National University of Science and Technology “MISiS”, Moscow, Russia:

B. E. Goryachev, Professor (Department of Mineral Processing and Technogenic Raw Materials)
Kyaw Zay Ya, Post-Graduate Student (Department of Mineral Processing and Technogenic Raw Materials)
A. A. Nikolaev, Associate Professor, e-mail: nikolaevopr@misis.ru (Department of Mineral Processing and Technogenic Raw Materials)
Yu. N. Polyakova, Master Degree (Department of Mineral Processing and Technogenic Raw Materials)

This paper shows the results of froth flotation of sphalerite samples in alkaline medium using sulfhydryl collectors in a mechanical flotation cell. Sphalerite coarseness was –71+44 μm. Influence of various factors (pH, collector expenditure and flotation time) on sphalerite recovery was studied. Potassium butyl xanthate and sodium dibutyldithiophosphate were used as collectors for sphalerite flotation; lime was used as medium regulator; and methylisobutylcarbinol was used as a frother agent. There was investigated the kinetics of sphalerite flotation using sodium dithiophosphate and potassium xanthate at pH = 8–12, depending on collector expenditure. Flotation results were analyzed with following definition of sphalerite distribution by fast, medium and slow floatable fraсtions. Investigation results defined the change regularities of sphalerite recovery in froth product, depending on the type of collector expenditure and pH. Experiments have shown that better sphalerite flotation by potassium butyl xanthate was observed at pH = 8 while the flotation by sodium dibutyldithiophosphate was at pH = 10. There was a lowest possible level of flotation recovery of sphalerite at pH = 12 for both collectors. The difference in kinetic behavior of sphalerite flotation by butyl potassium xanthate and sodium dithiophosphate was revealed, concluded in different values of slow, medium and fast floatable fraction parts, depending on collector expenditure in the liquid pulp phase at pH equal to 8 and 10. The part of fast and medium floatable fractions during sodium dibutyldithiophosphate flotation at pH=10 was higher than the one during potassium butyl xanthate flotation. Thus the type of collector and its expenditure affected flotation kinetic behavior at pH equal to 8 and 10. It should be noted that depression of sphalerite flotation in strong alkaline medium was obtained by both collectors. Sphalerite recovery in the froth product at pH = 12 was low, and flotation kinetic was limited by low floatable fractions (0.9).
This work was carried out with the financial support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Russian Federation according to the Federal Target Program “Investigations and developments of the priority ways of development of scientific-technological complex of Russia for 2014–2020”, project RFMEFI57514X0085.

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