Physico-chemical studies on the oxide mineral systems in the presence of surfactants and polymers for beneficiation of iron ores

Abstract

The final report describes the physico-chemical aspects in separation of value mineral, hematite from the gangue minerals namely, quartz and alumina following the dispersion- selective flocculation and flotation techniques. The minerals were characterized through their BET surface area, chemical and mineralogical analysis, zeta potential measurement (in presence and absence) of the surfactant (s). The surfactants, sodium oleate, sodium dodecyl sulphate and dodecyl amine hydrochloride, used in the present study were characterized through surface tension studies. The surfactant –polymer interaction studies have been made. The report also describes the separation of typical iron ore slimes sample generated from MSPL iron ore and waste dump fines following dispersion and selective flocculation to enrich Fe content. Sodium hexametaphosphate, tetra sodium pyrophosphate and low mol .wt. poly-acrylamides were used as dispersant and starch & modified starch were used as the reagents in the selective flocculation studies. The effect of process parameters namely, pulp density, types of reagents and their dosage on the separation index was studied. The results of flocculation have been interpreted through the settling curves when plotted for the height of interface against the settling time. Flotation behaviour of the cationic and anionic collectors on quartz and hematite minerals substantiated by adsorption and zeta-potential results has been presented in the second part of the report. Besides, adsorption phenomenon and role of mixed cationic/anionic collectors on pure quartz and hematite minerals in relation to flotation were studied.