Abstract:
During the separation process of specularite/chlorite, the dissolution of metal ions on the mineral surface can affect the floatability of the minerals. Using ICP, conductivity measurements, and single mineral flotation tests, the dissolution patterns of Fe
3+ and Mg
2+ ions from the surfaces of specularite and chlorite and their effect on floatability were investigated y. Additionally, by combining Zeta potential measurements and lg
c−pH analysis, the inhibition mechanisms of Fe
3+ and Mg
2+ on specularite and chlorite were studied. The results showed that Fe
3+ and Mg
2+ exhibited a trend of increasing followed by decreasing with dissolution time, and the dissolution amount of Fe
3+ from the chlorite surface was significantly higher than that of Fe
3+. In addition, the total ion concentration in the solution decreased continuously as the pH of the solution increased. Both Fe
3+ and Mg
2+ had certain inhibitory effect on specularite and chlorite, but Fe
3+ had a stronger inhibitory effect. Under conditions where the Fe
3+ concentration was 3.11 mg/L and pH=6, the recovery rates of specularite and chlorite decreased to 10.23% and 13.35%, respectively. Fe
3+ primarily inhibits minerals through the adsorption of hydrophilic Fe(OH)
3 precipitates, while Mg
2+ mainly increases the electrostatic repulsion between mineral particles and DDA through adsorption in the form of Mg
2+, resulting in decreased mineral floatability.