Experimental Research And Mechanism Discussion On Composite Collector In Flotation Of A Spodumene Ore

Spodumene is the main lithium mineral resource,mainly occurs in granite pegmatite-type rare metal ores,but often associated with mica,feldspar,quartz,etc in the ore pegmatite aluminum silicate minerals.Because of their similar natural floatability,complex chemical composition,diverse structure,and the interference of"ion"to avoid serious and so on,the recovery of spodumene has brought great obstacles.therefore,the research and development of different collecting agent distribution is the difficulty in the field of spodumene flotation,also is the effective measure to improve the efficiency of spodumene flotation.Firstly,the collecting ability and selectivity in spodumene and three gangue minerals of sodium oleate,Fx-6 and CY-20 were studied through single mineral flotation tests and artificial mixed mineral separation flotation tests.Then,the preliminary discussion of function mechanism of sodium oleate,Fx-6 and CY-20 is carried on through infrared adsorption spectrum detection and Zeta potential measurement.Finally,the actual use effect of combined collector sodium oleate/Fx-6（Hereinafter referred to as"combined collector A"）and combined collector sodium oleate/CY-20（Hereinafter referred to as"combined collector B"）is studied through actual mineral flotation test.The single mineral test of spodumene and its gangue shows that under weak alkaline conditions,the collection capacity is CY-20>Fx-6>sodium oleate.When the concentration of sodium oleate is 150 mg/L,the flotation effect is the best.The recovery rate is 91.1%.The flotation separation effect is obviously better than that of a single collector.In the experiment of artificial mixed ore,under the flotation system of sodium oleate/CY-20 composite collector,the separation of spodumene and gangue minerals can be achieved efficiently.In temperature test,the temperature adaptability of sodium oleate/CY-20 composite collector is better.Infrared spectrum analysis and potentiodynamic measurements show that the three collectors have adsorption on the surface of spodumene and gangue minerals.Sodium oleate and CY-20 are chemically adsorbed on mineral surface,while Fx-6 is physically adsorbed.The adsorptive strength of collector combination is obviously stronger than that of single collector.Zeta potential test showed that the surface potential of spodumene was shifted to positive direction after activation by Ca²⁺.When sodium oleate,Fx-6 and CY-20 were added,the surface potential of spodumene shifted to negative direction.When spodumene acted with composite collector,the potential shift was more obvious than that when single collector was added.In the flotation system of sodium oleate/CY-20,the potential shift of spodumene was more obvious than that of the other three veins.The obvious stone minerals indicate that the combined collector sodium oleate/CY-20 has better collectability and selectivity.The closed circuit test of actual ore shows that spodumene concentrate with 5.33%Li₂O grade,69.25%Li₂O recovery and 0.91%Fe₂O₃ content can be obtained by using combined collector A,and spodumene concentrate with 6.02%Li₂O grade,80.75%Li₂O recovery and 0.67%Fe₂O₃ content can be obtained by flotation of spodumene mineral with 1.47%original ore grade by using combined collector B.The flotation recovery and grade of spodumene concentrate with 0.67%Fe₂O₃ content are higher than combined collector A.Flotation effect under the action of sodium oleate.The flotation effect of combined collector is obviously better than that of single collector,and it can effectively separate spodumene and gangue minerals.At the same time,it provides a collector choice for the flotation of a spodumene ore.