2200 XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3
role compared to the presence of different electro-
lytes, while the flotation performance is better in
acidic experimental conditions than that in basic
experimental conditions.
4. Regarding the zeta potential analysis, the zeta
potential measurements are in accordance with
the microflotation performance in the presence of
solutions with different pHs, and electrolytes of
CaCl2 and MgCl2. However, due to the sensitiv-
ity of zeta potential measurement, more analysis
might be needed to further verify current results in
the presence of FeCl2 and NiCl2.
5. According to the UV-vis adsorption analysis, the
SEX adsorption peak appears at around 300 nm
under the basic experimental condition that SEX
exists stably at room temperature. When pH is
lower than 9, the solution is heated, and/or there
are other ions present with different concentration,
the appearance of SEX varies.
Currently, microflotation experiments of separate pent-
landite or lizardite mineral samples are conducted, gener-
ated results can be used as a reference for the future work
but might not be sufficient. To better understand the effects
of divalent cations on the flotation separation of pentland-
ite and serpentine samples, batch flotation experiments in a
relevant large scale are planned and to be conducted, which
also provide evidence for flotation operations in a pilot
scale and industrial operations on the mine site.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Authors would like to thank the Western Australian School
of Mines at Curtin University for the financial and experi-
mental support, and BHP Nickel West for providing rel-
evant resources and other necessary support.
REFERENCES
Alvarez-Silva, M., Uribe-Salas, A., Waters, K.E., Finch,
J.A., Zeta potential study of pentlandite in the presence
of serpentine and dissolved mineral species. Minerals
Engineering, 2016, 85, 66–71.
Bao, Y., Xu, G., Tian, X., Xu, P., Ma, J., Effect of ammonia
molecules on the separation of pentlandite from ser-
pentine using copper (II) as activator. Separation and
Purification Technology, 2018, 200, 242–254.
Bremmell, K.E., Fornasiero, D., Ralston, J., Pentlandite–liz-
ardite interactions and implications for their separation
by flotation. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical
and Engineering Aspects, 2005, 252(2), 207–212.
Dong, L., Wang, L., Improving gas dispersion and decreas-
ing bubble size in saline water with oscillatory air sup-
ply. Minerals Engineering, 2023, 191, 107958.
Elizondo-Álvarez, M.A., Uribe-Salas, A., Bello-Teodoro,
S., Chemical stability of xanthates, dithiophosphi-
nates and hydroxamic acids in aqueous solutions and
their environmental implications. Ecotoxicology and
Environmental Safety, 2021, 207, 111509.
Finch, J.A., Dobby, G.S., Column flotation. 1990,
Pergamon Press, Oxford.
Fornasiero, D., Ralston, J., Cu(II) and Ni(II) activa-
tion in the flotation of quartz, lizardite and chlorite.
International Journal of Mineral Processing, 2005,
76(1), 75–81.
Gray, P.M.J., Bowyer, G.J., Castle, J.F., Vaughan, D.J.,
Warner, N.A., Sulphide Deposits—Their Origin and
Processing. 1990, The Insititution of Mining and
Metallurgy, 44 Portland Place London W1 England.
Guimarães, L., de Abreu, H.A., Duarte, H.A., Fe(II) hydro-
lysis in aqueous solution: A DFT study. Chemical
Physics, 2007, 333(1), 10–17.
Huang, J., Zhang, C., Inhibiting effect of citric acid on the
floatability of serpentine activated by Cu(II) and Ni(II)
ions. Physicochem. Probl. Miner. Process., 2019,
55(4), 960–968.
Konkena, B., junge Puring, K., Sinev, I., Piontek, S.,
Khavryuchenko, O., Dürholt, J.P., Schmid, R.,
Tüysüz, H., Muhler, M., Schuhmann, W., Apfel,
U.-P., Pentlandite rocks as sustainable and stable effi-
cient electrocatalysts for hydrogen generation. Nature
Communications, 2016, 7(1), 12269.
Liu, C., Zhang, W., Song, S., Li, H., Effects of lizardite
on pentlandite flotation at different pH: Implications
for the role of particle-particle interaction. Minerals
Engineering, 2019, 132, 8–13.
Liu, D., Zhang, G., Li, B., Electrochemical and XPS inves-
tigations on the galvanic interaction between pent-
landite and pyrrhotite in collectorless flotation system.
Minerals Engineering, 2022, 190, 107916.
Lu, J., Yuan, Z., Wang, N., Lu, S., Meng, Q., Liu, J., Selective
surface magnetization of pentlandite with magnetite
and magnetic separation. Powder Technology, 2017,
317, 162–170.
Millican, R.J., Sauers, C.K., General acid-catalyzed decom-
position of alkyl xanthates. The Journal of Organic
Chemistry, 1979, 44(10), 1664–1669.
Nkoma, J.S., Ekosse, G., X-ray diffraction study of chal-
copyrite, pentlandite and pyrrhotite obtained from
Cu-Ni ore bodies. Journal of Physics: Condensed
Matter, 1999, 11(1), 121.
role compared to the presence of different electro-
lytes, while the flotation performance is better in
acidic experimental conditions than that in basic
experimental conditions.
4. Regarding the zeta potential analysis, the zeta
potential measurements are in accordance with
the microflotation performance in the presence of
solutions with different pHs, and electrolytes of
CaCl2 and MgCl2. However, due to the sensitiv-
ity of zeta potential measurement, more analysis
might be needed to further verify current results in
the presence of FeCl2 and NiCl2.
5. According to the UV-vis adsorption analysis, the
SEX adsorption peak appears at around 300 nm
under the basic experimental condition that SEX
exists stably at room temperature. When pH is
lower than 9, the solution is heated, and/or there
are other ions present with different concentration,
the appearance of SEX varies.
Currently, microflotation experiments of separate pent-
landite or lizardite mineral samples are conducted, gener-
ated results can be used as a reference for the future work
but might not be sufficient. To better understand the effects
of divalent cations on the flotation separation of pentland-
ite and serpentine samples, batch flotation experiments in a
relevant large scale are planned and to be conducted, which
also provide evidence for flotation operations in a pilot
scale and industrial operations on the mine site.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Authors would like to thank the Western Australian School
of Mines at Curtin University for the financial and experi-
mental support, and BHP Nickel West for providing rel-
evant resources and other necessary support.
REFERENCES
Alvarez-Silva, M., Uribe-Salas, A., Waters, K.E., Finch,
J.A., Zeta potential study of pentlandite in the presence
of serpentine and dissolved mineral species. Minerals
Engineering, 2016, 85, 66–71.
Bao, Y., Xu, G., Tian, X., Xu, P., Ma, J., Effect of ammonia
molecules on the separation of pentlandite from ser-
pentine using copper (II) as activator. Separation and
Purification Technology, 2018, 200, 242–254.
Bremmell, K.E., Fornasiero, D., Ralston, J., Pentlandite–liz-
ardite interactions and implications for their separation
by flotation. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical
and Engineering Aspects, 2005, 252(2), 207–212.
Dong, L., Wang, L., Improving gas dispersion and decreas-
ing bubble size in saline water with oscillatory air sup-
ply. Minerals Engineering, 2023, 191, 107958.
Elizondo-Álvarez, M.A., Uribe-Salas, A., Bello-Teodoro,
S., Chemical stability of xanthates, dithiophosphi-
nates and hydroxamic acids in aqueous solutions and
their environmental implications. Ecotoxicology and
Environmental Safety, 2021, 207, 111509.
Finch, J.A., Dobby, G.S., Column flotation. 1990,
Pergamon Press, Oxford.
Fornasiero, D., Ralston, J., Cu(II) and Ni(II) activa-
tion in the flotation of quartz, lizardite and chlorite.
International Journal of Mineral Processing, 2005,
76(1), 75–81.
Gray, P.M.J., Bowyer, G.J., Castle, J.F., Vaughan, D.J.,
Warner, N.A., Sulphide Deposits—Their Origin and
Processing. 1990, The Insititution of Mining and
Metallurgy, 44 Portland Place London W1 England.
Guimarães, L., de Abreu, H.A., Duarte, H.A., Fe(II) hydro-
lysis in aqueous solution: A DFT study. Chemical
Physics, 2007, 333(1), 10–17.
Huang, J., Zhang, C., Inhibiting effect of citric acid on the
floatability of serpentine activated by Cu(II) and Ni(II)
ions. Physicochem. Probl. Miner. Process., 2019,
55(4), 960–968.
Konkena, B., junge Puring, K., Sinev, I., Piontek, S.,
Khavryuchenko, O., Dürholt, J.P., Schmid, R.,
Tüysüz, H., Muhler, M., Schuhmann, W., Apfel,
U.-P., Pentlandite rocks as sustainable and stable effi-
cient electrocatalysts for hydrogen generation. Nature
Communications, 2016, 7(1), 12269.
Liu, C., Zhang, W., Song, S., Li, H., Effects of lizardite
on pentlandite flotation at different pH: Implications
for the role of particle-particle interaction. Minerals
Engineering, 2019, 132, 8–13.
Liu, D., Zhang, G., Li, B., Electrochemical and XPS inves-
tigations on the galvanic interaction between pent-
landite and pyrrhotite in collectorless flotation system.
Minerals Engineering, 2022, 190, 107916.
Lu, J., Yuan, Z., Wang, N., Lu, S., Meng, Q., Liu, J., Selective
surface magnetization of pentlandite with magnetite
and magnetic separation. Powder Technology, 2017,
317, 162–170.
Millican, R.J., Sauers, C.K., General acid-catalyzed decom-
position of alkyl xanthates. The Journal of Organic
Chemistry, 1979, 44(10), 1664–1669.
Nkoma, J.S., Ekosse, G., X-ray diffraction study of chal-
copyrite, pentlandite and pyrrhotite obtained from
Cu-Ni ore bodies. Journal of Physics: Condensed
Matter, 1999, 11(1), 121.