The Effect of Complexing Reagents on Flotation of Sulfide Minerals and Cassiterite from Tin-Sulfide Tailings

ABSTRACT

Using a combination of UV-spectrophotometry, IR-Furie spectroscopy, analytical scanning electron (LEO 1420VP INCA OXFORD ENERGY 350) and laser (KEYENCE VK-9700) microscopy the effect of complexing reagents DBDTC, TMPPh, TOFA, and IM-50 on adsorption layer on the surface of chalcopyrite, galena, arsenopyrite, and cassiterite was studied. The individual formation character of the adsorption layer on each of the listed minerals was identified and the sizes of thin discrete films of the newly formed reagent phase, the strength of their fixation, and the coverage area of the mineral surface were determined. Kinetic photometry established the effective flocculation of cassiterite slimes by a thermomorphic polymer with a phosphine group TMPPh, which helps to reduce the loss of tin with fine fractions. TOFA is a selective tin collector and has advantages over IM-50 in terms of the fixation contrast on cassiterite and quartz. Tests of the developed reagent modes using a composition of complexing reagents have shown the possibility of obtaining sulfide and tin concentrates that met the requirements of metallurgical processing.

KEYWORDS:

• Flotation
• tin-sulfide tailings
• sulfide minerals
• cassiterite
• complexing reagents

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The study was carried out with the financial support of the Russian Science Foundation, grant [17-17-01292]