Effect of sodium silicate on the flotation separation of chalcopyrite and galena using sodium sulfite and sulfonated lignin as depressant. (31st May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Mengfei; Hu, Bo; Zhang, Chenyang; Wang, Qiankun; Sun, Zhongmei; He, Peng; Chen, Yaozong; Chen, Daixiong; Zhu, Jianyu
• Is Part Of: Minerals engineering. Volume 182(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-05-31
• Subjects: Depressant -- Inhibit -- Flotation -- Galena -- Chalcopyrite; Mines and mineral resources -- Periodicals; Ressources minérales -- Périodiques; Mines and mineral resources; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 622
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mineng.2022.107563
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0892-6875

Abstract

Highlights: Exploring the inhibitory effect of combination depressant for galena. Exploring the enhancement effect of Na2 SiO3 on combination depressant. Revealing the inhibition mechanism of combination depressant. Revealing the enhancing mechanism of Na2 SiO3 to combination depressant. Abstract: A combination depressant SHI was composed of sodium sulfite (Na2 SO3 ) and sulfonated lignin (SL) in a 5:1 M ratio. In this study, SHI and sodium silicate (Na2 SiO3 ) were employed to inhibit the floatability of galena, and the synergies between agents was explored. Micro-flotation results shown that after 2.4 × 10 −4 mol/L SHI was added, the recovery of galena and fine-galena declined by 53% and 36%, respectively. SHI exhibited excellent depressing efficiency toward galena. In the presence of Na2 SiO3, the inhibitory effect of SHI was more obvious. Zeta potential measurements indicates that SHI and Na2 SiO3 altered the potential of galena surface through chemical reaction or adsorption action. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results demonstrate that Na2 SO3 in the SHI were reacted with Pb ions on the galena surface and formed PbSO3, the SL was adsorbed by the galena surface through hydrogen bonding. In parallel, Na2 SiO3 interacted with the mineral surface by generating PbSiO3. The addition of inhibitors increased the oxidation rate of the galena surface, thereby reducing the adsorption of collectors. Density functional theory simulations shown that Na2 SiO3 reduced the bonding energy between the galena surfaces and Na2 SO3, and improved the stability of adsorption.