STUDIES ON THE APPLICATION OF ALKYL PHOSPHORIC ACID ESTER IN THE FLOTATION OF WOLFRAMITE

Abstract

The application of alkyl phosphoric acid ester for the flotation of wolframite was investigated. The studies include flotation of pure wolframite as a function of pulp pH, surfactant concentration, and particle size. The response contours were explained on the basis of solution properties of alkyl phosphoric acid ester. The performance of alkyl phosphoric acid collector has been compared with other commercially used wolframite flotation reagents. The efficacy of the reagent was also tested using a low-grade quartz vein type tungsten ore (WO₃ 0.2%) having wolframite as the chief tungsten-bearing mineral. Different parameters that influence the flotation selectivity (pH, collector and dispersant dosage, kinetics) were investigated in the bench scale studies. A continuous flotation test with a reagent regime of alkyl phosphoric acid collector-sodium silicofluoride modifier—amyl alcohol frother—gave a float product analyzing WO₃ 8% with 68% overall recovery after multistage flotation. The tungsten metal values from this cleaner float can be extracted efficiently using established hydrometallurgical methods.

Keywords:

• alkyl phosphoric acid ester
• wolframite
• flotation

The authors are grateful to Shri. R. K. Gupta, Director, and Shri. R. M. Sinha, Additional Director, A.M.D., for their interest in this work and permission to publish the investigation results. They are also grateful to their colleagues for the chemical analysis of various samples.