Influence of Galvanic Interaction between the Iron Grinding Medium and Chalcopyrite on Collectorless Flotation Behavior of Chalcopyrite: Experimental and Density Functional Theory Study

Abstract

The eco-friendly flotation process for chalcopyrite is economically significant and promotes sustainable development in mining. Collectorless flotation is a green and clean method for chalcopyrite utilization, but galvanic interactions during the grinding process can affect the surface structure, chemical composition, and electrochemical properties, impacting collectorless flotation recovery. This article uses a self-made device and flotation experiments to study galvanic interactions and their effects on surface oxidation and collectorless flotation behavior under different grinding conditions (including mineral particle size, slurry water content, pressure, and galvanic interaction time). The impact of galvanic interaction on the surface chemical composition and electrochemical properties of chalcopyrite is studied using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and electrochemical tests. Additionally, the effect of the galvanic interaction on the surface structure is analyzed with density functional theory. XPS and HPLC results show that iron grinding media contact with chalcopyrite, reducing elemental sulfur content of the chalcopyrite surface, improving hydrophilicity, and decreasing chalcopyrite collectorless flotation recovery. Grinding conditions, such as mineral particle size, slurry water content, and galvanic interaction time, significantly impact collectorless flotation and can be regulated to optimize results.

Preparation and Performance Study of SiC-Reinforced Fe-Based Wear-Resistant Composite Grinding Media

“…Selecting suitable grinding media is of paramount importance, not only because their consumption represents a significant portion of the operational costs in grinding processes, but also because they directly impact the grinding efficiency and the fineness of the final abrasives. Grinding media are widely adopted in various materials including iron, steel, and ceramics [ 2 , 3 ]. These grinding media exhibit considerable diversity in terms of both their materials and their geometric shapes.…”