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Minerals
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An Overview of Applications and Types of Flotation Reagents: Performance,...
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An Overview of Applications and Types of Flotation Reagents: Performance, Efficiency and Optimization

A special issue of Minerals (ISSN 2075-163X). This special issue belongs to the section "Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2024 | Viewed by 1498

Special Issue Editors

Dr. André C. Azevedo

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Guest Editor
Laboratório de Tecnologia Mineral e Ambiental (LTM), Departamento de Engenharia de Minas, PPGE3M, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil
Interests: interfacial phenomena in mineral processing; froth flotation; solid–liquid separation; nanobubble generation and applications; water and wastewater treatment
Dr. Rafael Teixeira Rodrigues

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Guest Editor
Laboratório de Tecnologia Mineral e Ambiental (LTM-PPGE3M), Departamento de Engenharia de Minas (DEMIN), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil
Interests: froth flotation; gas dispersion parameters in flotation cells; dissolved air flotation; solid–liquid separation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Flotation is a pivotal process in mineral processing, allowing for the concentration of valuable minerals from ores. This abstract presents a concise overview of the application, types, performance, efficiency and optimization of flotation reagents, with a focus on improving the separation of minerals, especially in challenging ore compositions. Additionally, it highlights the emergence of eco-friendly reagents to promote sustainability in the mineral industry.

Flotation reagents, encompassing collectors, frothers, modifiers and dispersants, enable the selective collection of valuable mineral particles via air bubbles, separating them from gangue minerals. The effectiveness of these reagents significantly impacts the metallurgical efficiency (grade–recovery curve). Optimization strategies consider factors such as reagent dosage, water quality, particle size and ore mineralogy to achieve desired outcomes.

In the context of challenging ore compositions, where multiple valuable minerals coexist, selecting suitable reagents becomes critical to improving separation efficiency and reducing operational costs. Researchers have been actively exploring alternative reagents that can better address the complexities of such ores.

While efficiency remains a primary concern, the growing interest in sustainability has led to the development of eco-friendly flotation reagents. Biodegradable collectors and frothers, along with less toxic options, are gaining importance due to their reduced environmental impact and enhanced safety for personnel.

This abstract underscores the significance of efficient flotation reagents in mineral processing, especially for separating minerals in complex ores. This Special Issue in the Minerals journal showcases the latest advancements and innovations in flotation reagents, encompassing both improved performance and a commitment to sustainability within the mining industry.

Dr. André C. Azevedo
Dr. Rafael Teixeira Rodrigues
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Minerals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • flotation reagents
  • mineral processing
  • efficiency
  • sustainability
  • complex ores

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 5196 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Flotation Conditions for Long-Flame Coal Mud by Response Surface Method
by Linfang Ao, Hongbo Zhang, Jingkun Zhang and Guoping Li
Minerals 2024, 14(7), 636; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min14070636 - 21 Jun 2024
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Abstract
With the application of modern coal mining technology and the fact that there are fewer and fewer high-quality coal seams, the quality enhancement and utilization of low-rank coal are gaining more and more attention. To solve the problems of high consumption of chemicals [...] Read more.
With the application of modern coal mining technology and the fact that there are fewer and fewer high-quality coal seams, the quality enhancement and utilization of low-rank coal are gaining more and more attention. To solve the problems of high consumption of chemicals and low recovery of refined coal in the flotation separation process of low-rank coal, the long-flame coal from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China was selected as the research object, and the factors affecting the flotation process were analyzed and optimized by adopting the response surface method and establishing a regression model with high precision and reliability. The test results showed that the primary and secondary relationships of the factors on the fine coal yield were as follows: slurry concentration > frother dosage > collector dosage; and the primary and secondary relationships of the factors on the flotation refinement index were as follows: slurry concentration > collector dosage > frother dosage. The optimal conditions for flotation were 2453.09 g/t of collector, 795.84 g/t of frother, and 50.04 g/L of slurry concentration. Under these conditions, the fine coal yield was 51.51%, and the relative error of 53.71% was 4.27%. The flotation refinement index was 21.34%, and the relative error with the predicted value of 21.58% was 1.12%. The relative error of the experimental results was within a reasonable range, which indicated that the regression model obtained by the response surface method was highly reliable. The research results are of great significance to strengthen the comprehensive utilization of long-flame coal in full particle size and improve the economic benefits of coal enterprises. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue An Overview of Applications and Types of Flotation Reagents: Performance, Efficiency and Optimization)
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14 pages, 2457 KiB  
Article
Interactions of Acetylene-Derived Thioester Collectors with Gold Surfaces: A First-Principles Study
by Xianyang Qiu, Yuechao Qi, Dezhou Wei, Faming Zhang and Chenghang Wang
Minerals 2024, 14(3), 238; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/min14030238 - 26 Feb 2024
Viewed by 805
Abstract
The high reactivity of the acetylene group enables the formation of strong chemical bonds with active sites on mineral surfaces, thereby improving the flotation performance of gold minerals. This study utilized density functional theory (DFT) to analyze the quantum chemical parameters of structure, [...] Read more.
The high reactivity of the acetylene group enables the formation of strong chemical bonds with active sites on mineral surfaces, thereby improving the flotation performance of gold minerals. This study utilized density functional theory (DFT) to analyze the quantum chemical parameters of structure, Mulliken population, and the frontier orbitals of a thioester collector containing an acetylene group, PDEC (prop-2-yn-1-yl diethylcarbamodithioate). PDEC was compared with analogous thioester collectors Z-200 and Al-DECDT. The interaction mechanism of PDEC on the Au(1 1 1) surface was simulated, followed by empirical validation through adsorption experiments. The findings indicate that the S atom of PDEC in the carbon–sulfur group exhibits shorter covalent bond lengths, and has reduced carbon–sulfur double bonds and Mulliken population, resulting in enhanced electron localization. This confers greater selectivity to PDEC during its adsorption on mineral surfaces. Frontier orbital analysis shows that the electrons of the acetylene group possess a notable electron-accepting capacity, significantly influencing the frontier orbital energy of PDEC and playing a pivotal role in the bonding interaction with mineral surfaces. Both the S atom in the carbon–sulfur group and its acetylene group establish stable adsorption structures with the A(111) surface in a single coordination mode. The adsorption energy sequence is PDEC > Al-DECDT > Z-200. Partial density of states demonstrates that the S 3p orbit of the carbon–sulfur group hybridizes with the Au 5d orbit, while the C 2p orbit of the acetylene group engages in weaker back-donation bonding with the Au 5d orbit. This is corroborated by the electron density difference and post-adsorption Mulliken population analyses, revealing that the S atom of the carbon–sulfur group in PDEC donates electrons to the Au atom, forming dominant positive coordination bonds, whereas the acetylene group accepts partial electrons from the Au atom, resulting in weaker back-donation bonds. The adsorption experiments align with the DFT adsorption energy results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue An Overview of Applications and Types of Flotation Reagents: Performance, Efficiency and Optimization)
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