Mutual Interaction between Collectors and Frothers in Flotation

Abstract

The behavior of a frother in flotation was investigated from the viewpoint of the mutual interaction between a collector and a frother. The floatability of galena and the interfacial tensions of the mercury-solution interface were measured using ethyl and amyl xanthates and normal alcohols containing 1～5 carbon atoms. The floatability test showed that butyl and amyl alcohols were favourable as a frother. The interfacial tension mesurements verified that alcohol molecules can adsorb on the mercurysurface only in coexistence with xanthate molecules in a solution. The degree of the coadsorption of alcohol molecule with xanthate molecule on mercury increases with increasing the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl chain of alcohol. It was clarified from the discussion of the infrared-spectroscopic study for the reagents that the value of ln(ν-ν₀) based on the shift of CH₃ stretching vibration was closely related to the degree of the coadsorption of a frother with a collector at the mineral-solution interface. Furthermore, the value of ln (ν－ν₀) was shown to be one of the measures indicating the choice of their proper combination.