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Evaluation of Flotation Performance Using a Novel Collector
2-(Octylthio)Aniline for Copper Sulfide Ore Under Various
Flotation Conditions
Jia Zhao, Labone L. Godirilwe, Kazutoshi Haga, Atsushi Shibayama
Graduate School of International Resource Sciences, Akita University
Manabu Yamada
Graduate School of Engineering Science, Akita University
ABSTRACT: With the ores presenting low-grade and complex components recently, traditional flotation
technology is difficult to meet the high recovery demand. In this study, a novel collector 2-(octylthio)aniline
(2-OA) was adopted on a copper sulfide ore to investigate its flotation performance compared with the
conventional collector potassium amylxanthate (PAX). Higher copper recovery was consistently achieved when
utilizing 2-OA than PAX under various flotation conditions. The flotation kinetics study showed that 2-OA
exhibited a faster flotation rate than PAX. When a two-stage flotation was employed, collector 2-OA showed
better floatability than PAX with the final copper grade increasing by 2 folds.
INTRODUCTION
As the most extensive and efficient mineral processing tech-
nology, flotation is widely used in the recovery of copper
ores. Flotation is a process that is mainly based on the dif-
ference in hydrophobicity of different mineral surfaces in
order to separate minerals. A collector is an essential reagent
used in the flotation process, altering the hydrophobicity of
the mineral surface, and enabling the floating mineral par-
ticles to adhere to the air bubbles. The collectors commonly
used in the flotation of copper sulfide ores are xanthates and
dithiophosphates. However, the existing copper sulfide ores
are mostly of low-grade and complex composition due to
the continuous utilization of ore resources. It is difficult to
obtain better beneficiation indexes with conventional flota-
tion reagents and processes. Therefore, the development of
novel collectors is critical to improve the flotation efficiency
and optimize the separation process (Miao et al., 2020 Zuo
et al., 2015). In recent years, many researchers have devel-
oped various novel compounds and used them as collectors
in flotation. A large number of micro-flotation results on
mineral samples have shown that these novel compounds
exhibit excellent flotation effects. However, the subsequent
application of novel collectors in the flotation of actual ores
has rarely been investigated (Liu et al., 2023 Jia et al.,2021
Bu et al., 2018 He et al., 2016).
The novel collector 2-(octylthio)aniline (2-OA) is in
the form of oil, which can be added directly into the pulp,
decreasing the preparation time and improving efficiency. It
has a sulfur and an amino group with superior metal affin-
ity, a long carbon chain, and a benzene ring with strong
hydrophobicity in its structure. The collector 2-OA shows
excellent floatability when first tested in the chalcopyrite
flotation.
In this study, the novel collector 2-OA was adopted in
the flotation of an actual copper sulfide ore. The flotation
Evaluation of Flotation Performance Using a Novel Collector
2-(Octylthio)Aniline for Copper Sulfide Ore Under Various
Flotation Conditions
Jia Zhao, Labone L. Godirilwe, Kazutoshi Haga, Atsushi Shibayama
Graduate School of International Resource Sciences, Akita University
Manabu Yamada
Graduate School of Engineering Science, Akita University
ABSTRACT: With the ores presenting low-grade and complex components recently, traditional flotation
technology is difficult to meet the high recovery demand. In this study, a novel collector 2-(octylthio)aniline
(2-OA) was adopted on a copper sulfide ore to investigate its flotation performance compared with the
conventional collector potassium amylxanthate (PAX). Higher copper recovery was consistently achieved when
utilizing 2-OA than PAX under various flotation conditions. The flotation kinetics study showed that 2-OA
exhibited a faster flotation rate than PAX. When a two-stage flotation was employed, collector 2-OA showed
better floatability than PAX with the final copper grade increasing by 2 folds.
INTRODUCTION
As the most extensive and efficient mineral processing tech-
nology, flotation is widely used in the recovery of copper
ores. Flotation is a process that is mainly based on the dif-
ference in hydrophobicity of different mineral surfaces in
order to separate minerals. A collector is an essential reagent
used in the flotation process, altering the hydrophobicity of
the mineral surface, and enabling the floating mineral par-
ticles to adhere to the air bubbles. The collectors commonly
used in the flotation of copper sulfide ores are xanthates and
dithiophosphates. However, the existing copper sulfide ores
are mostly of low-grade and complex composition due to
the continuous utilization of ore resources. It is difficult to
obtain better beneficiation indexes with conventional flota-
tion reagents and processes. Therefore, the development of
novel collectors is critical to improve the flotation efficiency
and optimize the separation process (Miao et al., 2020 Zuo
et al., 2015). In recent years, many researchers have devel-
oped various novel compounds and used them as collectors
in flotation. A large number of micro-flotation results on
mineral samples have shown that these novel compounds
exhibit excellent flotation effects. However, the subsequent
application of novel collectors in the flotation of actual ores
has rarely been investigated (Liu et al., 2023 Jia et al.,2021
Bu et al., 2018 He et al., 2016).
The novel collector 2-(octylthio)aniline (2-OA) is in
the form of oil, which can be added directly into the pulp,
decreasing the preparation time and improving efficiency. It
has a sulfur and an amino group with superior metal affin-
ity, a long carbon chain, and a benzene ring with strong
hydrophobicity in its structure. The collector 2-OA shows
excellent floatability when first tested in the chalcopyrite
flotation.
In this study, the novel collector 2-OA was adopted in
the flotation of an actual copper sulfide ore. The flotation