Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 2
Search results for: Yufan Mu
2 The Role of Sodium Alginate in the Selective Flotation of Chalcopyrite Against Pyrite
Authors: Yufan Mu
Abstract:
The selective depression of pyrite in the flotation of copper minerals is difficult due to the activation of pyrite surface by copper ions. Novel depressants for pyrite are needed to responsibly extract copper resources for a greener and cleaner future. In this paper, the non-toxic sodium alginate was employed as a depressant to selectively separate chalcopyrite from pyrite in flotation using potassium amyl xanthate as the collector. The results from flotation tests showed that sodium alginate significantly depressed pyrite flotation while had slight influence on chalcopyrite flotation. The adsorption tests showed that the adsorption amount of sodium alginate on pyrite surface was much higher than that on chalcopyrite surface. The pre-adsorbed sodium alginate could effectively hinder the subsequent adsorption of collector on pyrite surface, thereby inhibiting pyrite flotation. The selective adsorption of sodium alginate on pyrite surface was caused by the interactions between the activating cuprous ions on pyrite surface and the carboxyl groups in sodium alginate. The paper shows that sodium alginate is a promising depressant for pyrite in the flotation of chalcopyrite.Keywords: chalcopyrite flotation, pyrite depression, sodium alginate, copper-activated pyrite, adsorption
Procedia PDF Downloads 521 Depression of Copper-Activated Pyrite by Potassium Ferrate in Copper Ore Flotation Using High Salinity Process Water
Authors: Yufan Mu
Abstract:
High salinity process water (HSPW) is often applied in copper ore flotation to alleviate freshwater shortage; however, it is detrimental to copper flotation as it strongly enhances copper activation of pyrite. In this study, the depression effect of a strong oxidiser, potassium ferrate (πΎβπΉβ), on the flotation of copper-activated pyrite was tested to realise the selective separation of pyrite from copper minerals (e.g., chalcopyrite) in flotation using HSPW. The flotation results show that when (πΎβπΉβ) was added in the flotation cell during conditioning, (πΎβπΉβ) could selectively depress copper-activated pyrite while improving chalcopyrite flotation. The depression mechanism of (πΎβπΉβ) on pyrite was ascribed to the significant increase in the pulp potential (Eβ), dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration and the amount of ferric oxyhydroxides as a result of ferrate decomposition. In the flotation cell, the high Eh and DO concentration promoted the oxidation of low valency metal species (πΆβΊπΉeΒ²βΊ) released from mineral surfaces and forged steel grinding media, and the resultant high valency metal oxyhydroxides πΆu(πH)ββFe(OH)β together with the ferric oxyhydroxides from ferrate decomposition preferentially precipitated on pyrite surface due to its more cathodic nature compared with chalcopyrite, which increased pyrite surface hydrophilicity and reduced its floatability. This study reveals that (πΎβπΉβ) is a highly efficient depressant for pyrite when separating copper minerals from pyrite in flotation using HSPW if dosed properly.Keywords: copper flotation, pyrite depression, copper-activated pyrite, potassium ferrate, high salinity process water
Procedia PDF Downloads 44