Proton - ionizable lariat ethers in ion flotation process - effect of alkali metal cations

An experimental investigation is presented on flotation of Cs+, Sr2+ and Ba2+ cation metals from dilute aqueous solutions using lariat ethers with a novel protonionizable group in the presence of foaming agent. The influence of concentration of Li+, Na+, K+ (as source of foreign cations) on kinetic rate constant and maximal percent removal was studied. The addition of Li+, Na+, K+ cations (over 1.0ź10-3 mol/dm3) depressed the removal of Cs+, Sr2+ and Ba2+ remarkably, and the removal of floated cations was very low (at the concentration of alkali metal cations – 1.0ź10-2 mol/dm3). The influence of foreign cations on flotation depression increases in the order: K+ < Li+ < Na+. Authors propose the correlation between the maximal percent removal of Cs+, Sr2+ or Ba2+ and concentration of Li+, Na+ or K+ cations in aqueous solution.