Utilization of DTAB as a collector for the reverse flotation separation of quartz from fluorapatite

Abstract

Reverse flotation desilication is an indispensable step for obtaining high-grade fluorapatite. In this work, dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) is recommended as an efficient collector for the reverse flotation separation of quartz from fluorapatite. Its collectivity for quartz and selectivity for fluorapatite were also compared with figures corresponding to the conventional collector dodecylamine hydrochloride (DAC) via microflotation experiments. The adsorption behaviors of DTAB and DAC on minerals were systematically investigated with surface chemical analyses, such as contact angle determination, zeta potential detection, and adsorption density measurement. The results revealed that compared to DAC, DTAB displayed a similar and strong collectivity for quartz, and it showed a better selectivity (or worse collectivity) for fluorapatite, resulting in a high-efficiency separation of the two minerals. The surface chemical analysis results showed that the adsorption ability of DTAB on the quartz surface was as strong as that of DAC, whereas the adsorption amount of DTAB on the fluorapatite surface was much lower than that of DAC, which is associated with the flotation performance. During the floatation separation of the actual ore, 8wt% fluorapatite with a higher grade can be obtained using DTAB in contrast to DAC. Therefore, DTAB is a promising collector for the high-efficiency purification and sustainable utilization of valuable fluorapatite recourses.

Mechanism of Modified Ether Amine Agents in Petalite and Quartz Flotation Systems under Weak Alkaline Conditions

“…The stretching vibration of the secondary amine (-NH=) is specifically responsible for the absorption peak at 3360 cm −1 , and the peaks at 2960 cm −1 , 2925 cm −1 , 2854 cm −1 , and 1406 cm −1 correspond to the asymmetric stretching vibration of the methyl groups in the aliphatic hydrocarbon chain, the symmetric stretching vibration of the methylene groups, and the bending vibration of the methylene groups. Peaks at 1164 cm −1 , 1054 cm −1 , 775 cm −1 , and 692 cm −1 in the spectra of quartz are, respectively, typical peaks of Si-O, Si-O-Si, and O-Si-O [28][29][30]. Therefore, the distinctive vibrations of Si-O, Si-O-Al, Si-O-Si, and Al-O-Al are responsible for the peaks in petalite at about 1180 cm −1 , 1066 cm −1 , 1007 cm −1 , and 730 cm −1 , respectively.…”

“…DDA suffers from low selectivity, low water solubility, and acidic conditions in the flotation process, resulting in a low concentrate grade, low flotation, low efficiency, and strong acids that are harmful to the environment [26,27]. Therefore, selecting a suitable trapping agent is the critical point of the process [28][29][30].…”