Reverse flotation of ultrafine magnetic concentrate by using mixed anionic/cationic collectors

Compared to reverse cationic flotation, the advantages of reverse anionic flotation include relatively lower sensitivity to slimes and lower reagent cost. Besides, anionic collectors were found to have excellent capability of selectively separating an ultrafine magnetite ore. Addition of a small amount of cationic collector into the anionic collector as the collector mixture can improve the metallurgical results of removing silicates in reverse flotation. In this paper, NaOL and DDA were used for reverse flotation of the ultrafine magnetic concentrate. The separation performance of the collector mixture was investigated at different ratios of NaOL and DDA. The results showed that a better separation performance was obtained for the collector mixture than for NaOL alone. There was an optimal molar ratio between NaOL and DDA equal to 10:1. In the flotation system with the presence of the collector mixture, the good selectivity was found when starch was used as a depressor for magnetite and CaO was used as an activator for quartz. The influences of starch and CaO dosages on the separation performance of magnetite, quartz and chlorite had been investigated through micro-flotation tests. The infrared spectral analysis showed stretching vibration peaks of chemical adsorption of the collector mixture on the magnetite surface. The peaks were not present when starch was used as the depressor for magnetite. The closed flotation tests on the magnetic concentrate with the particle size of -25 μm were performed in the laboratory. The Fe concentrate assaying 64.52 % was obtained with Fe recovery of 80.66%, for the Fe content of feed equal to 52.98%.