodium lauroyl glutamate (SLG), a stable and inexpensive green surfactant, was used as a flotation collector for the first time in cassiterite flotation. The micro-flotation tests revealed that SLG could effectively collect cassiterite and have superior selectivity against quartz over a wide pH range, compared with benzohydroxamic acid (BHA). The maximum recovery of cassiterite in the presence of SLG was 93.2%, while the quartz recovery was consistently lower than 8%. The adsorption experiments and zeta potential measurements suggested SLG was chemisorbed onto the cassiterite surface. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses indicated that the polar groups of SLG anions (the carboxyl and amide groups) chelate with the Sn ions on the cassiterite surface to form five-membered rings. This structure made SLG attach firmly to the cassiterite surface, effectively recovering cassiterite. Lastly, a good flotation index was achieved in the bench-scale flotation tests using SLG as the collector, which confirmed its potential economic value in practical application.

Effect of Solid Concentration and Particle Size on the Flotation Kinetics and Entrainment of Quartz and Hematite

Despite the importance of solid concentration in froth flotation, its effect on flotation kinetics and entrainment has rarely been studied. In this study, the flotation kinetics and entrainment in quartz and hematite single-mineral flotation systems as a function of the solid concentration and particle size were investigated using dodecylamine acetate as a collector. Kinetics modeling showed that the Gamma distribution achieved the best agreement with the experimental data, whereas the Classical and Klimpel models poorly fit the data (e.g., RMSE). The flotation rate constants (k) of both quartz and hematite at a higher solid concentration showed a concave shape, with the inflexion point at the middle-size range, whereas this trend altered at lower solid concentrations. Overall, quartz exhibited higher equilibrium recoveries (R∞) than hematite, which indicates its better overall rate constants. The degree of water recovery in both the quartz and hematite systems was higher at higher solid concentrations, but the hematite system exhibited higher water R∞ than the quartz system, meaning that the entrainment of gangue could be higher in direct hematite flotation than the reverse one. Therefore, a higher solid concentration is associated with better overall quartz recovery and can reduce hematite loss by entrainment during reverse flotation. An inverse relationship was identified between the solid concentration and particle size in terms of the ratio of water recovery to the concentrate. In the reverse flotation of iron ore, refraining from achieving equilibrium recovery could help limit entrainment, but this was not necessarily the case in direct flotation. No entrainment model or method other than the Warren and Ross model approximated the overall trends of flotation at the finest size range (−38 µm). However, extending the Warren method to polynomial distribution led to an improved fit with the experimental results. In addition to the solid concentration, particle density and size were revealed to be key to developing new entrainment models. Finally, after the fast recovery period (true flotation) was over, the slow recoveries were mainly driven by the slow-floating water fraction.

Impact of flotation operational parameters on the optimization of fine and coarse Itabirite iron ore beneficiation

This paper investigates the impact of operational parameters on the reverse flotation of Timbopeba itabirite iron ore in a pneumatic (MBE Pneuflot) flotation cell. To this end, the effects of physical and chemical parameters (i.e., collector and depressant dosage, superficial gas velocity (Jg), solids concentration, and feed rate) on the reverse flotation of iron ore are investigated in detail. Results show that increasing collector dosage increases quartz recovery, particularly for the coarser quartz where recovery increases by nearly 30%. Increasing depressant dosage results in a decrease in both quartz recovery and hematite loss, for the coarser hematite particles. In addition, increasing the feed rate does not affect quartz recovery or hematite loss, suggesting that the pneumatic flotation cell is not constrained by residence time. Furthermore, increasing the superficial gas velocity results in an increases in quartz recovery to an optimum at a Jg of around 0.6 cm/s after which it decreases significantly, particularly for the coarser particles where recovery decreases by 50%. Decreasing the solids concentration does not affect quartz recovery but results in a significant reduction in hematite loss. Here, fine and coarse hematite loss decrease from around 25% to 12% and 10% to 2%, respectively. Solids concentration and Jg are operating parameters that have the largest effect on the flotation performance of the pneumatic flotation cell. Overall, the obtained results suggest that this flotation cell should be operated at relatively low superficial gas velocities and solids concentrations. However, these findings are for a pilot scale and would need to be examined at larger scale (e.g., an industrial scale) where different operating conditions may be optimal.

Study on the influence of particle size on the flotation separation of kaolinite and quartz

The influences of particle size on the flotation separation of kaolinite and quartz was explored by flotation tests of full-size and various sizes, zeta potential analysis. The flotation separation effects of kaolinite and quartz mixed minerals under different conditions were analyzed by calculating the characteristic parameters such as K, R ∞ , Km, SI and SE. Results show that in the sodium oleate scenario, kaolinite has better floatability under neutral conditions, while quartz has better floatability at pH 12. Ca 2+ has little effect on the floatability of kaolinite but it does inhibit the floatability of quartz under acid and weak alkali conditions. As well it can improve the floatability of quartz at a pH 12. In the two mineral flotation separation tests, reverse flotation had better selectivity for coarse-grained minerals. The maximum separation efficiency of the mixed ore with a particle size of 0.125–0.075 mm was 71.88%, the recovery of kaolinite in the concentrate was 84.97%, and the recovery of quartz amounted to 13.10%. It is of great significance to the research on the flotation separation of kaolinite and the high resource utilization of kaolinite. • 0.250–0.030 mm can be separated through positive and reverse flotation. • −0.030 mm fine kaolinite and quartz can't be separated by sodium oleate flotation. • When pH is less than 8, Ca 2+ is conducive to positive flotation separation. • Conforms the first kinetic model, reverse flotation has high separation efficiency.

Effect of TIPA/TEA combined grinding aid on the behavior of quartz flotation in DDA system

In this paper, different dosages of TIPA, TEA and their combined grinding aid were added to the process of quartz grinding and their influence on the grinding efficiency and flotation recovery in DDA system was investigated. From the grinding and flotation experiments, It can be known that the effect of the combined grinding aid was better than that of a single reagent, which can not only significantly improve the grinding efficiency of quartz, but also increase the recovery of quartz from flotation. Based on the results of FT-IR spectroscopy, XPS analysis, quantum chemistry and solution chemistry calculations, it can be seen that the hydroxyl groups in the TIPA/TEA combined grinding aid formed hydrogen bonds with O on the (101) surface of quartz, while collector DDA was mainly electrostatically adsorbed on the surface of quartz with negative potential, and the introduction of combined grinding aid improved the adsorption of DDA, the grinding aid and collector played a synergistic role instead of competitive adsorption. The detection of contact angle and surface tension showed that the combined grinding aid can improve the hydrophobicity of quartz, reduce the surface tension and CMC value of DDA, and enhance the dispersibility of quartz, therefore, it can increase the recovery of quartz from flotation.

Effect of dissolved species of cerussite on quartz flotation in sulfidization xanthate system

Cerussite is an important lead oxide mineral, and quartz is the main gangue mineral. To investigate the effects of dissolved cerussite species on quartz surface properties and floatability in the sulfidization xanthate system, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), zeta-potential, UV–visible spectroscopy, and flotation experiments were employed in this study. XPS and ToF-SIMS analysis indicated that lead species, such as Pb(OH)+, Pb(OH)2 and PbCO3 particulate in the cerussite supernatant can adsorb onto the quartz surface as active sites for the interaction of flotation reagents. Zeta potential and UV detection suggested that positively charged lead species interacted with the quartz surface and enhanced the adsorption of S and xanthate species. Flotation results confirmed that the flotation recovery of quartz was significantly increased after cerussite supernatant treatment, that is, quartz could be activated when coexisting with cerussite. This phenomenon greatly increased the difficulty in the flotation separation of cerussite from quartz using the sulfidization xanthate flotation method.