Fhb. Decastro et Mc. Dehoces, INFLUENCE OF QUEBRACHO AND SODIUM-SILICATE ON FLOTATION OF CELESTITE AND CALCITE WITH SODIUM OLEATE, International journal of mineral processing, 37(3-4), 1993, pp. 283-298
A study has been carried out on the action of the depressants quebrach
o and sodium silicate on the flotation of the mineral species celestit
e and calcite, using sodium oleate as the collector and with a particl
e size below 200 mesh A.S.T.M. The experiments were performed on pure
minerals in a 3 L mechanical flotation cell (subaeration) equipped wit
h a 1/6 CV, 1500 r.p.m. engine. The results obtained indicate that que
bracho is more effective on calcite than on celestite, although at con
centrations above 0.12 g/L, quebracho completely depresses both minera
ls in the pH range between 7 and 10. The depressor action of Na2SiO3 o
n calcite is greater on lower concentrations of sodium oleate. The sig
nificance of the depressor action of sodium silicate on celestite is l
ow at concentrations below 10(-3) M. Moreover, various celestite-calci
te mixtures have proved to respond to flotation according to the conce
ntration of the depressant, although independent of the mixture's prop
ortion.