2624
Effect of Sodium Oleate and Kerosene on Hydrophobic
Agglomeration of Fine Cassiterite
Wei Li, Fen Jiao, Wenqing Qin
School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Clean and Efficient Utilization of Strategic Calcium-containing
Mineral Resources, Central South University, Changsha, China
ABSTRACT: With the rapid growth of tin demand, it is of great significance to strengthen the flotation
recovery of fine cassiterite to ensure tin supply. The effect of sodium oleate (NaOL) and kerosene on inducing
hydrophobic agglomeration of fine cassiterite was investigated through the particle size distribution analysis,
zeta potential measurements, contact angle measurements and micro-flotation tests. The results indicated that
either NaOL alone or NaOL with kerosene can induce hydrophobic agglomeration of fine cassiterite, the
agglomerates induced by adding kerosene before NaOL had larger particle size distribution and stronger surface
hydrophobicity, which jointly contributed to its higher flotation recovery.
Keywords: Fine cassiterite, Hydrophobic agglomeration, Sodium oleate, Kerosene, Flotation
INTRODUCTION
Tin is widely used in photovoltaic, semiconductor, new
energy vehicles and other emerging industries with the
rapid development of these industries, the world’s demand
for tin is growing[1, 2] .Cassiterite is the most economically
valuable tin mineral in nature and also the main source of
tin production. At present, most cassiterite concentrators
use the combined process of gravity separation and flota-
tion to recover cassiterite, but the overall recovery is only
about 70%, and about 30% of cassiterite is lost in the tail-
ings in the form of fine mud[3]. Taking the Dachang mining
area in Guangxi, China as an example, the annual loss of tin
is about 3,000 tons, worth hundreds of millions of China
Yuan (CNY). With the high intensity of tin mining, the
grade of raw cassiterite gradually decreases and the mineral
embedding relationship becomes more complex, resulting
in the need for finer grinding fineness for beneficiation.
However, cassiterite is brittle and prone to overgrinding,
which will undoubtedly further exacerbate the loss of fine
cassiterite[4, 5] .Therefore, strengthening the recovery of fine
cassiterite is of great significance for ensuring the tin supply.
Increasing the particle size or reducing the bubble
size to improve the probability of collision and adhesion
between particles and bubbles is an effective way to improve
the flotation recovery of fine minerals[6, 7] .Through the
continuous research of fine particle flotation theory, some
new fine particle flotation technologies have been invented,
such as carrier flotation, flocculation flotation, dissolved-air
flotation and electro-flotation[8, 9] .These new technologies
can achieve desirable results in laboratory scale, but their
industrial application was limited by the problems of dif-
ficult control and high cost. Hydrophobic agglomeration
Effect of Sodium Oleate and Kerosene on Hydrophobic
Agglomeration of Fine Cassiterite
Wei Li, Fen Jiao, Wenqing Qin
School of Minerals Processing and Bioengineering, Central South University, Changsha, China
Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Clean and Efficient Utilization of Strategic Calcium-containing
Mineral Resources, Central South University, Changsha, China
ABSTRACT: With the rapid growth of tin demand, it is of great significance to strengthen the flotation
recovery of fine cassiterite to ensure tin supply. The effect of sodium oleate (NaOL) and kerosene on inducing
hydrophobic agglomeration of fine cassiterite was investigated through the particle size distribution analysis,
zeta potential measurements, contact angle measurements and micro-flotation tests. The results indicated that
either NaOL alone or NaOL with kerosene can induce hydrophobic agglomeration of fine cassiterite, the
agglomerates induced by adding kerosene before NaOL had larger particle size distribution and stronger surface
hydrophobicity, which jointly contributed to its higher flotation recovery.
Keywords: Fine cassiterite, Hydrophobic agglomeration, Sodium oleate, Kerosene, Flotation
INTRODUCTION
Tin is widely used in photovoltaic, semiconductor, new
energy vehicles and other emerging industries with the
rapid development of these industries, the world’s demand
for tin is growing[1, 2] .Cassiterite is the most economically
valuable tin mineral in nature and also the main source of
tin production. At present, most cassiterite concentrators
use the combined process of gravity separation and flota-
tion to recover cassiterite, but the overall recovery is only
about 70%, and about 30% of cassiterite is lost in the tail-
ings in the form of fine mud[3]. Taking the Dachang mining
area in Guangxi, China as an example, the annual loss of tin
is about 3,000 tons, worth hundreds of millions of China
Yuan (CNY). With the high intensity of tin mining, the
grade of raw cassiterite gradually decreases and the mineral
embedding relationship becomes more complex, resulting
in the need for finer grinding fineness for beneficiation.
However, cassiterite is brittle and prone to overgrinding,
which will undoubtedly further exacerbate the loss of fine
cassiterite[4, 5] .Therefore, strengthening the recovery of fine
cassiterite is of great significance for ensuring the tin supply.
Increasing the particle size or reducing the bubble
size to improve the probability of collision and adhesion
between particles and bubbles is an effective way to improve
the flotation recovery of fine minerals[6, 7] .Through the
continuous research of fine particle flotation theory, some
new fine particle flotation technologies have been invented,
such as carrier flotation, flocculation flotation, dissolved-air
flotation and electro-flotation[8, 9] .These new technologies
can achieve desirable results in laboratory scale, but their
industrial application was limited by the problems of dif-
ficult control and high cost. Hydrophobic agglomeration