Lactic acid as selective depressant for flotation separation of chalcopyrite from pyrite and its depression mechanism

Biodegradable acids for pyrite depression and green flotation separation - an overview

Exponential increasing demands for base metals have made meaningful processing of their quite low-grade (>1%) resources. Froth flotation is the most important physicochemical pretreatment technique for processing low-grade sulfide ores. In other words, flotation separation can effectively upgrade finely liberated base metal sulfides based on their surface properties. Various sulfide surface characters can be modified by flotation surfactants (collectors, activators, depressants, pH regulators, frothers, etc.). However, these reagents are mostly toxic. Therefore, using biodegradable flotation reagents would be essential for a green transition of ore treatment plants, while flotation circuits deal with massive volumes of water and materials. Pyrite, the most abundant sulfide mineral, is frequently associated with valuable minerals as a troublesome gangue. It causes severe technical and environmental difficulties. Thus, pyrite should be removed early in the beneficiation process to minimize its problematic issues. Recently, conventional inorganic pyrite depressants (such as cyanide, lime, and sulfur-oxy compounds) have been successfully assisted or even replaced with eco-friendly and green reagents (including polysaccharide-based substances and biodegradable acids). Yet, no comprehensive review is specified on the biodegradable acid depression reagents (such as tannic, lactic, humic acids, etc.) for pyrite removal through flotation separation. This study has comprehensively reviewed the previously conducted investigations in this area and provides suggestions for future assessments and developments. This robust review has systematically explored depression performance, various adsorption mechanisms, and aspects of these reagents on pyrite surfaces. Furthermore, factors affecting their efficiency were analyzed, and gaps within each area were highlighted.

Advancing phosphate ore minerals separation with sustainable flotation reagents: An investigation into highly selective biobased depressants

Froth flotation has been a commonly employed technique to enrich natural ores by removing impurities based on the surface properties of minerals. This process involves the use of various reagents, including collectors, depressants, frothers, and activators, which are often chemically synthesized and may represent environmental risks. Therefore, there is a growing need to develop biobased reagents that offer more sustainable alternatives. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive assessment of the potential of biobased depressants as a sustainable alternative to traditional reagents in selective flotation process for phosphate ore minerals. To achieve this objective, the review investigates the extraction and the purification methods of different biobased depressants, analyzes the specific conditions for reagent interaction with minerals, and assess the biobased depressants' performance through a range of fundamental studies. These studies aim to (i) provide a better understanding of the adsorption behavior of some biobased depressants onto the surfaces of apatite, calcite, dolomite, and quartz comprised in different mineral systems by measuring their zeta potential and analyzing their Fourier transform infrared spectra before and after contact with these reagents, (ii) determine the depressants' adsorption amounts, (iii) evaluate their effect on the contact angle of bare minerals, and (iv) assess their ability to inhibit the flotation of the studied minerals. The outcomes revealed the potential use and the promising applicability of these unconventional reagents since their performance is comparable to that of conventional reagents. In addition to their good effectiveness, these biobased depressants have the added advantages of being cost effective, biodegradable, non-toxic, and ecofriendly. Nevertheless, further research and investigations are required to improve the selectivity and, consequently, the effectiveness of biobased depressants.