Advances in depressants used for pyrite flotation separation from coal/minerals

Abstract

Pyrite is separated from other minerals mainly by flotation. However, the hydrophilicity of pyrite is affected by many factors, causing it to easily enter the concentrate and consequently reduce the quality of concentrate. Highly efficient pyrite depressants can be selectively adsorbed on the surface of pyrite to improve its hydrophilicity, thereby increasing the flotation separation efficiency. Understanding the fundamental inhibition mechanism of depressants on pyrite is a prerequisite to improve the flotation desulfurization efficiency. The inhibition ability and mechanism of different types of pyrite depressants are reviewed in this manuscript. In recent years, molecular simulation has increasingly become a powerful tool to study the interaction between reagents and minerals, shedding new light on the adsorption mechanisms of reagents on mineral surfaces at the atomic and electronic levels. The properties of sulfide mineral and flotation reagents as well as the microscopic adsorption mechanistic studies of reagents on mineral surfaces based on quantum chemistry and molecular simulation are also reviewed.

Effect of an acetonized pyrolysis oil recycled from spent-car tires on coal flotation performance

“…Diverse parameters such as the number of ethoxyl functional group in their structure, the length of hydrocarbon chain and their consumption dosage affect the regent performance. Li et al (2022) provided a deep literature review on exploration of the effect of different types of polymeric reagents as well as their interaction mechanisms in coal flotation.…”

Progressive Hydrophilic Processes of the Pyrite Surface in High-Alkaline Lime Systems

“…5,6 In mineral flotation separation, xanthate acts as a collector, which adsorbs on the surface of valuable minerals to achieve its hydrophobic collection. 7 However, it can also adsorb on the surface of pyrite, causing it to be hydrophobic in the concentrate, reducing the concentrate grade. 8 Therefore, to prevent this process from developing, highly selective depressants need to be introduced to modify the pyrite hydrophilicity and to impede the adsorption of xanthate on the pyrite surface.…”

“…13 These hydrolyzed species will be adsorbed and deposited on the surface of pyrite, forming hydrophilic Fe(OH) 2 , Fe(OH) 3 , CaSO 4 , and Ca-(OH) 2 precipitates. 7,14 The possible process is that numerous hydroxyls in the alkaline pulp gather on the surface Fe cations of pyrite to form Fe−OH structures, 15−17 which causes the pyrite surface to be negatively charged. 8,18−20 This facilitates the positively charged calcium species to act on the pyrite surface by electrostatic attraction, 21 thereby reducing the number of target sites on the pyrite surface for xanthate adsorption.…”

“…In mineral flotation separation, xanthate acts as a collector, which adsorbs on the surface of valuable minerals to achieve its hydrophobic collection . However, it can also adsorb on the surface of pyrite, causing it to be hydrophobic in the concentrate, reducing the concentrate grade .…”

“…However, it can also adsorb on the surface of pyrite, causing it to be hydrophobic in the concentrate, reducing the concentrate grade . Therefore, to prevent this process from developing, highly selective depressants need to be introduced to modify the pyrite hydrophilicity and to impede the adsorption of xanthate on the pyrite surface. , The depressants of pyrite are mainly divided into two categories: inorganic depressants and organic depressants. For inorganic depressants, it normally contains three groups, namely, pH modifiers, cyanide, and sulfur salts .…”