Contact angle of copper-bearing shales using the sessile drop and captive bubble methods in the presence of selected frothers

Abstract

This paper describes the measurement of contact angle of copper-bearing shales. The values of advancing and receding contact angles were determined using the sessile drop and captive bubble methods in the presence of aqueous solutions of acetal and pyridine and distilled water. Both methods demonstrated that the tested substances had only minor impact on the surface hydrophobicity of copper-bearing shales expressed by contact angle. The tests carried out proved that neither acetal nor pyridine may be classified to the collecting reagents because none of them improves hydrophobicity of copper-bearing shales. These reagents are only flotation frothers.

Keywords

• contact angle
• hydrophobicity
• hydrophilicity
• flotation
• copper-bearing shales