XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 2497
Reagents
The collector used in the flotation experiments, diesel oil
was sourced from BGRIMM Chemical Technology Co.,
Ltd, while the frother employed, methyl isobutyl carbi-
nol (MIBC), was purchased from McLean Biochemical
Technology Co., Ltd. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and
hydrochloric acid (HCl), utilized as pH adjusters, were
purchased from Sinopharm Chemical Reagent Co., Ltd.
MSA was sourced from Aladdin Chemical Reagent Co.,
Ltd. All chemical reagents used above are analytical grade.
All water used in the experiments was deionized water.
Micro-Flotation Experiments
The micro-flotation tests were carried out in a 30 mL XFGII
flotation cell. Each test commenced with a 2.0 g sample of
pure mineral in 30 mL deionized water, undergoing ultra-
sonic cleaning for 5 minutes to remove surface oxides. After
settling for 10 minutes, the suspension was decanted, leav-
ing the mineral sample, which was then transferred into
the flotation cell. Subsequent to adding another 30 mL of
deionized water, flotation reagents were sequentially added
during stirring: NaOH, HCl, diesel oil, MSA, and MIBC,
each followed by 2 minutes of stirring. The resulting foam
product and tailings were then filtered, dried, and weighed.
The mineral recovery rates were calculated using the for-
mula (1). The flotation process diagram is presented in
Figure 2.
%m mt
m
100
s c
c #f =+(1)
where,
εs =recovery of valuable minerals
mc =mass of the concentrate
mt =mass of the tailings
For experiments involving artificially mixed minerals, a
mixture of 0.4g galena and 1.6g molybdenite served as the
test feed. The process mirrored that of the single mineral
tests, with recovery rates of Mo and Pb in both the foam
product and tailings determined through chemical element
analysis. The Mo-lead separation coefficient in these tests
was calculated using the formula (2). The flotation process
diagram is presented in Figure 2.
I
12 21
11 #
#
f f
f f22 =(2)
where,
I =separation index
ε11 =Recovery of valuable minerals in concentrates
ε12 =recovery of gangue minerals in concentrates
ε21 =recovery of valuable minerals in tailings
ε22 =recovery of gangue minerals in tailings.
Contact Angle Measurements
Contact angles were determined using a Ramé-Hart 290
U4 instrument, employing the drop method. Polished min-
eral samples were immersed in a 100 mL flotation reagent
solution for 20 minutes, then air-dried. Measurements
were performed at least thrice to ensure accuracy.
Adsorption Measurement
Adsorption measurements were conducted using
UV-Visible spectrophotometer(Cary60).
The amount of adsorption measurement procedure:
Weigh 2g of galena each time, and placed it in a beaker, and
add deionized water and stir for 2 min add dilute HCl or
NaOH solution to adjust the pH of the pulp, stir for 2 min
add a certain amount of inhibitor MSA, and stir for 5 min
After standing still and centrifuging, the supernatant was
taken for ultraviolet spectrum measurement.According to
its standard curve, the concentration of reagent in the cor-
responding centrifugal solution can be got, and then the
amount of adsorption of reagent on the mineral surface
can be calculated by formula given by below (3). Pb2+ UV
titration curve test is done by first fixing the concentration
of MSA solution, then adding different concentrations of
Table 1. Chemical multi-elemental analysis of molybdenite and galena(wt%)
Pb Zn Cu S CaO Fe Mo Al
2 O
3
Galena 83.90 0.05 0.013 12.68 0.12 0.06 0.06 0.06
Molybdenite 1.40 0.012 0.16 35.77 0.14 0.21 56.27 3.23
Feed (2g)
2min
2min
2min
1min
Concentrate Tailing
Flotation 3min
NaOH or HCl
Depressant
collector
MIBC
Figure 2. Micro-flotation procedure
Reagents
The collector used in the flotation experiments, diesel oil
was sourced from BGRIMM Chemical Technology Co.,
Ltd, while the frother employed, methyl isobutyl carbi-
nol (MIBC), was purchased from McLean Biochemical
Technology Co., Ltd. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and
hydrochloric acid (HCl), utilized as pH adjusters, were
purchased from Sinopharm Chemical Reagent Co., Ltd.
MSA was sourced from Aladdin Chemical Reagent Co.,
Ltd. All chemical reagents used above are analytical grade.
All water used in the experiments was deionized water.
Micro-Flotation Experiments
The micro-flotation tests were carried out in a 30 mL XFGII
flotation cell. Each test commenced with a 2.0 g sample of
pure mineral in 30 mL deionized water, undergoing ultra-
sonic cleaning for 5 minutes to remove surface oxides. After
settling for 10 minutes, the suspension was decanted, leav-
ing the mineral sample, which was then transferred into
the flotation cell. Subsequent to adding another 30 mL of
deionized water, flotation reagents were sequentially added
during stirring: NaOH, HCl, diesel oil, MSA, and MIBC,
each followed by 2 minutes of stirring. The resulting foam
product and tailings were then filtered, dried, and weighed.
The mineral recovery rates were calculated using the for-
mula (1). The flotation process diagram is presented in
Figure 2.
%m mt
m
100
s c
c #f =+(1)
where,
εs =recovery of valuable minerals
mc =mass of the concentrate
mt =mass of the tailings
For experiments involving artificially mixed minerals, a
mixture of 0.4g galena and 1.6g molybdenite served as the
test feed. The process mirrored that of the single mineral
tests, with recovery rates of Mo and Pb in both the foam
product and tailings determined through chemical element
analysis. The Mo-lead separation coefficient in these tests
was calculated using the formula (2). The flotation process
diagram is presented in Figure 2.
I
12 21
11 #
#
f f
f f22 =(2)
where,
I =separation index
ε11 =Recovery of valuable minerals in concentrates
ε12 =recovery of gangue minerals in concentrates
ε21 =recovery of valuable minerals in tailings
ε22 =recovery of gangue minerals in tailings.
Contact Angle Measurements
Contact angles were determined using a Ramé-Hart 290
U4 instrument, employing the drop method. Polished min-
eral samples were immersed in a 100 mL flotation reagent
solution for 20 minutes, then air-dried. Measurements
were performed at least thrice to ensure accuracy.
Adsorption Measurement
Adsorption measurements were conducted using
UV-Visible spectrophotometer(Cary60).
The amount of adsorption measurement procedure:
Weigh 2g of galena each time, and placed it in a beaker, and
add deionized water and stir for 2 min add dilute HCl or
NaOH solution to adjust the pH of the pulp, stir for 2 min
add a certain amount of inhibitor MSA, and stir for 5 min
After standing still and centrifuging, the supernatant was
taken for ultraviolet spectrum measurement.According to
its standard curve, the concentration of reagent in the cor-
responding centrifugal solution can be got, and then the
amount of adsorption of reagent on the mineral surface
can be calculated by formula given by below (3). Pb2+ UV
titration curve test is done by first fixing the concentration
of MSA solution, then adding different concentrations of
Table 1. Chemical multi-elemental analysis of molybdenite and galena(wt%)
Pb Zn Cu S CaO Fe Mo Al
2 O
3
Galena 83.90 0.05 0.013 12.68 0.12 0.06 0.06 0.06
Molybdenite 1.40 0.012 0.16 35.77 0.14 0.21 56.27 3.23
Feed (2g)
2min
2min
2min
1min
Concentrate Tailing
Flotation 3min
NaOH or HCl
Depressant
collector
MIBC
Figure 2. Micro-flotation procedure