Effect of Sulfuric Acid Corrosion on Flotation Performance of Calcite by Changing Surface Roughness
Dingquan Xing,
Ruofan Sun,
Shuai Ma,
Heping Wen,
Zhongchi Wang,
Jiushuai Deng
Affiliations
Dingquan Xing
Inner Mongolia Research Institute of CUMTB, Key Laboratory of Separation and Processing of Symbiotic-Associated Mineral Resources in Non-Ferrous Metal Industry, Engineering Technology Research Center for Comprehensive Utilization of Rare Earth—Rare Metal—Rare Scattered in Non-Ferrous Metal Industry, School of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Ruofan Sun
Inner Mongolia Research Institute of CUMTB, Key Laboratory of Separation and Processing of Symbiotic-Associated Mineral Resources in Non-Ferrous Metal Industry, Engineering Technology Research Center for Comprehensive Utilization of Rare Earth—Rare Metal—Rare Scattered in Non-Ferrous Metal Industry, School of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Shuai Ma
Inner Mongolia Research Institute of CUMTB, Key Laboratory of Separation and Processing of Symbiotic-Associated Mineral Resources in Non-Ferrous Metal Industry, Engineering Technology Research Center for Comprehensive Utilization of Rare Earth—Rare Metal—Rare Scattered in Non-Ferrous Metal Industry, School of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Heping Wen
Yuxi Dahongshan Mining Co., Ltd., Yuxi 653405, China
Zhongchi Wang
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, China
Jiushuai Deng
Inner Mongolia Research Institute of CUMTB, Key Laboratory of Separation and Processing of Symbiotic-Associated Mineral Resources in Non-Ferrous Metal Industry, Engineering Technology Research Center for Comprehensive Utilization of Rare Earth—Rare Metal—Rare Scattered in Non-Ferrous Metal Industry, School of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Surface roughness is a crucial factor that affects the flotation performance of minerals. In this study, the effect of sulfuric acid corrosion on the surface roughness of calcite flotation was investigated through microflotation tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM–EDS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and contact angle analysis. Microflotation test results show that sulfuric acid treatment has a serious negative effect on the floatability of calcite. When the sulfuric acid dosage was 4 mL (3 mol/L), the flotation recovery of calcite was reduced to less than 19%. SEM–EDS and AFM results verified that the sulfuric acid treatment significantly changed the surface morphology of calcite, reduced the average surface roughness and surface area, and reduced the amount of active Ca2+ sites on the calcite surface. As characterized by FT-IR and contact angle analyses, the sulfuric acid treatment enhanced the hydrophilicity of the calcite surface and reduced the amount of sodium oleate adsorbed on the calcite surface. Consequently, sulfuric acid corrosion can reduce the average surface roughness of calcite and have a serious negative effect on the flotation performance of calcite.
