The Effect of Polyethylene Oxide (PEO) on Reducing the Mechanical Entrainment of Fine Quartz Gangue during Sulphide Ore Flotation
Fine mineral particles pose two challenging problems in froth flotation, i.e., ineffective recovery of fine hydrophobic particles and mechanical entrainment of fine hydrophilic particles. The first problem has attracted much research effort while the second problem has received much less attention. We have recently proposed a method to deal with mechanical entrainment, i.e., utilizing the flocculating power of polymeric depressants to flocculate fine gangue particles and making the flocs big enough so that the mechanical entrainment of these particles can be reduced or eliminated. In this paper, we report results on the use of polyethylene oxide (PEO) in controlling quartz gangue in the flotation of sulphide ores. PEO was found to flocculate fine quartz and lower its entrainment. It was also found to modify air/water interfacial properties and acted as a frother, which could increase gangue entrainment. Nevertheless, when used at starvation dosages, PEO was found to significantly improve the grades of the floated sulphide concentrates.
Entrainment Flocculation Quartz Polyethylene Oxide(PEO) Sulphide
J. Gong A. Yeung Q. Liu A. Bouajila M. Ourriban H. Jang Y. Peng
Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada COREM, Quebec, Canada CESL. Teckcominco, Vancouver, BC, Canada BHP Billiton/Nickel West, Perth. Australia
国际会议
XXIV International Mineral Processing Congress(第24届国际矿物加工大会)
北京
英文
1161-1169
2008-09-24（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）