Modeling metal ion removal in alkylsulfate ion flotation systems

Metal removal kinetics and metal ion selectivity in ion flotation were stud ied from a thermodynamic perspective. Surface tension data could be used wi th the Gibbs adsorption equation to quantitatively predict the metal-ion re moval kinetics in alkylsulfate-Cu systems. However, surface tensions predic ted cation selectivity coefficients in the sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS)-Cu-C a and SDS-Cu-Pb systems rather poorly, although the predicted order of the selectivity, (Cu2+ < Ca2+ < Pb2+) was correct. Another thermodynamic select ivity model, which used the Grahame adsorption equation and a geometrical a nalysis, predicted cation selectivity coefficients that agreed very well wi th experimentally, measured values.