Flotation separation of ilmenite from titanaugite using mixed collectors

ABSTRACT

The flotation results show the mixed sodium oleate (NaOL)–benzohydroxamic acid (BHA) collectors at a molar ratio of 4:1 exhibit excellent performance in the flotation separation of ilmenite (FeTiO₃) from titanaugite than NaOL alone at pH 6.0. The mixed collectors NaOL–BHA increase the contact angle, which improves the minerals’ surface hydrophobicity and results in good corresponding flotation recovery. NaOL and BHA are mainly adsorbed chemically on FeTiO₃ and titanaugite, as confirmed by zeta potential tests and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The contact angle results indicated that there is a positive synergistic adsorption of mixed collectors NaOL–BHA on FeTiO₃, thereby enhancing their collecting capacity and selectivity.

KEYWORDS:

• Benzohydroxamic acid
• flotation
• ilmenite
• mixed collectors
• titanaugite

Funding

The authors would like to thank the Special Scientific Research Fund of Land and Resources Public Welfare Profession of China, Grant No. 201411056, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51504224 and 51304162) and the Key Foundation of Natural Scientific Research of the Education Department of Sichuan Province, China (Grant No. 16ZA0130), for the financial support.

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to thank the Special Scientific Research Fund of Land and Resources Public Welfare Profession of China, Grant No. 201411056, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51504224 and 51304162) and the Key Foundation of Natural Scientific Research of the Education Department of Sichuan Province, China (Grant No. 16ZA0130), for the financial support.