Natural Graphite Froth Flotation-An Overview.

As battery technologies evolve and the demand for sustainable energy solutions rises, the request for natural graphite is expected to remain strong. The graphite used in battery anodes is typically a form of high-grade purified flake graphite, which has a layered structure that allows for the intercalation of lithium ions during charging and discharging cycles. Since graphite is naturally hydrophobic, flotation beneficiation is the most utilized enrichment technique for upgrading. Different flotation conditions were investigated for graphite enrichment with various crystal particle sizes. Since the size of the flake directly affects its market price, providing an overview of ‘graphite flotation’ based on the flake size is essential for disseminating the process knowledge and promoting research advancements related to this critical mineral. Thus, as an innovative approach, this work assessed and reviewed published graphite flotation investigations based on flake graphite particle sizes and divided them into fine (<150 μm) and large (>150 μm) groups. The assessments emphasized that large flake graphite particles become irretrievable once their structure is damaged; thus, during their processing, it is essential to minimize the potential damage by separation from fine flakes. On the other hand, several issues are associated with the flotation of fine graphite, including high collector consumption and entrainment. Therefore, this overview focused on four main aspects of graphite flotation (flotation pretreatment, enhancement of the collection process, inhibition entrainment and presented examined solutions for optimizing grinding and flotation beneficiation) and addressed knowledge gaps within these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]