Influence of Sodium Phosphate Salts with Different Chain Length on the Flotation Behavior of Magnesite and Dolomite

Abstract

This paper analyzes the influence of sodium phosphate salts with different chain lengths as depressants on the flotation behavior of magnesite and dolomite through single mineral flotation test, contact angle test, and theoretical analysis. Flotation tests show that depressants should be added for the flotation separation of magnesite and dolomite. The inhibition of sodium phosphate salts on dolomite is significantly stronger than magnesite, and the flotation difference of minerals is affected by the chain length of phosphate depressants. The order of flotation separation enhancement of different sodium phosphate depressants is sodium hexametaphosphate ≈ sodium tetrapolyphosphate > sodium tripolyphosphate > sodium pyrophosphate. This result could also be supported by the contact angle measurement.

Flotation Separation of Magnesite from Dolomite Using Sodium Silicate Modified with Zinc Sulfate as a Selective Depressant

“…Due to the similar physical and chemical properties (such as surface wettability and surface charge properties) and crystal structures, it is difficult to separate magnesite from dolomite via flotation. In addition, dissolved components from magnesite and dolomite can also influence flotation separation [8][9][10][11][12].…”

Synergistic Effect of Sodium Dodecyl Benzene Sulfonate on Flotation Separation of Magnesite and Dolomite with Sodium Oleate Collector

“…At present, reverse flotation is generally used to remove silicon-containing gangue such as quartz and silicate minerals in magnesite, while direct flotation technology is generally used to remove calcium containing gangue such as calcite and dolomite [9][10][11][12]. According to previous studies, the mineral properties of magnesite and siliceous gangue (quartz as the representative) are very different, so it is easy to separate them by flotation.…”