Flotation cells and flotation reagents are essential components of the flotation process. Under the agitation of the flotation cell, the ore pulp mixes thoroughly with the flotation reagent, undergoing chemical or physical reactions. This changes the ore's hydrophilicity, binds it to the air within the cell, and floats to the surface of the flotation cell using the buoyancy of the bubbles. The flotation reagent is then scraped off into the concentrate tank by the flotation scraper.
Flotation reagents directly affect the yield and quality of concentrate in the flotation process. Excessively high flotation reagent ratios can easily lead to reduced concentrate quality, while too low a ratio can affect concentrate yield. What are the reference criteria and preparation methods for flotation reagents? How can the optimal ratio be determined? What safety regulations should be observed during the preparation of flotation reagents?
Definition and Types of Flotation Reagents
Any chemical additive added to the mineral processing process to improve efficiency is referred to as a mineral processing reagent. Flotation reagents include collectors, depressants, grinding aids, filter aids, surface modifiers, and more.
Currently, the collectors commonly used in most mineral processing plants in my country are xanthate and black powder. Xanthate is suitable for sulfide minerals such as galena, sphalerite, and chalcopyrite. Black powder is divided into grades 15, 25, and 31. Because black powder has a poor ability to capture pyrite, it is suitable for flotation of sulfide ores containing pyrite.
References for Flotation Reagent Preparation
The preparation of flotation reagents is determined by the properties of the reagent. For water-soluble reagents, aqueous solutions are generally prepared at a concentration of 5%-10%. Too low a concentration will result in excessive volume; too high a concentration will make it difficult to control the dosage.
In contrast, less water-soluble reagents must first be dissolved in a special solvent to the appropriate concentration before being added to the flotation machine. For example, oleic acid can be dissolved in kerosene, and white powder can be dissolved in o-toluidine.
Flotation Agent Preparation Methods
In addition to the aqueous solution and solvent addition methods mentioned above, other preparation methods include suspension, saponification, emulsification, acidification, aerosol, and electrochemical treatment.
1. Suspension Preparation
As the name suggests, a suspension is a state in which a solid is suspended in a liquid, also known as an emulsion. These are flotation agents made by grinding insoluble solid agents into a fine powder and then adding them to water.
2. Saponification Preparation
Soap solution is a commonly used fatty acid collector. A typical example is hematite flotation. Tall oil is a collector for hematite. To ensure the Tall oil's effectiveness, 10% sodium carbonate is added, followed by warm saponification to create a soap solution.
3. Emulsification Preparation
Emulsifiers are the primary reagent in emulsification preparation. Emulsification increases the dispersion of flotation agents in the slurry, improving their efficiency. Alkyl aryl xanthate, a relatively common emulsifier, can be used to emulsify flotation reagents through mechanical stirring, ultrasonication, and other methods.
4. Acidification Preparation
The purpose of acidification is simple: to directly change the hydrophilicity of the flotation reagent, making it soluble in water. For example, when using cations to capture mineral particles, the cations are poorly water-soluble. Using an acidic agent can make them soluble in water, thereby enhancing the capture effect.
5. Aerosol Preparation
The aerosol method is a new flotation reagent preparation method that offers advantages such as enhanced reagent production, reduced consumption, and high flotation quality. The main principle is to mix the collector and frother with air through a spray device and add the mixture directly to the flotation cell.
Safety Management Regulations for Flotation Reagent Preparation
Safety management, safe production, and ensuring the safety of life and property; preventing accidents and maintaining production targets require strict adherence to the safety management regulations for flotation reagent preparation, and instilling strict safety awareness among technicians, preparation personnel, operators, and outsiders. Technical personnel are responsible for supervising the management of preparation personnel; preparation personnel must keep abreast of the usage status and dosage of flotation agents and the safety hazards of agent storage tanks; operators must operate slowly, steadily and accurately to avoid leakage accidents; outsiders are prohibited from entering the agent preparation area.
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