Application of mixed collectors on quartz-feldspar by fluorine-free flotation separation and their interaction mechanism: A review

Abstract

Quartz and feldspar are usually exist in symbiosis in nature, and they are difficult to be separated effectively by conventional physical methods owing to their similarities in crystal structures and surface characteristics. Flotation is the most resultful method, and especially, flotation with hydrofluoric acid (HF) is the most efficient way. Because HF may cause serious environmental and health problems, the effective and environmentally friendly separation of quartz and feldspar remains a formidable challenge. The crystal structure, surface broken bonds, surface energy, and solid-liquid interface properties of quartz and feldspar are investigated in this paper. In particular, some types of mixed cationic/anion collectors and their interaction mechanism on the quartz and feldspar surfaces with acidic, alkaline, and neutral media in the absence of fluorine are discussed, and the grade and scheme of quartz and feldspar for the practical application are illustrated. This review proposes concrete research approaches and provides perspectives for the advanced processing of quartz and feldspar in an environmentally friendly and economical way.

Probing the Interaction Mechanism of Sodium Oleate and Dodecyl Amine with Quartz Surfaces in the Presence of Ca2+ Ions by AFM Force Measurement

“…Quartz, a pivotal raw material in high-tech fields (such as photovoltaic and semiconductor microelectronics), ranks among the most prevalent bulk silicate rock-forming minerals in nature, commonly found alongside a myriad of other minerals. , Flotation is a common approach for quartz recovery. Currently, there are two widely utilized flotation processes for the extraction of quartz: direct flotation process with a cationic collector (e.g., quaternary ammonium salts, fatty amines, ether amines, etc.…”

Efficient Recovery of Feldspar, Quartz, and Kaolin from Weathered Granite

“…Flotation can produce concentrates with fewer impurities compared to magnetic separation, and both methods can meet the raw material requirements of the ceramic industry. Among them, feldspar products with an iron impurity content of less than 1% and quartz products with a silica content of more than 99% meet the sales standards [19][20][21].…”

A Comparative Study of Quartz and Potassium Feldspar Flotation Process Using Different Chemical Reagents

“…Utilizing cationic, anionic, and cationic-anionic collectors for feldspar flotation in an acidic environment without the need for HF aims to minimize or reduce the consumption of HF. However, it should be noted that even with efforts to use HF sparingly, achieving complete elimination or a significant reduction in its consumption remains a challenge [20].…”