Copper sulfate, which appears as blue or blue-green crystals, is a widely used activator in sulfide ore flotation. It is mainly used as an activator, regulator and inhibitor to adjust the pH value of the slurry, control foam generation and improve The surface potential of minerals has an activation effect on sphalerite, stibnite, pyrite and pyrrhotite, especially sphalerite that is inhibited by lime or cyanide.
The role of copper sulfate in mineral flotation:
1. Used as activator
Can change the electrical properties of mineral surfaces and make mineral surfaces hydrophilic. This hydrophilicity can increase the contact area between the mineral and water, making it easier for the mineral to float. Copper sulfate can also form cations in the mineral slurry, which are further adsorbed on the surface of the mineral, increasing its hydrophilicity and buoyancy.
The activation mechanism includes the following two aspects:
①. A metathesis reaction occurs on the surface of the activated mineral to form an activation film. For example, copper sulfate is used to activate sphalerite. The radius of divalent copper ions is similar to the radius of zinc ions, and the solubility of copper sulfide is much smaller than that of zinc sulfide. Therefore, a copper sulfide film can be formed on the surface of sphalerite. After the copper sulfide film is formed, it can easily interact with the xanthate collector, so that the sphalerite is activated.
②. Remove the inhibitor first, and then form an activation film. When sodium cyanide inhibits sphalerite, stable zinc cyanide ions are formed on the surface of sphalerite, and copper cyanide ions are more stable than zinc cyanide ions. If copper sulfate is added to the sphalerite slurry that is inhibited by cyanide, the cyanide radicals on the surface of the sphalerite will fall off, and the free copper ions will react with the sphalerite to form an activation film of copper sulfide, thereby activating the sphalerite.
2. Used as a regulator
The pH value of the slurry can be adjusted. At an appropriate pH value, copper sulfate can react with hydrogen ions on the mineral surface to form chemical substances that combine with the mineral surface, increasing the hydrophilicity and buoyancy of the mineral, thereby promoting the flotation effect of gold mines.
3. Used as an inhibitor
Anions can be formed in the slurry and adsorbed on the surface of other minerals that do not require flotation, reducing their hydrophilicity and buoyancy, thus preventing these minerals from being floated together with gold minerals. Copper sulfate inhibitors are often added to the slurry to keep minerals that do not require flotation at the bottom.
4. Used as mineral surface modifier
Change the chemical and physical properties of mineral surfaces. In gold ore flotation, the electrical properties and hydrophilicity of the mineral surface are key flotation factors. Copper sulfate can form copper oxide ions in the mineral slurry, react with metal ions on the surface of the mineral, and change its surface chemical properties. Copper sulfate can also change the hydrophilicity of mineral surfaces and increase the contact area between minerals and water, thus promoting the flotation effect of gold mines.
Post time: Jan-02-2024
