XXXI International Mineral Processing Congress 2024 Proceedings/Washington, DC/Sep 29–Oct 3 2521
DISCUSSION
PAMs are hydrophilic molecules of high molecular which
are used to flocculate fine gangue particles in mineral pro-
cessing plants. PAMs also affect the surface properties of
valuable minerals, and strongly modify the physicochemi-
cal properties of mineral suspensions (Echeverry et al.
2021/2022 Estrada 2020 Elhaei et al., 2021 Nasser and
James, 2006). PAMs adsorption on mineral particles can
occur because of the physical and chemical attachment
occurring between the polymer molecules and the solid
surfaces, i.e., electrostatic, dipole-dipole, London-Van
der Waals, and hydrophobic forces chemical interactions
6,5 7,0 7,5 8,0 8,5 9,0 9,5 10,0 10,5 11,0 11,5
pH
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
Bornite
No PAM
4 mg/L PAM
10 mg/L PAM
6,5 7,0 7,5 8,0 8,5 9,0 9,5 10,0 10,5 11,0 11,5
pH
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
Enargite
No PAM
4 mg/L PAM
7 mg/L PAM
10 mg/L PAM
6,5 7,0 7,5 8,0 8,5 9,0 9,5 10,0 10,5 11,0 11,5
pH
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
Chalcopyrite
No PAM
4 mg/L PAM
7 mg/L PAM
10 mg/L PAM
Figure 2. Copper sulfides recovery as a function of pH and different concentrations of PAM
Table 1. Langmuir model constants
Chalcopyrite pH=8 pH=9 pH=10
q
m ,mg/g 6,67 2,08 2,33
K
L ,L/mg 0,009 0,048 0,050
Enargite pH=8 pH=9 pH=10
q
m ,mg/g 1,89 2,44 2,63
KL, L/mg 0,099 0,075 0,074
Bornite pH=8 pH=9 pH=10
qm, mg/g 1,64 1,25 1,47
K
L ,L/mg 0,127 0,372 0,335
Recovery,
%
Recovery,
%Recovery,
%