The Effect of Lignosulfonates on the Floatability of Molybdenite And
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The Effect of Lignosulfonates on the Floatability of Molybdenite and Chalcopyrite By Anita Ansari B. A. Sc., University of British Columbia, 2003 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF APPLIED SCIENCE In THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES (MINING ENGINEERING) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA April 2006 © Anita Ansari, 2006 Abstract The applicability of six lignosulfonates as selective depressants in chalcopyrite- molybdenite separation was assessed by means of modified Hallimond tube flotation tests, supplemented by adsorption studies to determine the magnitude of lignosulfonate- mineral interactions. Flotation and adsorption tests were performed as a function of pH using different pH modifiers, i.e. lime, potassium hydroxide (KOH) and soda ash. Size exclusion chromatograms (SEC) were generated to determine which molecular weight fractions of the lignosulfonates were actually adsorbing onto the surfaces of the minerals. The depression of chalcopyrite flotation by lignosulfonates was found to be related to the presence of physically adsorbed xanthate and the availability of metallic sites on the mineral surface. Once the physically adsorbed xanthate was removed from the surface, the depression of the mineral was possible only when lignosulfonates adsorbed onto the mineral. The adsorption process was enhanced by the presence of positively charged metallic sites on the mineral surface. The activating role of calcium ions introduced by lime for lignosulfonate adsorption was demonstrated. The depression of molybdenite flotation was a function of pH. Good flotation of molybdenite was observed only under neutral / weakly acidic pH values, and the addition of all lignosulfonates resulted in the complete depression of molybdenite flotation. As in the case of chalcopyrite, pH adjustments using KOH and soda ash decreased the adsorption of lignosulfonates, which strongly suggests that the lignosulfonate adsorption process was controlled by electrostatic repulsion between the anionic polyelectrolytes and the negatively charged mineral surface. When lime was used as a pH modifier, the adsorption density dramatically increased due to the presence of calcium species in solution. The SEC data indicated that higher molecular weight fractions of lignosulfonates preferentially interact with mineral surfaces. Overall, the results suggest that it is possible to selectively float chalcopyrite from molybdenite by depressing molybdenite. This can be achieved over a wide pH range provided that a pH modifier other than lime is used for pH control. It is suggested that this process option be used in a cleaner flotation stage where pulp dilution and the use of flotation columns could greatly enhance the selectivity of the process. ii Table of Contents Abstract ii Table of Contents : iii List of Tables ; v List of Figures vi Acknowledgements xi Research Objectives xii 1.0 Introduction - 1 - 2.0 Literature Review ; - 2 - 2.1 Copper .' -2- 2.2 Molybdenum - 2 - 2.3 Chalcopyrite - molybdenite separation - 4 - 2.4 Xanfhates : - 6 - 2.5 Lignosulfonates - 9 - 2.6 Lignosulfonate uses - 10 - 3.0 Experimental Procedure - 16 - 3.1 Materials - 16 - 3.1.1 Equipment.. - 16 - 3.1.2 Minerals.... ..- 16- 3.1.3 Reagents - 18 - 3.2 Methods - 21 - 3.2.1 Hallimond Tube Flotation - 21 - 3.2.1.1 Chalcopyrite Flotation Tests - 21 - 3.2.1.2 Molybdenite Flotation Tests - 24 - 3.2.2 Adsorption Tests - 26 - 3.2.2.1 Calibration Curves and Adsorption Matrices - 26 - 3.2.2.2 Chalcopyrite Adsorption Tests - 30 - 3.2.2.3 Molybdenite Adsorption Tests - 32 - 3.2.3 Size Exclusion Chromatography tests - 33 - 3.2.3.1 HPLC Apparatus and Reagents - 34 - 3.2.3.2 HPLC Procedure - 34 - 4.0 Results and Discussion - 35 - 4.1 Flotation Tests.. - 35 - 4.1.1 Depression of Chalcopyrite - 35 - 4.1.2 Depression of Molybdenite ; - 38 - 4.2 Adsorption Tests - 44 - 4.2.1 Adsorption on Chalcopyrite - 44 - 4.2.2 Adsorption on Molybdenite - 50 - 4.3 Size Exclusion Chromatography - 55 - 4.3.1. Chalcopyrite Size Exclusion Chromatography Tests :.- 55 - 5.0 Conclusions and Recommendations : - 58 - 6.0 References - 62 - Appendix I: Size Distribution Data - 66 - Appendix II: Absorbance Scans and Calibration Curves - 67 - Appendix III: Size Exclusion Chromatography Plots , - 74 - iii Appendix IV: Xanthate Concentrations from Chalcopyrite Adsorption Tests -114 Appendix V: Electro-acoustic Measurements on Chalcopyrite 117 iv List of Tables Table 3-1: Summary of mineral purity -18 Table 3-2: Select properties of lignosulfonate reagents being investigated - 19 Table 3-3: Xanthate and lignosulfonate concentrations obtained for the model mixtures - 30 Table IV-1: Summary of xanthate and lignosulfonate concentrations in equilibrium with chalcopyrite - 114 v List of Figures Figure 2-1: Contact angle diagram -4 Figure 3-1: Illustration of modified Hallimond tube flotation test -23 Figure 3-2: Absorbance spectra of potassium ethyl xanthate, at a concentration of 25 mg/L - 27 Figure 3-3: Absorbance spectra of lignosulfonate D-912, at a concentration of 50 mg/L - 28 Figure 4-1: Flotation results of chalcopyrite in 0.001 M KNO3, using the lignosulfonate D-619 - 35 Figure 4-2: Flotation results of chalcopyrite in 0.001 M KNO3, using the lignosulfonate D-648 - 35 Figure 4-3: Flotation results of chalcopyrite in 0.001 M KNO3, using the lignosulfonate D-659 - 36 Figure 4-4: Flotation results of chalcopyrite in 0.001 M KNO3, using the lignosulfonate D-748 - 36 Figure 4-5: Flotation results of chalcopyrite in 0.001 M KNO3, using the lignosulfonate D-750 , - 37 Figure 4-6: Flotation results of chalcopyrite in 0.001 M KNO3, using the lignosulfonate D-912 - 37 Figure 4-7: Flotation results of molybdenite in 0.001 M KNO3 - 39 Figure 4-8: Flotation results of molybdenite in 0.001 M KNO3, using the lignosulfonate D-619 - 40 Figure 4-9: Flotation results of molybdenite in 0.001 M KNO3, using the lignosulfonate D-648 - 40 Figure 4-10: Flotation results of molybdenite in 0.001 M KNO3, using the lignosulfonate D-701 -41 Figure 4-11: Flotation results of molybdenite in 0.001 M KNO3, using the lignosulfonate D-748 -41 Figure 4-12: Flotation results of molybdenite in 0.001 M KNO3, using the lignosulfonate D-750 -42 Figure 4-13: Flotation results of molybdenite in 0.001 M KNO3, using the lignosulfonate D-912 - 42 Figure 4-14: Dodecane and lignosulfonate flotation tests, carried out in 0.001 M KNO3 - 43 Figure 4-15: Adsorption results of chalcopyrite in 0.001 M KC1, using the lignosulfonate D-619 - 44 Figure 4-16: Adsorption results of chalcopyrite in 0.001 M KC1, using the lignosulfonate D-648 -45 Figure 4-17: Adsorption results of chalcopyrite in 0.001 M KC1, using the lignosulfonate D-701 -45 Figure 4-18: Adsorption results of chalcopyrite in 0.001 M KC1, using the lignosulfonate D-748 - 46 Figure 4-19: Adsorption results of chalcopyrite in 0.001 M KC1, using the lignosulfonate D-750 '. - 46 vi Figure 4-20: Adsorption results of chalcopyrite in 0.001 M KC1, using the lignosulfonate D-912 - 47 Figure 4-21: Adsorption results of molybdenite in 0.001 M KC1, using the lignosulfonate D-619 -50 Figure 4-22: Adsorption results of molybdenite in 0.001 M KC1, using the lignosulfonate D-648 - 50 Figure 4-23: Adsorption results of molybdenite in 0.001 M KC1, using the lignosulfonate D-701 -51 Figure 4-24: Adsorption results of molybdenite in 0.001 M KC1, using the lignosulfonate D-748 - 51 Figure 4-25: Adsorption results of molybdenite in 0.001 M KC1, using the lignosulfonate D-750 - 52 Figure 4-26: Adsorption results of molybdenite in 0.001 M KC1, using the lignosulfonate D-912 - 52 Figure 1-1: Size distribution for adsorption grade chalcopyrite - 66 Figure 1-2: Size distribution for adsorption grade molybdenite - 66 Figure II-1: Absorbance spectra of lignosulfonate D-619, at a concentration of 50 mg/L - 67 Figure II-2: Absorbance spectra of lignosulfonate D-648, at a concentration of 50 mg/L - 68 Figure II-3: Absorbance spectra of lignosulfonate D-701, at a concentration of 50 mg/L - 68 Figure II-4: Absorbance spectra of lignosulfonate D-748, at a concentration of 50 mg/L - 69 Figure II-5: Absorbance spectra of lignosulfonate D-750, at a concentration of 50 mg/L - 69 Figure II-6: Calibration curve for D-619 - 70 Figure II-7: Calibration curve for D-648 - 70 Figure II-8: Calibration curve for D-701 - 71 Figure II-9: Calibration curve for D-748 -71 Figure 11-10: Calibration curve for D-750 - 72 Figure 11-11: Calibration curve for D-912 - 72 Figure II-12: Calibration curves for potassium ethyl xanthate -73 Figure III-1: D-619 standard elution - 74 Figure III-2: D-619, after adsorption on chalcopyrite at a natural pH of 5.3 - 75 Figure III-3: D-619, after adsorption on chalcopyrite at pH 10.9 using CaO - 75 Figure III-4: D-619, after adsorption on chalcopyrite at pH 11.0 using KOH -76 Figure III-5: D-619 after adsorption on chalcopyrite, at pH 11.1 using soda ash - 76 Figure III-6: D-648 standard elution - 77 Figure III-7: D-648, after adsorption on chalcopyrite at a natural pH of 6.5 - 77 Figure III-8: D-648, after adsorption on chalcopyrite at pH 11.0 using CaO - 78 Figure IH-9: D-648 after adsorption on chalcopyrite at pH 11.0 using KOH -78 Figure 111-10: D-648, after adsorption on chalcopyrite at pH 11.1 using soda ash - 79 Figure III-11: D-701 standard elution - 79 Figure 111-12: D-701 after adsorption on chalcopyrite at a natural pH of 5.5 - 80 Figure III-13: D-701, after adsorption on chalcopyrite at pH 11.0 using CaO - 80 vii Figure III-14: D-701, after adsorption on chalcopyrite at pH 11.1 using