Last modified: 2018-07-23
Abstract
Separation of minerals from ores is a very important industrial process. The commonly applied separation method is flotation, which ensures the required relation between the hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties on the surface of the mineral particles. Much of the research was focused on the action of hydrophobic xanthate type surfactants on sulfide minerals. Different possibilities have been suggested in literature to explain how xanthates can render hydrophobic the surface of minerals [16]
The effect of sulfite interaction with galena on the mechanism of potassium isoamyl xanthate (KIAX) synthesized adsorption onto galena surfaces has been studied in situ using electrochemical potential; FTIR spectra and SEM have been used to identify the mechanism of interaction between sulfite and galena surfaces. Activated galena with copper sulfate (10-4 M) has been investigated at pH 9.12 and potassium isoamyl xanthate (3x10-3 M) concentration. Oxidised galena surfaces have relatively low concentration of adsorbed xanthate and high potential (Eopt = -89 mV); adsorbed colloidal (Pb-IAX, 1,123.08 cm-1) is found even at high xanthate concentration, colloidal lead oxide/hydroxide particles have been imaged after 10-4M lead sulfate addition at pH 9.12. The behavior of this system is consistent with ion exchange between xanthate and hydroxide followed by oxidation to dixanthogen (X2, 1,273.56 cm-1) and diffusion of this species across the surface.