Search

This study demonstrated the possibility of separating fine beryl from quartz by using magnetic carrier technology with the presence of non-ionic surfactant (Sorbitan monooleate). Oleatecoated magnetite was used as a magnetic carrier for enhancing the magnetic properties of fine beryl to be separated and get rid of the most common associated gangue mineral "quartz". This study proved that the most important factors affecting this separation process is the pH, as the study showed that the efficiency of the separation process is the maximum possible when pH at the isoelectric point (IEP) of beryl. Where at IEP, beryl is ready to adsorb oleate-coated maginetite onto its surface and the presence of sorbitan monooleate helps this adsorption and strengthens. To demonstrate the separation process, physico-chemical surface characterization for beryl, quartz, magnetite and oleate-coated magnetite was studied before and after treatment with sorbitan monooleate using zeta potential measurements and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). Mineralogical characterization was take place for separated minerals of beryl, quartz and magnetite using x-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses and scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS) unit. The magnetic carrier separation tests were performed in this study in the case of separate minerals investigated that fine beryl (94% recovery) could be recovered under optimum test conditions of 2.5 pH, 4.29 g/L sorbitan monooleate and 1:0.5 beryl to oleate-coated magnetite ratio, while quartz under the same conditions was recovered by 9.8%. FTIR measurements for the investigated minerals before and after treatment with sorbitan monooleate confirmed that the adsorption of sorbitan monooleate on the surface of beryl far exceeds that of the surface of quartz at beryl IEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of the mixed anionic (sodium oleate) / nonionic (sorbitan monooleate) collectors on fergusonite flotation and separation from silicate gangue minerals was investigated using the flotation tests. The surface characterization of fergusonite before and after the treatment with the mixed collectors was determined using the zeta-potential measurements and FT-IR analyses. The results obtained from this study showed that the flotation recovery of fergusonite using sodium oleate enhanced in the presence of sorbitan monooleate, and the optimum floatability was achieved at pH 5 using 1 Kg/Mg blended collectors of sodium oleate and sorbitan monooleate as by a ratio 1:1 and methyl isobutyl carbinol (MIBC) as a frother. It was also found that the addition of sodium metasilicate to citric acid as a depressant showed a high affinity for silicate gangue minerals and weak affinity for fergusonite. The zeta-potential and FT-IR measurements of fergusonite after the treatment with the mixed collectors indicated a strong adsorption of these molecules on the particle surface due to chemisorptions. Additionally, The SEM analysis of high grade froth and its corresponding tailing product showed that the fergusonite mineral mostly concentrated in the froth, while the gangue silicate minerals relatively concentrated in the tailing. Finally, synergistic interaction between the anionic and nonionic surfactants was observed during adsorption on fergusonite and was succeeded for separation from its gangue silicate minerals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, sorbitan monooleate was used to pretreat lignite prior to flotation tests. First, the lignite sample and water were mixed with 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2% (on the basis of the weight of the coal) of sorbitan monooleate to produce five types of flotation slurries. FTIR, XPS and SEM were used to analyze the surface properties of the lignite sample. The flotation tests were used to indicate the improvements in flotation of lignite after the sorbitan monooleate pre-treatment. FTIR and XPS results showed that there are many oxygenated functional groups in lignite such as carboxyl group and hydroxyl groups. Furthermore, SEM results showed that there are many holes on the lignite surface. These holes will be filled with water in the flotation pulp. The flotation results indicated that sorbitan monooleate can improve the lignite flotation at low concentrations of sorbitan monooleate. However, the flotation behavior of lignite deteriorated at higher concentrations of sorbitan monooleate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]